SPRING OPENING AT WHITE'S.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 136, 17 September 1910, Page 6

SPRING OPENING AT WHITE'S.

The Spring has presented its first fashions in ladies' millinery, and these early precursors of the bright and sunny season are on all hands declared to be very beautiful; at any rate, as far as Messrs. White' and Sons' show-room display ol the newest imodels Large shapes are to the fore again, and brims 1 are wide, widening still more at the left and back. >Some are boldly turned up in Louis XVI style, and exhibit crowns in half height and moderate dim-j ensions. More frequently,, the turned-up brim is only slignt. Delicate draping of crowns with Paisley silk appears frequently in the ready-to-wears, and the Paris models have ears of corn, small roses and violets, tulles, fancy] nets, two-toned ribbons, and chiffons — very simply but very effectively arranged; whilst in the highly fashionable black and white confections the ostrich plumes and sequins are very telling. Ladies will be delighted to-day, for instance, with a large and lovely "Ravenscourt" shape in a. black tapestraw; with a sequinned crown, surmounted by two large black ostrich plumes caught with a knot of moire ribbon, ana the whole brim slightly turned up. As a delightful contrast, is a cream fancy s'.raw of very open texture, of moderate size, slightly tiltea from- the face; the crown draped in Paris tulle in brown and heliotrope, and this shading into sprays of wisteria and pink roses banded again with pink and heliotrope silk, and caught by a| very large fancy buckle of two-toned' braid. Toques are a little larger than last siftnmers, and some of them droop low on the face,, the *'lucille" ( being an example of this. One of the smartest toques is cmshed rose-coloured coarse straw, wreathed in pale or shade of roses, draped with green and crushed rose tulle, and having at the back • a bow of two-toned ribbons. Mushrooms and flop hats are to be largely worn. It is a "pink season,'the millinery showing all the shades of this favourite colour. Cinnamon, prunella, and pale blue are prominent again. Fruit is not greatly in demand, with the exception of dark berries. In the ready-to-wears there, is an extensive assortment of linen hats to match linen costumes. 1

In the show room are also displayed the first shipment of blouses, and fresh parcels are arriving regularly. The silks in white and cream, trimmed with insertion and laces and • silk-worked embroideries are very dainty; whilst the plain shirt blouse seems to be as popular as ever. There are washing blouses in innumerable colors and stripe effects. Costumes are in white muslin trimmed with tucks and embroidery, and in linens handsomely braided. The "Terres" blouse robes, Empire Style, are very fine. Underskirts are so varied that it should be iiupoisible to ask for a color that is not in hand, whilst to attempt to describe the plain, floral, and striped sunshades in ail the colors of the rainbow would be futile. The children's wants are also well catered for. White and Sons describe their premises as the "dress; house," and they try to live up to the title. Briefly running through the new goods, we are struck by the great range in shantungs, the the last word in these being a large spot effect stocked in several colors, including greens, amethyst, blue, brown and reseda. Crepolines with satin stripes make lovely summer dresses for elderly ladies, *a black with black satin stripes and small floral patterns being very pretty indeed. There are pretty silk-striped wool taffetas, and just alongside these are so excellently imitated that one can hardly tell the difference a few feet away in cotton j textures with mercerised stripes. There is a big selection of single robe lengths,! no two alike, in all sorts of materials,) ; specially imported. There are only a hundred of them this year, and-the pre-j vailing shades are rose and blue. Trimmings were never better. Applique trimmings are very rich, but the main feature of the season is the very narrow braiding and Russian silk braiding to be used on cottons; giving opportunity for the exercise of ingen-j uity and originality by the costumiere in finishing off a costume. Cottons are low-priced, owing to the free tariff on these goods and linens are already selling freely from a stock of fifteen different colors. Blouse-making is made easy by the excellent assortment of lace yokes. The embroidered Peter Pan collars were all selected in London by the firm's own buyer on an open order. The new ties are designed to lend a dash of eolor to the piain costume, and the tartans and bead effects, new Paisley belts ana fancy' buckles all assist in this direction. *Tlie ladies of this district have certainly no reason to complain' of the manner in which this progressive firm is catering for their spring and summer needs.