VOGUES AND VAGARIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 628, 3 April 1929, Page 4

VOGUES AND VAGARIES

BT MADAME JEANNE VARREZ More and more do frocks stand on their merits of cut, fabric, and adroit manipulation. With the exception of the quaintly picturesque fashions for evening wear, noted designers seem set on the carefully-simple rendering of afternoon and tailored clothes. They are modes so “difficile” that only rarely does this apparent simplicity attain perfection, even in the most experienced hands. And, increasingly, the great difficulty-—recognised and admitted alike by professional, as ■well as amateur dress designers—is to impart some note of individual distinction to contours that have become virtually uniform. Hence the sheer fabric continues to provide the most satisfactory solution of the problem, together with the minutest care for those dress details that must express a scrupulous perfection of. taste. The ■well-dressed woman knows that she must be prepared to spend hours, if need be, hunting round for the superperfect shade in silk stockings, brolly and handbag, if she is to pass the supreme test of modern chic. In fact, much more now depends on ourselves than in the days when a really excellent dressmaker could see us through, so to speak. We have to pay for our insistence that it is personality which counts in the world of fashion, by bringing that personality increasingly to bear on the choice of our dres3 etceteras. Time was when afternoon frocks were regarded as necessarily somewhat dressy creations; a view which in some measure accounted for the prolonged wearing of sports suits on all sorts of occasions. But to-day that view has changed. “Afternoon ’ frocks are now so designed that they can often be worn in the morning. Naturally, in such cases, they are of rlain fabrics that suggest no sort of elaboration. Some of the models that have gone South are illustrative of this studious simplicity which, as already indicated, constitutes the couturiere’s most constant problem. Riviera dresses are fashioned of crepe, satin, crepe de chine, marocain, or georgette, and are accompanied by short sac coats. Quite a number of the frocks are “helped” by square or pointed 3'okes at neck and hips, which assist the designer in arranging the necessary fullness. Basqued coatees are also modishly in the picture. Here and there a model gown fastens up the front or back with tiny pearl buttons.

Black and a mustard hue form a new colour alliance. One of the most interesting items in a distinguished collection was a smart tailor-made suit in softest velour-tweeds, with a neat box-pleated skirt bordered with a black satin hem, and a half-length coat lined and trimmed, Russian fashion, with black satin. When open, the coat revealed a very intriguing blouse-jumper of mustard crepe de chine, with pleated insets of the black satin. A black beret, half felt and half straw, with a flat satin bow, made a perfect little millinery complement.

Whether skirts and coats are long or short, the modern treatment of hems is a satisfying feature of la mode. Last-word fashions point to the shortening of coats and the lengthening of skirts, so that “the way of the hind” in ribbon, in fabric, or in braid, is most helpful. Where, for example, the hems of skirt and coat of a tired-looking navy serge threepiece, let us say, show slight signs of wear, the cheap purchase of a nice black ribbon-cire or braid-cire can be made to solve the problem. The coat can have an inch or two cut off, and be bound all round. The skirt, which in all probability will not stand shortening, must have the binding applied flatly; sewn oh to the hem, but not turned over.

Incidentally, ribbons are always a good investment. A pleasing use for the narrow variety is to outline the new square yoke of corsage or blouse. Some especially alluring blouses in thin fabrics show insertions of ribbon. Ribbonwork is also a las (.word feature of some of the more fanciful frocks for girls and small children.