Paris in the Mirror

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1933, Page 9

Paris in the Mirror

Written ter "The Pott" by Germtlne.

PARIS, July 5. Parisienncs are talking about the return to the Paris of avaut la guerre, and reviving lots of the old frivolity and carelessness of that epoch. Famous women let their fancy ride high, and come out in clothes they would not have dared to flaunt during the last few years in Paris. At tho Grand Prix at Longchamps—the famous race which closes the Paris season —the hats alone j loft one gasping. Some of them actually towered above the crowd, so . high they were, and worn like the leaning tower of Pisa above built-up shoulders, and skirts that were frankly longer,

some even ankle-length. Hats with peacock plumes and heron feathers'floating skywards arc not so high really, but they looked so. Seen at the races, too, were floral sky-pieces in the most bizarre colours, high and medium, but above all striking. There were brimmed mid square-crowned hats with important veils that float off the shoulders, and the squashed-dowu-in-front brim, with lace veils that make eyes mysterious. And all gave the fashion note of the season. THE MID-SEASON COAT. The mid-season coat is an important feature of the present styles. Most of the really smart coats are without collars, but there are exceptions, a few models having immense cape-like collars and broad rovers. In some models, the cape is not very noticeable, preference being given to coats with simple shoulders and sleeves. These are mostly of three-quarter or dress length,: while for the evening bolero jackets have successfully replaced the other form.. Broad belts are an interesting item that the Parisian dressmaker is sponsoring for her day-time coats. Varying in width from five to six inches across, these belts give a very straight line and almost abolish the waistline. White is prominent among the summer coats, and at a well-known dressmaker's there was shown a strikingly lovely example of a white pique full-length coat, with scarf collar of ruby-red velvet, and a further touch of red in the piping round the edges of i the broad belt. In many cases, these white coats are worn with dark dresses,

so that a very chic contrast is afforded. Coats for evening wear arc all threequarter length, and very often are cut from a heavy Ottoman silk with sufficient fullness about the hips to suggest a bask, if they are not held tightly wrapped about the figure. White and red are the- colours in which most of these coats are noticeable. Women seem to have gone in for red and'white with enthusiasm, nobody knows why. Simplicity is the key-note of nearly all the decolletages, which are cut low behind, though not exaggeratedly so. Evening waistlines remain as high as ever. There also appears a Grecian line among the evening models, which is very graceful and becoming to the wearer. Evening gowns show a number of different lines this season. Some are clinging, others have full skirts which swing with thd wearer's movements. Flowers, in trimming, give the necessary summer touch to fragilo evening gowns. A dark green tulle frock trimmed with minute sprays of white flowers was much admired at a KHz dance the other evening. In the belt a few snow-white arum lilies were tucked. THE ART OF DRESSING. The true Parisienne understands the ait of dressing better than most women. She realises that a dress is much more than a mere garment. It is a creation, and it is beautiful only as it is the conception of an educated mind. She chooses dresses which have been designed by trained artists. They are usually so simple that they can be drawn in a few lines. These are the dresses I like to sco worn by the right women. To be' boldly simple is good. To be simplo in a dull, pettifogging way is to fail in effect. The chief risk in making "line" your guiding star when designing or choosing dresses is that you may get something that looks hard. This is why I like scarves, feather boas, and feather trimmings. They flow and float, give movement to the dress, and grace to the figure. EVERY WOMAN TWENTY NOWADAYS—FROM THE BACK! Who could resist a little dress, all pin-tucks and herastitchings, light as air'} It is that alluring word "little that does it! Perhaps the best way to describe littleness is to call it youthful simplicity; The youthful part explains everything. Every woman nowadays is twenty—from the back —and makes the most of' youth's opportunities, back and front. It is so convenient how that everybody is stock-size and young, and1 tho shapclessness designed to accentuate shapelessness fits everybody; There are few sleeves, no collars, few curves, only just a convincing graceful frock with a scarf attached to it somewhere a part ribbon, floating at tho shoulder or the hip a posy of flowers. :;'■ A NEGATIVE SCIENCE. Human Nature is so constructed that whatever, is hidden> from its view is immediately suspected as being of surprising beauty. Should a woman emphasise or confine, by means of a corset, her silhouette? This is a problejri'; of %vhich an artist usually prefers not to give a categorical answer. I prefer to toll you truthfully, what I believe to be the correct answer. And that is, follow the fashions blindly. Never attempt to correct the incorrigible. Strive only to hide imperfection, this is a great negative science'and a precious one. Therefore, begin with the art of concealing imperfection. Vertical 1 stripes give the illusion of being in--1 finitely thinner than a figure in horizontal ones. This fact must bo , kept 1 constantly in mind, for: it may prove useful' in a thousand ways. ; ■:, //FASHION HINTS.;/ Vi Hemlines are dismissed with just the fewest of words.. Skirts are straight, slim, and simple. Everything is piled up and around the high/ wideband everwidening shoulder sections. • , The natural girlish silhouette . gives women the world over cause to hope that: "Be yourself" is coming back into style. Metal bathing costumes—partly metal at least—are the latest thing in French beach wear. The fashionable bathing girl's costume this summer has a nonflexible collar and a flexible girdle, both in chromium, . and' tho bather's monogram in metal. Chromium is the lightest of metal's, and these accessories won't add more than two ounces to the weight of the costume. And they are rustless.' <■ : The vogue for feathers has given someone the idea of trimming gloves with ostrich to match the trimming of tho dress.