Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 452, 15 December 1904, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

LATEST LONDON AND PARIS FASHIONS. By MISS IDA MELLER [Alii Rights Reserved.] FOR the present we may expect no startling changes in dres3 fashions. The modes that be will remain, for they are new and will be copied in autumn materials when the season arrives for discarding the cool muslins of summer. We have so many styles to choose that there is no reason to GBMmj&U of sameness in' dress just .^oj%fmgfN6 ' have borrowed,from the French,- lr'c-'ios of yews ago, from the fashions when Queen Victoria was youhg.r arid I styles that IRomney andXothei famous; artists loved to paint. rV Side by .side"with the modem toque we see a replica, of the; old,-; fashioned mushroom hat, and a copy of thjl Directoire hat that flourished with th'S' becoming high-collars and double-breisted square-looking coats of long. ago. : Forjt'the present our shoulders should /remain true to their natural outline, arid; there is no ! attempt on the part of fashion;to,,? hunch ' them and distort them. Thfrshoulder-line is kept smooth arid low, and if fashion errs i in the-ibatter of sleeves it is in the'tendency to extend the shoulder line too I far upon the arm rather than to shorten it. The sleeve possessed of a ' cap' and caught into a cuff at the wrist is a very elegant affair when well made; but I hive seen sorij&j ugly failures among sleeves cut injthis wjsj , and the failure has generally come aborirSby a- 'cap' descending too low upon the arm and an insufficiency of material in, the sleeve below,, wriioh.has resolved itself into little more than a,, short puff of silk or I muslin, or any other material. It should be borne in mind that a sleeve with a tightfitting upper piece should,,have ample material below, to allow forJihe necessary droop at the wrist—this in accordance With the dictates of fashion; though it must be confessed that the superfluity of material at the wrist is highly inconvenient and useless, and so easily soils by dropping into tea-cups and other things. But fashion ignores these little inconveniences. A PRETTY CHECKED .COSTUJfIE, The convenience of the shoxt skirt to the tourist is widely appreciated, and the summer holiday tr&usseau must needs con- r tain at least one trottpir skirt, whether the holiday be spent at home or abroad. The short skirt is open to various ways of treatment. Sometimes it is accordion-pleated, with excellent effect, and again it is per-, fectly plain, 'without pleats of any sort, each seam being stitched, strapped,, or pip'ed, and nicely shaded to secure a good I

immlii«wMiniMMiiin«»———i—hi i - ■ ——— : ." ,| ' .. "—.: ~-—™ ~~ mtward flow on tho lower part. Otbou &*x. k a ™ box-pleated kiltedr ekicts being mounted into a hip-yoke, and the ploats left <ree 1 while in '.' iown close to the edges as"ia£a£the |^j- aa v %

Moreover, kilts vary considerably in widtbJpj.

The wider, flat kilts and wide box-pleats seem to be preferred just now. The shortskirted costume sketched is a very useful style for the tourist, and becoming, withal. The original is in blaok and white checked material, resembling a homespun of the finest quality. The skirt, it will be seen, is box-pleated, and the pleats are stitobed down as far-as the knees and finished with velvet buttons; and the little coat is prettily arranged with stole pclorine pipod with cheery'velvet, and held to the waist at the back with a band piped to match. A few cherry velvet buttons trim the fronts and are framed in simulated buttonholes of velvet. The cuffs are piped and trimmed in harmony, and a pretty finish is given by frills oi lace or pleated lawn. WAISTS AtfD~NECKWEAR. The success of a toilette is very much dependent upon accessories, and the dis-

'.••' " ;■>. ■ *.•■' ■' ■;, oreet ohoice and correct adjustment of the . .. many little details that are counted, as ,-.»p ' nothing in particular,' when viewed apart, ~M but that make a profound impression on,; : the whole. Belts and collars, pelerinesand fichus, lace ruffles and cuffs—these are ; trifles, perhaps, but of great importonce to : the' general scheme and finished picture, A few modish dress accessories are illustrated herewith. No. 1. • is" a light : summer wrap of chiffon, strapped across with velvet-ribbon and frilled with laoe. It is merely a dainty little adjunct that"" can bo made at-home at very little co3t, and replaces the more expensive ostrich" or marabout feather boa. No., .2 is a smart chiffon pelerine, suitable for a matron. It is trimmed with bands of lace insertion e ; and finished with long ends and a Frcnob/ bow at the neck. No. l J is a double boxpleated ruffle of tulle, finished with ribbon dows, and illustrates a favourite piece of neck-wear in society. Noi 4 iho'ws a collar of lawn or cambric, with long mitred ends; and No. sis thei now stock tie of glace silk, -i,. finished with-two little bows. In No. 6we have the iasbipnable pointed iinsu collar!

; fastened at the bacK a%i with hem*', stitching and ah iaseftedla&e j while % No. 7 illustrates an embroidered muslin collar with a &Uk necktie; and So. 8 shows . * a very smart collar" pi laco,".or .embroidery, ," in- . dicate some, pretty * waists * of the moment, No. 3 being of satm7^tfl A a<ftoral buckle. Nos. lOahd'll show thenew.j|eeKP o lrited ' corselets of taffeta silk, the brie innuned • with bows, the pt)|er.^thji(^oS(St,tgSj' having » for. sash- ; ; ribbon, and ISdff^,Wii a ribbßii -;belfc proa- . mentedwithlanojbrittorißor:rosettesY ;