Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 450, 1 December 1904, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

LATEST LONDON AND PAJUS FASHIONS. By MISS IDA MELLEKJ [All Eights Reserved.] THE three-tier skirt has not advanced to any great extent in popularity, but remains among existing fashions nevertheless, and is a pleasant change from the more usual skirt cut all in one from waist to foot. It is particularly becoming to tall figures, and excellently well adapted to the accordion-pleated chiffons that are ! sold by the yard at varying widths. In fact any accordion-pleated material is suitable for the three.-tier skirt. Accordionpleating has come very much to the front again, and the simple accordion-pleated skirt.,of fine serge -or of Voile is a great favourite. As a stand-by skirt for homo wear, for demi-toilette,purposes, theatres, concerts, and so on, the.Jblaick. voile skirt, accordion-pleated or sunray-pleat'ed' from waist to foot—or mounted, -if preferred, into a hip-yoke of black satin ribbon and hair-pin embroidery—is as useful as anything that can be chosen for the purpose. Nun's veiling, in a fine quality, might take the place" of voile, and is a material much

worn in the form'.'of; accordion-pleated . blouses, fastening'at the back and gathered , . to yokes of hair-pin embroidery and . guipure lace. For the purpose of',, an ,' every-day walking skirt accordion-pleating cannot be conscientiously recommended, jis jfl the superfluity of material and innumerable 4£ pleats render the skirt difficult of manage- M ment in the hand : but for occasioaal weal m out-of-doors accordion-pleating may.be, , ventured on, while for home skirts it is always pretty. The most convenient form*' ," in which it appears out of doors is as the trottoir skirt, which requires no holding- •. W up. Tho girl with the trottoir skirt, •- a familiar figure in tho world of fashion; t ; '- to-day, still bears with her the suggestion of tho tourist and the cyclist. _ It is astonishing how great a difference is given to tho personal appearance by the skirt two or three inches off the ground and the skirt of average length. Once more skirts are permitted to fasten at the back, but we still have the option of the side fastening if we choose those skirts that are arranged with a front panel. Hence, fashion _is elastic—and, what is important with regard to the return of the back placket, is that it allows us again to possess skirt pockets. A BODICE CUT ON THE CROSS. It is very often by an accident that a pretty effect is brought to light. An instance of the kind occurred lately, whero a local dressmaker failed to carry out the idea of her client, and the bodice of the dress had to be altered. It was of black voile, full in front and cut on the cross, and opened over a vest of light lace. It was , the act of cutting tho material on the cross that gave the bodice when altered a singularly pretty shape when on tho figure. The hint is worth remembering. The open fronts were gauged on the shoulders and mot midway between throat and waist, and were trimmed with three French cravatbows of black glace silk, which gave a very smart finish. The sleeves were gathered on tho shoulders and caught helow into tight-fitting cuffs of ivory-coloured guipure lace, matching the vest. Tho skirt was . prettily gauged in three places—at the waist, lower down, and again just below tho knees, and it was trimmed at the hem with little puffings of satin ribbon, whiloat the waist was a ceinture of wide satinribbon to match. Accordion-pleated skirts of voile, nun's veiling and fine cloth arc among summer fashions, and the troittoir skirt in accordion-pleating is very becoming and is more convenient than the accordionpleated skirt of ordinary walking length, which is awkward to handle v*hon gathering it up, and is better suited to housowear than to promenade purposes. AN ADAPTABLE DRESS. At all times, but more especially during the summer holiday, when, to the majority, it is a matter of importance to take away as little luggage as possible, it is convenient to have by one a dress that will adapt itself to day and evening wear and take the place of two frocks, if necessary. The toilette sketched offers a suggestion for an adaptable dress of the kind. It should be composed of black taffeta, .voile or silk-spotted

muslin, with bands of black guipure let into the bodice and skirt. The latter is gauged at the waist and finished with two bouillones, and the. bodice is cut round and low, with a gathered and corded bouiUone border, and puffed elbow sleeves, which are met by long gloves. For day wear the bodice is • provided with a deep collar of ivory guipure, lined or otherwise, and fastened here and there to the border of the decolletage with s:/iall fancy brooches, AN EVENING BLOUSE. The second sketch shown this week suggests another adaptable bodice that might be worn for day and evening occasions, and - 4gi offers an alternative choice to the first ," sketch. In the present case the bodice—suitable for black silk, soft satin, crepe de chine or chiffon—is gathered to a pointed ■ lace berthe, and the elbow sleeves are tight-fitting' and composed of alternate

bands of lace and of. tupkod chiffon, or whatever material the b<side ; is composed of, and finish in frijls* vofjace or chiffon. To render the blouse nigbitb ihfe neok, for day wear, it must bo prdvided'with' a yoko collar after the style of.t&fone sketched, the tabs falling below the. lace on the'decolletage, which is thereby completely covered, and might be of black silk guipure or butter-coloured lace, the'lace on thejsleeves agreeing. /■■! '. .':■■ ■;,<•<"■. '•• iyf'.'. :