NEW WINTER FROCKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 766, 15 March 1910, Page 3

NEW WINTER FROCKS.

DRESS MATERIALS. '. The unpleasant weather experienced during the past few days - has been enough to, make people .feel as though winter was well on its way, and probably a great many women are beginning to think of their new winter frocks, and to study the" new materials and fashions. . They will not be inclined to admire the dress stuffs as much as. they did last year, for there is no denying that, the new materials are much less attractive.than'they have been for two seakms, and this both in colouring and design. . Tlie colours are much duller than they were. Ope finds browns and greens and shades of purple, amethyst, and, wine, but they are seen' through a fog that dims their . brightness and makes them middie-aged, prim, _ and dull. This is not to say that rich beautiful colours are not to be found, for one may' search for-and discover them, but what can 'one expect from a season that, displays as one of its rarest attractions a hideous shade known-..by various names, described, as mustard brown, ,or. surphur-green. yellow. It is a shade seen still more in millinery ana one that is sure never to wear out. Let every mother, straightway register avow that, no matter how great the temptation; she- will never on any consideration dress a daughter'of hers in mus-.tard-brown, a colour which it would be .misery .for any sensitive'child' to wear. The shops here' aro not agreed as to the charms' of striped materials. . One shop you' will' find, pinning,, its, faith' to; the'supremacy: of, plain ■ materials of every kind, while- another will givestripes a'.place of- honour arid even admit,, a :good selection of checks. The checks, however; .will be broken, and the stripes' will not', be round in more, than' two colours nor in the variety of widths to which, ;wc, have .been accustomed. The- day when .several mellow, shades' we're ; blended' beautifully seems to;;be' over',; and striped materials are much simpler ■ in design. This is .a pity, for there was never anything like stripes'.for wear. ■ Heavy, tweeds , will be much, in favour, and .cheviots will be the first-favourite ', for... tailor-mades; .cheviots 1 sometimes, with ; the old diagonal, stripe, which hasnot -been , seen for long, and heavyfrieze's will also have their run of popularity/ Both of these materials are suitable'..for, the Russian coats so much.worn in England, this last ;season.-. .There are lighter-weight . cheviots,:. Amazon cloths, tweeds, and; suitings' for tailor-made costumes, some in' plain materials,and soma in stripes and checks.. ; A charming material for house gowns .and afternoon frocks, is cachemire, de' soie, a fine soft,stuff that falls in graceful folds; and so is specially 'suited for the'draped skirts that are.to.be. so much, worn this season. •• .. » Velvet was very much worn in England, and. the innocent' statement that velvet was perhaps, the most: suitable wear for ladies -when, .canvassing" 'will be .long remembered on account'of the controversy it'.provoked'in England.'. Velyet j s hardly likely to be much worn m New. Zealand,, but its Cinderella sis-, tor, velveteen, . very likely, will be, and the. shops are well stocked with it for j the coming, season.