A YOUNG GIRL'S FROCKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 53, 26 November 1907, Page 3

A YOUNG GIRL'S FROCKS.

Cropo-de-chene has come back' into signal favour (says a,writer in an English paper), but tho cheaper varioty' is worn by nobody who dresses' well. Everything has folds upon it,-and little unexpected touches of lawn and lace, and,, however tight the lining of the hotline, tho covering is always flou and artistic, arid never strained' down arid - ' hard. : Marquisettes are as fine as spiders'-webs, and thousands, of yards of ninon or mo'uss'eline and.the beautiful printed chiffon are being' made up "for aftorrioon and evening gowns. For the jeuno Alio' the' possibilities of a pretty frock arc immense; all sorts of lightcojoured voiles may be made up with the pinafore, suggest ion, arid tho fashion for having sleeves made of sorao light lace laid on row upon row is exceedingly pretty, 'especially, when those'are allied to some delicatelyshaded Shantung or even an inexpensive voile, printed or . plain. One ■ sees that the extraordinary vogue for lace' makes a very decided demand upon us in the way of extreme care as regards cleanliness; tho pretty', .fluffy lace sleeves'and charming chemisettes, are only beautiful when they, nro" scrupu-; lously clean, and so much 1 so is this the ease, that the flat-iron is in almost-daily request so 1 as to preserve these dainty accessories in thoir best condition. In the making of afrock for the young girl; I see that there are two pitfalls: one is to make her into a regular "Mother Bunch" if her figure be ,at all full, and/the .other, is to mistake, skimpiness and a genoral appcarance of draggle-tail: for'simplicity'; 011 the whole, this is the'worse of-the two pitfalls. There is a ; certain type "of girl to whom the plain: frock .with deep., plis' rcligieuses and. tho cross-cover capo of laco and long sash are nothing short of torial salvation; there is another type, ii thin,; somewhat melancholy-looking girl, who. requires little rucking upon her skirt; a gay hat bcdeckod with flowers, and a tinge of French 18th century frivolity to prevent her front looking like "Mariana of'tho Moated Grange." ..... If I had my daughter in town at. the present moment I should let. her have-a very, pretty thin blue serge made with' a smart little coat outlined with braid, and a Nattierblue hat trimmed with grass and wild roses and fiold flowers to go with it. Then i would pertainly give her a white sergo so as to be ready,for a smart occasion 011 a doubtful day, and a very charming Shantung bolero and skirt, or perhaps an entire frock of it,'which' would be ready to put on when she had thoroughly mangled her linen frocks,.as a.young girl somehow or other gonorally manages to do. Then she might be set up with several pretty morning frocks'of spotted or stripedcotton, rather plain, but well-cut, and with hat and parasol echoing the colour' of the 'belt,. For the aftorrioon delicious muslins are desirable, or a very soft.little radium frock, useful on a damp day, whon a'muslin would become limp in an hour. My young woman will never bo' allowed to wear an ill-shaped blouse, for my firm conviction is that blouses havoj sometimes been responsible for a social failure; thoy poke out above the belt and fit badly at the neck, and would make.Aphrodito herself look second-best and dowdy. But, 011 tho other,hand, put a pretty girl into a well-cut linen skirt, a charming fine lawn blouse, and a carefully curvcd silk belt, and' she will-be lovely to look upon. The useful soft black net gown with a sash and lciltinffs of not 011 the skirt and bcidico would be included amongst her possessions, and,- during- her first season her ball-gowns would bo all of tho light nnd airy description. Tho sash of delicato pompadour offect, with splashes of pink roses upon a pale blue ground, and elusive touches of gold tinsol, might be introduced in devious ways; but tho over-ladon, over,trimmed ball-gown, which to my mind so complotoly spoils tho charm of so ma.ny debutantes of the day, would be stronuously avoided. The protty pale powderly blue-green that is tho colour of carnation foliage, is to bo seen a good deal in the near future. So is another soft shade, which is more the hue of the volvety leaf of the wild mullein, and, again, the "green" of the sea holly makes a beautiful tint,