FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 74

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON.

(Fbou Oxjb. Own Correspond-but.) July 30In the fashion world, co far as noye l *? i, concerned, everything is at a standstill, while th-9- summer sale s drag on. Ine period beloved by bargain-hunteis in most years 16 pacing without great enthusiasm this year in consequence of the uncongenial -neteorologioal conditions' — thin summer clothes are hardly needed. Costumes for the seaside, to be worn in the water and' out of it, for yachting and for the moors are the only garments one hears about, and there are seldom any details of interesting novelty attaching to any of them. The season has been brought to a olose this week by the Goodwood races, which have not been favoured with the most ideal weather. Everyone is now off to Cowes for the regatta. — Some Features of Goodwood. — Generally the race dresse3 that were worn this week were moulded cm picturesque lines ; many were of satin charmeuse, which is now to be had in lovely ranges of colours— 6ilver-grey, rose-pink, and various soft shades of blue. A new rncdel in, silver-grey charmeuse faintly shot with rose pink has the skirt arranged with the new form of drapery, which, gracefully pleated on either eide in a number of folds, makes an effective contrast with the perfectly plain panel in front of the skirt, which latter is mad© of white patin. The bodice tjihows a new departure too. for it is mado with a long graceful point in front as well

as at the back, while a draped scaTf of silver-grey gauze, whicn is twisted lightly, I with crossing and reorossing folds, round] the upper p^rt of the arm is over the shoulders in fichu fashion, finally being caught witfc a spray of pink roses and drawn through a motif of silver embroidery, finishing with two long ends, weighted with silver tassels. One of the odd fashions ol this summer of eccentricities in dress is the use of tulle overdresses, tunics, aprons, and draperies with uraterdress of spotted, striped, or checked foulard. The tulle is invariably trimmed with soutache or lace and with darnings and knitted fringes. Grey is used over green foulard, cherry over a white and beige check with cherry-coloured spots, elephant grey over blue, and so on. The method of introducing a front and back tablier was shown in the case of a 1 model gown of snow-white charmeuso which was made in princess shape, and e±- , quieitely moulded, the satin being sightly swathed round 'the waist, while it fell m billowy folds to the feet. The front and back of" the dress were veiled wth wonderful tabliers of cobweb net, which were connected low down at the sides, and ©acb intersecting thread was punctuated witE & tiny silver, nail-head paillette, while- it was bordered with a broderie of "lea-yes worked in foam-white fioss silk and silver thread shoWeTed with diamonds and aquamarines. . A striking race-gown is of vivid pea* cook blue eatin over which i 3 laid a dress of black tulle, worked with a fine "rain of jet beads; gold net veils one of dull 1 green chiffon, which ;m; m its turn was mounted" . i over a mushroom pink satin, the net being: worked in scrolls and shell motifs of gold thread centred with rosettes in shot greea and gold tissue. — Prominence of Metallic TTrnmings. — Touches of metallic triniming- are noticeable even on muslin. dresser fou evening wear. Gold and silver tis- ' sues form under dresses for chiffons m 1 a fascinating way. They also line white ! and cream coloured laces, gleaming through) ' the net meshes in unexpected flashes. Freq uently the outline of the lace patterns is J accentuated by gold or silver threads, Alu- | minixran is coming 1 more and more into use as a trimming, while there are many dress garnitures of it, usually in the form of floral sprays. The "aluminium costume ' is spoken of as a possibility of next season, and flowers of it w'iH certainly tend to qualify the coldness of a colour scheme. I It is recorded that sun "all jet" lady has been turned out in Paris lately, and she 1 seemed to lend a special emphasis to the ! general jet fashion because the responsibility for hear appearance was claimed by a good house Her head bore a ]et bandeau and buckle, a jet comb, jet hairpin aand hatpin heads, and was supported by a jet collar. The corsage and tunic of befvdres. ! were heavily studd-ed with jet cabochons and buttons, and, finally, she wore jet bracelets. — Some Skirt features.— As has been remarked, the complete change from the closely-clinging dress he come so suddenly that many complaints are heard now of the draped and etaßroiperei) tunics, for it is vowed that they are far - too heavy. The fact is that one has grown. so used' to the easily worn, frocks of. the Directoire type, with its peplums\ot--tr*m : I parent stuff 3 and ■ its thin frocks' of caah- • mere and other light weight materials, that I it requires a far-Back memory to recollect j that the average dress has always been hea\y. The new tunic has nothing at all of the passing Greek peplum about it. It hange rather full from the waist, is open iri I front, or else is caught with Brandenburgs of braii or tinsel, and its weight is chiefly, 1 due to embroideries. A favourite model ! has a skirt of plain stuff in any colour of j linen, over which is draped a tunic of! | brOderi3 AnglaiSO ; this is sometimes la«e*S with ribbons, and is very often weighted with what the French call bunches of "grelofctes." There seems to be a.n. ever-increasing tendency toward skirts that _are draped witH the utmost elaboration, ancl a good deal of this drapery seems meaningless and looks clumsy, notably when it is tied into a heavy knot on the front of the ekirt, midway, ! between ankle and knee. These draperies are sometimes placed straight across a ©entire panel of fine embroidery, thus (spoiling altogether the graceful effect of the long lines which ought to run without interruption from waist to feet. — Touches of Colour.— There is a fancy this summer for vividly coloured satin drawn under and through laces and breaking out in little bows or bunches of grapes made of satin. Only, the most bi'ifliant colours aire chosen, such' as grass green, a vivid rose that is almost a oer.iee, and a hard and metallic blue. Sashes ebill hold their place in popular favour, and they thus supply the touch of colour, or black, thought necessary for the present-day toilette. They are draped in all kindi of ways, sometimes round the natural waist line, sometimes low at the back, where they are tied ia c large bow. Or, again, they may fall low at one- side or be wound round the figure in a slanting manner, but always they are made to appear part of the dress, and not An accessory of it. Under draperies of transparent material, they gleam prettily. Ribbons of gold and silver are still used, but patin ribbon, either plain or adorned with chine [ flowere, i 6 liked better. i Sometimes the touch of oolouxiw chiefly confined to the feet. There are, Bhoes of' heliotrope kid, tied with ribbon to,rnftcbV - and there is silk hosiery to accord 1 VitK' iiiet shoes, worked with pink flowers — heliotrope and pink is a combination growing ia favour ; the contrast can be very fascinating* Coloured shoes ought, however, to match exactly the drees. People are not always bo particular about this trifle as they should be. Presently we shall see plenty of purple straw hats, for this colour in all its tones is in demand. Dull purples _in chips of various shapes will be immensely worn. Aj . brilliant 6p!ash of colour is given to a toilette by the enormous bow of velvet; ribbon— emerald, cerise, metallic blue, sage green, or rore — placed upon a spreading' ha-t of black crinoline, the bow oi course stretching across the back of the shaptf rather than near the front. These black hats, velvet trimmed, are being worn witb dresses of -muslin, linen, voile, or other summer material, the velvet on the hat, o£ course, being of the same colour as that of the dress, or one of the leading colours in' the muslin or foulard. Such hats have a c?ucy turn-up here and there round the brim, and their effect is uncommonly becoming to tall, fine-loking girls j withal they are gimpie-