FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 74

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Faojc Oub Own Cobbesfondent.) July 9. Evei so many dainty frocks were prepared for the Henley regatta, which ought to have been the society crush of the present week; but the weather has been fiendish, each, of the early days having put up a new record for heavy downpours. Consequently the up-river attendance has been small, and the muslin and linen dresses would have looked quite unseasonable had they been worn. Rowers and punters greatly appreciate the frock made all in one, as there is then no fear of blouse and ekirt parting company at the waist. Frequently there is no need for a. waist- belt either, as the "suit" is complete in itself; the entire dress is slipped on over the ihead, and half a dozen hooks down the back will keep it tidily fastened. Linen suits are dainty and convenient, made in this particular shape, of plain or striped material; crash, is to be much seen on the river, and it does not crush so readily as does linen; it is to be had in pretty tones of oream. to which a touch of colour is easily introduced, to match the hat; viyelLa. and serge also are liked, but of course they grow grubby-look-ing far more readily than washing cotton fabrics. The pinafore dress in. colour is still a prima favourite, carried up to the shoulders, joined under the arm with graduated buttoned tabs, which often* are continued a little way below the waist, and worn with a white guimpe of embroidered muslin or tucked net. * Tho little "fishwife" frock was a- novelty prepared for Henley, made in pure white j cambric of the finest .handkerchief quality, ! the fishwife drapery— swathed xoiiad the

hips above the deep kilt — being Bordered - with a very wide hemstitched band powdered with pale blue or mauve spots about the size of half-a-crown. With such . frocks the nfost suitable hat in fine weather is the shape of rice straw, trimmed wi£hi - clusters of the- palest blue orVnrauve rosea. White muslin frocks thickly and closely. -. powdered with tiny white spots are again popular, trimmed with medallions" of white embroidery representing tiny bouquets of ~ "flowers outlined with gauffered Valenciennes lace and divided one from the otheoT by Tittle groups of tucks, while ft soft rib- . bon sash in pale colour 19 threaded- in and, ofut among the embroidery, falling." in knit-* tejd ends on one side;/very often preference is- given to an all- while scheme, and in that case tfie sash must, ba of white. lii. the case of a coloured, mwslin. the opportunity '»-" ' pounced upon to work in the desired note, of black, therefore a cash dfr Hack tolle ~ winds itself in and out -in att;*in«iiiiier . of - different ways. Dainty old-woribV muslins with clusters of. roses and other flowers- mr soft colourings printed lightly « on. background® of ivory white, figure prominently, among the favourite materials for dresses intended for garden parties; these lovely muslins are now to b9 had in many lovely combinations of and' they. can. .be continually -varied by .changing Tibe '-Silk Princess petticoat or "slip" which is rwom" beneath. For the Princess slip fiilk SLeon-. sidered to be jnore economical than muslins and .lawns,- whToh are always in the tub. The initial outlay on them, too, ia. considerable, -for 'elaboration in the "-way of lace incrustation* are the order of th© day. The cheapest -material for the Princess dip is batiste, but it can never 'ook so well as silk. Foulard is continually boomed, especially in its striped variety, ana It certainly is a dainty material ; gowns of it are lined) aiwi " are not of tbe exaggeratedly clinging type; indeed, . thoy often are of useful walking length and stand out just a little about the hem. But tussore silk manages to top all other materials in the public favour, -in its ecru and white, tones as well as in. colour. Some of these are made with stkirte fairly full, and trimmed near- the hem with several bands of transparent Cluny tece insertio t ns : more simple are tne tussore dresses entirely of their own material, a good deal tuol&eH,. jr-eliev-ecl only \>y v«efc and ele&v^t of tucked net. A mcdel dress of natural tussore was in pinafore shape, combined with soft chine silk patterned lightly with Oriental colourings ; the bodice was cut upon a deep curve io show an under bodice and 6leeve of the coloured 6ilk, ai:d near the hem of the skirt there was a band of the chine silk, affording an effective contrast with the ecru shade of the tuaeore. The sleeves had their light draporie~> caught here and there with small gold buttons; a small chemisette and high collar band, of white chiffon completed the upper part of the bodice, a»d at the waist there was- a. saeh of. soft -black satin; the akirt was significant of -the coming arrangement with' its double drapsry, the" u-ppex part of which was finished with a deep tuck. - -It ,is ■=* comfort to know that snorter skirte, even -for smart occasions, may jost^ clear the ground;- it ie favoured in Paris, where, in mnnv cases the jnpe is very wjde" at the hem. Long and skimpy skirts, however, have not completed their course I ..yet;., .when they do .they will leave rio-.regrete behind them. — Shaped Scarves. — Scarv-es of taffetas, mad© with three rows" of piping cord drawn finely all along the. edge, make very, pretty shoulder wraps forsummer evenings ; they are light, and yet afford protection from sudden changes of temperature. By means of the shirring on the cords this 1 scarf is-shapeel to the shoul- " dere, and it therefore keeps its place better than the stiff silk could do on the straight. Other scarves of taffetas are treated lilce>crossovers, and are brought over the bust and round the waist to the back, reminding one forcibly of the little garments of half a century ago which accompanied the crinolines. Stoles of wide chiffon striped at intervals with O6trich feather trimming are> coming: more into demand; some of these are slightly shaped to the shoulders, but many are quite straight, and are wide enough to fall over the arms nearly to the elbow. The Queen ha» been seen on several occasions this season wearing a soft scarf of very thin, diaphanous material, trimmed with long lines of ostriet or marabout. The short scarf has been relegated to a back place — It has a mean and skimpy look to modern eyes, whicjh. now' countenance onjjr^ the, sca»f— wuricET* is long "enougn " id float -and wide enough to spread itself prer the shoulders in a generous manner. It is remarked that with one of the -new cafe-au-lait Shantungs the scarf is brown, wi*b graduated 'spots of a fo-ther dull shade of_ gold and a narrow border of gold in the sam.3 shade. This is wide enough and lonjr enousjh for the wearer to put it on plaid fashion, but her usual method is to oateh it under the arm at either side and let the ends float behind her, giving her almost the look of -having wings. Short ruffles with* tassels reaching to Ihe waist are still worn, but the flat scarf finish has the merit of novelty. — New Gloves. — One-button gloves are being worn, in Paris for evening functions when the sleeves are lomr. There is also a new gauntlet glove which fastens at the side with three tab* and three large pearl buttons. Other emarfc gauntlet gloves of kid show a buckled strap at the wrist with ornamental buckles at the end of the loosely-haivping strap.—Glitter.— - " • - - The vogue foi gold and silver'oir- evening ■dresses has not ceased. It is being- used thk summer as much as ever in the form of lace a.nd coarse net. The fashion for wearing lace ie reviving, and before long there will be panels and motifs of it, it will be ruffled on the edges of the material, and used for sleeves and for fichus more plenteouslv than it has been of laic. Folded girdles made of lace are lined with silver or gold net. - According to one of the drapery papers, of all bead departments it seems likely . that fbhe- fashion of Jx#.d sleeves for evening dress will be among the foremost featoses in the coming winter;' there is the more or less solid "betdedl" sleeve, . the bead, all-over sleeve" of threaded heavta, and the so-called sleeve of loose chains of beads. It is the last-named a^d most extreme type that is expected to b^e' most in request. Aluminium in ornament la I prominent, and wherever metals or metallic coloura are used in the future jt is expected that aluminium will be accorded k, position' of importance. Buttons of it are used in i curious contrast to the colour and material on which they arc introduced.