WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 281, 20 April 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen"). LONDON FASHIONS. London, February 24. There is no doubt that there lies ahead of us in the fashion world a reign of elaborate, expensive and bright-colored clothes. The shops are ablaze with colors of the most vivid description, and there is an air of wild hilarity—can one call it?—dumbly expressed as if, could hats, cloaks and gowns but proclaim it aloud, they would announce this Coronation year, and the year when, putting aside its sorrow, tjie world prepares to pave the way of the new King and Queen with the greatest splendor attainable. In short, were we not all trying our hardest to be strictly all British, I should say we were doing our best to look Parisian. THE "HAREM" SKIRT. Within the week harem skirts have cume to England, and been actually worn on the streets of sober old London, in spite of all that was prophesied. Nearly all the big shops have models in- their windows or showrooms, so that she who will may see and buy. The first sensation of stepping into —for it must be that, you see—''them" must be extraordinary. To feel one's feet and ankles untrammelled must be delightful; but surely size 4 in footwear must become seven leagues "in feel" when one has no graceful skirt, but only—feet! Fashionable Englishwomen could not be made to realise the all-important fact that hobble skirts magnified their feet to an enormous extent, so it is v quite likely that the consideration will be ignored with regard to harem fashions also. One of the models I saw yesterday was thoroughly Oriental in coloring, and so i seemed not so outrageous as exactly the same pattern would have done in navy blue serge, for instance, a material which has already been utilised for the style. This was of rose-red silk under darkblue ninon, the waist outlined with a gold girdle and gold net, blue ninon and cream lace forming a round yokv, with just a touch of rose introduced by a band ef the silk on the corsage. The sleeves had under-sleeves of cream lace, and the trousers were made into such by bands of narrow gold embroidery. This model was bifurcated only at the ankles. Some are more defined. Another I harem costume was fashioned of powder blue satin charmeuse, with Oriental trimming, the bodice being made in the bolero style, and the trousers of black satin ninon. The general effect is of a smart "cutaway" coat with the trou- ; sers peeping through, where the coat ends. It is only when the wearer is walking about that the novelty of the garment becomes apparent. One sees, as in a nightmare, M. Poiret, the French designer, responsible for this 1 latest freak, enjoying a wicked chuckle at his power in the dress world (in spite of the protests made by Englishwomen that they don't cling to the skirts of the French in this matter of dress); and chuckling, too, at the blind way women follow nowadays new,'however extraordinary. It has been urged—and there seems reason in the contention—that the women who go in enthusiastically for the deliberately freakish dress must be of the "idle rich" class that one has come to associate with Mr. LloydGeorge's notable speech made some time back, and of the class, too, that, determined not to be identified as feminists, go to any extreme rather than appear unwomanly. How strangely we play with words! OLD DESIGNS REVIVED. Designers intend to try to bring back to fashion shortly at least two old ideas —one the short coat, the other the coat and skirt of different color. A pretty csstume of. the last description I was shown in the West End had a neat skirt of pale grey cloth and a coat of black charmeuse, the revcrs and cuffs having tabs of grey cloth to match the skirt. There is a snare, however, for the home dressmaker in the two-color scheme, and it wants to be attacked warily to be a success. • ' ■ •■ | HISTORIC HATS. There is rhyme and reason and interesting history behind the choice of many of the spring millinery models, I am told, and if I whisper in your ear that so outlandish are some of the shapes and methods of trimming that you'll be quite, in the fashion if you trim your hat—lt jmust be large, of course—simply to arouse your sense of the ridiculous, the view is only that of a humble New Zealander in London. To the Middle Ages, to old manuscripts, prints and engravings of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eightI eenth centuries have the designers gone I for the models we see now on sale in London shop windows, and not the least interesting, and certainly one of the prettiest, is the Joan of Arc model. The maid's hat is a blue velvet toque with trimming of gold lace, turned up at the four corners. The original design was for two centuries in the possession of an Orleans family, and after the revolution in the hands of one of the religious orders. Although it disappeared at that time, drawings of it were kept, and it is from these that the new fashion has been made. THE SHORT COAT, evident upon the new spring models, shows a tendency towards the short' Empire waist-line, noticeable also in other gowns. Another feature of the smartest suits is the manner in which the jackets fit over the hips. Many are made so tight as to give the appearance of a one-piece dress, and the straight up-and-down line is insisted upon. The new jackets button much higher than those of last year, and a number of models have a military collar. WaistI coats are to be another feature of the new coats, we arc told, and tapestry is to (ignre largely in their composition. BEAD EMBROIDERY. The popularity of this embroidery is extraordinary, and dresses, blouses," hat trimmings, and. in short, anything that will admit of its embellishment, show it somewhere if possible, so that my readers may be glad to know how they may make it for themselves, or rather how they may embroider laee already in their [ possession in order to make' it thor- - miffhly up-to-date. Tt is not at all a I difficult business, but wants plenty of time and a capacity for adapting designs.

The pattern should not be too elaborate, and the ground not too light and fine. The whole of the pattern may be covered with beads and sequins until it is quite hidden, and the beads chosen may be all of one color or may be of varied tints. A good effect is gained with porcelain, clear glass beads, and those with metallic lustre. With the clear beads a quaint shot effect can be gained by sewing them on with a contrasting shade of silk. Coral beads have a beautiful effect on an evening dress. PURITAN GOWNS are still being made, and each appears I more fascinating than the last, but, alas! so far the fashion has not "caught on." flt is possible that this may be on account of "The Quaker Girl," the musical comedy now running at the Adelphi Theatre. One dear little frock designed by Liberty in Puritan style and shown this week is of grey silk crape, the front panel, .representing the apron, finished off at the hem with a square of pale grey coarse lace, the fichu, vest and cuffs made of the finest white hem-stitched lawn.