TAIL GOATS FOR WOMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 261, 14 April 1915, Page 6

TAIL GOATS FOR WOMEN.

FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON (From Auckland Stag's Lady Correspondent.) Jjomlo.i, February 10. London spend* its days in .»':it.>.-»:.-..is an' goloshes, tor never, -.mvy, in tii-'vii-ory has there been such a wet winter. Nevertheless "crazes" have wedded their unlovely heads in as at normal times, ami already we're ready to cry "From close-fitting brimless velvet toques with (lowers at intervals all round, oh deliver us," for seven-eighths of the London feminine world is abroad in them. Muslin collars are the absorbing affairs of the moment, and even these manage to keep pace with the spirit of the time, for they are made in as nuwiy military designs as the substantial "materials. Mainly they are high and are turned over to" the 'full depth of the collar, sometimes being cut away altogether from the front of the neck, where a demure band of narrow or broad black moire ribbon provides a finish. Others are high., with a deep-pointed tab at each side, or several all the way round. Bishops' sleeves edged with pleated i frills of muslin or net have returned to fashion. | Black moire, which, a couple of years j ago, enjoyed such immense popularity, I is, evidently, to return- to its kingdom, j for already outdoor coats, and coats and | skirts, are being widely shown. Num.- | bers of blouses, mainly in colored crepe | do chine or ninon, have military collars and straight loose ties of black moire ribbon, deep sashes for cloth and serge dresse3 are made of it. Dorothy bags also, and its last success is achieved in vests for coats, when it is made up rather loosely and finished with smart I white bead buttons. | Black nightgowns are not novel ideas,: but will attract only the few. From an : artistic point of view some very strik-! ing ones are being made now with front and sleeve embroideries in ribbon work, i Lingerie finished with wide fine black lace is, one hazards, a new notion. The foundation is generally very pale pink crepe de chine. Collar bands again.—Some of the new blouses have a plain collar band of chiffon and above it a high aceordeon-pleat-ed frill wired here and there to stand up against the hair at the back and around the ears at the side. Wool embroideries, which were very popular a couple-of years ago on hat trimmings and blouses, have come in again on white crepe dresses for little girls, and are very effective. Neutral tints, soft greys, grey blues, etc., in silks and velvets, are finding much favor just now with Parisian dressmakers. Sleeveless tunics of cloth or serge, over velvet or silk, and for street wear, have just come in. They are long, almost to the hem of the underskirt, hut pleated over the hips and falling loosely down, and are finished at the waist with the wide loose sash that is so universally popular for both indoor and outdoor day and evening wear now. Deep pocket flaps distinguish some of the newest military outdoor coats, some of which, by the way, are very long with ! old-fashioned braided designs on one j side, one tab of which fastens an oblong braid "button" on the other. Tailed coats. —Short coats with little tails at the back are coming in again. Three-tier skirts are the. latest style in young girls' party frocks. Plaited Ribbons. —Flat pads, in varying shapes, of interlaced satin ribbons, outlined with a closely-pleated narrow ribbon frill to match, trim some of the new turned-down, tagel straw shapes. Two of these generally hold a quill m shape across the front of a crown. THE WOMFN Cl' PARIS. j '•'ln Paris and in the country between i Calais and the metropolis, I saw great j standing armies. Paris itself was full of soldiers. In Paris they are far more seriously affected by the war than in London. As a matter of fact, on the surface, London is little changed, but in Paris the people are more seriously affected. All the men capable of bearing arms seem to have gone to the front. Women collect the fares in the tram cars. They drive motor cars and carts, sweep the streets, and even wheel handcarts. Every job that a woman can relieve a man at seems to have been cheerfully filled by a woman. While in Paris I took particular pains to ascertain the feeling towards Britain. Everywhere I found the French deeply grateful, and openly expressing the opinion that England saved France. My landlord's daughter had been educated in England, and she told me that it was the general belief that bad it not been for the assistance of the British, Paris, would have to-day been in the hands of the enemy. As it was, the Germans got within six miles of the city. One thing that struck me was the ' fact that in Paris one scarcely ever saw a woman who was not deeply veiled and dressed in black. Nearly every family seems to have lost a brother,' a husband, a father, or a near relative. In France, I found the people were very confident about the ultimate success of'the Allies, but none anticipated an early conclusion of the war, and it is generally conceded that it will be at least a couple of years before the Germans are beaten." j