EARLY SPRING STYLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1922, Page 10

EARLY SPRING STYLES.

SOME PRONOUNCED TENDENCIES. LENGTHENING .SKIRTS AND LOW WAISTLINE. London, March 14i. An hour spent among models is always interesting, even though it allows opportunity for merely brief general impressions, and the advance ideas for this spring are now numerous and much more settled than usual so early, while the shops will soon be ready with their fashion parades of mannequins. Most noticeable in every direction is the low waistline—indeed, it is sometimes exaggeratedly low, being even below the hips. But tailors; dressmakers, jumper-makers and blouse-makers, makers of beautiful mantle-wraps in lovely rich velvets, all agree that the line must be low. so that coats are belted loosely far below the waist, and soft dresses, now pouching in front (and sometimes pouching all round) have the overhanging effect nearer the hips than the waist. The line is emphasised because it is indicated by a color contrast or by a wonderful girdle, materials included in their making being leather, beads, bugles, jet, cut steel, pleated silk, medallions of silver enamel, and chunks of amber. For day and evening bright color touches are introduced as sashes, linings, belts, and trails of coloured flowers.

Added length to the undoubtedly lengthening skirt is imparted by effective panel points cut longer than the under-dress. Bodices have either a long crossover line or else they are square and severe, but still long. Sleeves—well now these are altogether a matter for individual choice, and that choice seems .almost limitless Many still like their evening frocks to be 'without the vestige of a sleeve; others have a little covering made of georgette to veil the upper arm; at the other extreme there are transparent hanging wing-sleeves, so voluminous that in their progress they trim the skirt. There are strange mitten sleeves for the evening that leave the upper arm bare, merely extending from wrist to the turn of the elbow; they seem to be held up by invisible elastic or by some conjuring trick, if not by an ivory bracelet worn on mid-arm. Transparent sleeves, loose, flowing and voluminous, may be confined at the wrist by a narrow band of silk or by a bangle. Nothing, perhaps, is more characteristic of the new evening frocks than the persistency of the high decolletage and the absence of sleeves. One smart French dressmaker has said: “Afternoon dresses made with sleeves show a far lower decolletage than those that are being designed for dinner and dance wear. Whatever the reason, the fac-. remains the improved chemise dress, sashed low* on the hips, cut on a level with the shoulders, and showing large armholes, with no attempt at a sleeve of any kind, remains the most fashionable vogue of the moment.

IMPRESSIONS OF TAILOR-MODELS. ; Paris and London reflect each and other’s ideas, for a correspondent in . France sends word that the new models : suggest that there will not be much change in the line for dresses and tailormades. Straight, slim draperies and low waistlines are general. The skirts are longer and tight-fitting, all of them. Sleeves are long and loose, and necks are low and rounded or cut straight across the shoulder as they have been all winter. Skirts, which are frankly longer, are not mere things of shreds and patches, but all of a piece. They are tight, and there is an inclination to exaggerate the tightness, which must be resisted in the interests of health and ease. Fortunately, some of the spring models designed by the leading tailors in Paris show moderately wide skirts which do not quite reach the ankles, but which are noticeably longer than the skirts of last autumn. Generally speaking, there are none ultra-short and none exaggeratedly long. HIP-LENGTH COATEES. I" A fashion introduced last year may still be in vogue—for coat linings belonging to three-piece suits of neutral color to be of black satin. One of the most exclusive and expensive tailors in Paris is reported to be making his skirts plain and moderately short, with the smartest little hip-length coatees which, belted in, look like glorified casaquins. Very often these coatees are of a different color and material from the skirt, but use- ] fnl navy serge suits have been seen with the little coatee lined with black satin and almost covered with fine black silk braid, the hip girdle being a magnificent affair made of rich silk cords and braids. The colored hip-coat combined with black or dark blue skirts is extremely smart—the bright tint of the coat repeated in some subtle way in the hat or in the handbag. Checked coats may be combined with plain skirts and a popular -“mix” in Paris in lacquer-red and dark blue. Indeed, all the red shades—the brighter the better —are fashionable just now; also a certain red-brown which closely resembles henna. Coats of mid-length, with revers, usually have one fastening only, and that, of course, is a single button below the waist. Those that are of the Russian lines are necessarily provided with more fastenings, but some may be clips only, invisibly attached. A very useful outfit is the Magyar ! frock with short coatee. The dress has , its skirt joined at the hipline to a Magyar bodice, each side of the front and back being held into short pleats with decorative buttons. The braiding on the coatee is repeated on the neck and above the hipline of the bodice. The coatee is pleated at each side to correspond with the frock, and has added pockets. VOGUE OF WHITE AND RED. A correspondent charged with the pleasant duty of chronicling dress details and tendencies in the South of France, writes that white prevails there —sometimes all white, sometimes with restrained use of vivid color, preferably red. “A white dress with a white cape and a red hat, a white coat and skirt and a red hat. are frequent; but all white, including the hat, is no less usual. Where black would have been worn with white, it is now red; yet black and white are still worn by those who know that they cannot wear color without risk. White and yellow are for sport; a white frock with a yellow jersey and a yellow i hat, soft and woolly, always looks well ' for a. girl; beyond girlhood yellow has | its dangers. j The high popularity of white on the i Rivisra has brought into fashion innuxner-

able white materials and trimmings. There is white serge, classis and tailored to the last degree; white gaberdine, hop-sacking, blanket cloth, poplin, crepe de chine, and many other silk crepes under different names. All this white, with the vivid patches of color, makes the coast line from Cannes to Mentone like a gorgeous flower garden set amid green olives and grey mountains. “Youthful millinery on the Riviera is most attractive. White felt with a ribbon trimming, white straw with wings, white wool and white silk crepes make small and large hats. They are all worn well down on the head, but a tilt to one side is a later fashion than quite straight. Red millinery is a rage. Small cloche hats in red crinoline with a flat ribbon trimming. Red felt, red straw, red velvet, and all sorts of materials and shades in red are used. A red hat with a white costume or dress is poppy-like in its brilliance.”

HOW LACE IS USED. Simple tea frocks have full s'irts of dyed silk lace, or of cream guipure or needlepoint. The bodice is a low-cut crossover of shot taffetas, the silk falling on to the skirt at either side in bunchy sash or panel ends. With lace evening dresses, especially of cream or black, there is often a girdle of lovely flowers, made of silk ninon, some of whose colorings are sure to be daring; some of the flowers are softened further by ostrich fronds, and sometimes fruit is interspersed with the flowers. Rather large artificial flowers made of velvet, or dainty hand-made silk French flowers, trim" the majority ofsmart dinner gowns, while the sensation of the moment is reported to be a new vogue introduced by a leading French dressmaker for debutantes’ wear. This consists of Pompadour frocks made of plain taffeta showing frayed-out hems, which are finished off with a little shoulder fichu lastened in the front with a nosegay bunch of small, hand-made silk flowers, a similar “Victorian posy” that is frankly artificial being carried by the wearer. Pretty little evening capes of circular shape, trimmed with fichu collars, and ending in a stiff ruche of frayed-out taffeta, are made to cover them. These are often so elaborate, and form so striking a finish to the dresses that their wearers retain them for restaurant and theatre wear, and even carry them into the ballrooms to slip on between the dances.

UP-TO-DATE COAT FROCKS. The coat dress is too practical a garment to be discarded; its line is long, so is its waist, and in one model, which is pretty sure to become a favorite, the bodice section, already long, is cut with a deep, sharp point, which has the effect of still further length. This plain top is set on to a skirt that is, either finely kilted or is composed of long lines of narrow silk braid. Silk braiding up and down or round and round is a feature of tne latest coat frock. The neck of the coat frock is generally round, the opening being large enough to go over the head, but, by way of a change, it may be cut with a long V-line, emphasised by pointed revers. In whatever detail the coat frock may differ from its forbears, there is a marked change in the type of sleeves, for this is a loose thing, and finishes over the wrist as a wide pagoda, where there is an elaboration of braiding or of embroidery, and, of course, there must be some attractive lining, for the opening is very wide. The kimono shoulder Ts, still seen, but the set-in sleeve is more suitable, now that it is long, and it is put in lower than the natural shoulder line. The bell sleeves allow of many dainty effects, including the introduction of tiny lace or georgette under-sleeves,, ruffles and bracelet effects of ribbon and georgette; or the sleeve itself is slashed, appiqued, embroidered and braided..

A writer in France mentions that some of the very new coat dresses are somewhat like glorified kimonos. Your coat dress may be shaped to r<e figure down to the hips, or it may be as loose as an ordinary kimono coatee, and girdled by something really uncommon and rich. Or, again, it may be shaped to the figure in redingote fashion, the hem flaring out considerably. This latter is very smart, but it is not so popular as the straighter outline. Hooks and eyes are things of the past. Buttons are used as ornaments. The fashionable dress is slipped over the head, and drawn into line by patent press fasteners. A new model in serge goes further; it is slipped on like a loose coat, and folded over in front, to be looped by a sash on one hip. Under it is worn a slim skirt on an elastic runner. The minimum of fastenings, bones, or stiffening is an immutable law in French modern dressmaking. “Matelasse” is a new fabric on its way from Paris. “Matelasse” ribbon is also obtainable. SOME BRIGHTER COLORS. It will not be the fault of the women if London does not become a “brighter” place, for certainly they have every encouragement to liven up any circles‘that may be gloomy. Brilliant colors are everywhere, in every variety of fabric, and 'in their union very daring effects result. From head to foot it is possible to be gay, and every etcetera (including waistcoats, trimmings, and handbags) have the same object in view. There is an evident liking for red-lacquer, “lip-stick,” vermilion, rhododendron, scarlet, and flame. Yellow shades range from pale primrose to deep orange. Tango, royal blue, and sea green, all have their place, but less jade green is seen at the moment. In sombre tones, grey, brown (both chestnut and tete de negre), and navy blue are popular. Beiga is very much to the fore, as is also ripe corn. Olive green needs very careful consideration before use. Among the greys are slate and silver.

Gaiety is added to the nation, too, by the lavish use of. tinsel brocades and tinsel tissues, gold or silver being interwoven with satins and silks, which already are dazzling in their color unions. Tn Paris, brown is stated to have somewhat superseded black for street wear, and many new Kasha cloths, serges, and fine wool-reps appear in darkest navy. Beige is more chic for early spring than grey; petunia and fuschia shades are among other revivals of the second Empire. Mauve remains popular., but reds, in a varietv of pinky shades, and yellow will be' the rage for later spring days. But in fabric, color', and treatment, never has fashion been so varied anti interesting. The opinion is hazarded that London is in for a blue season.

Color occupies a great part of the lingerie salons, and where colors formerly have been delicate, many of them now are of orange, red, purple, magenta, fuchsia, and green. Corsets match the sami-knic]<ers and the princess petticoats in color. The Magpie union is frequent, too. A "fetching” princess slip lias a waist runner of narrow ribbon (instead of elastic) to be tied in front, and the second runner with ribbon draws the top of the snp ok>se uwd.r the muis. If required

shoulder straps of lace insertion or rose-trimming may be added. For such a slip a novelty is to leave the two widths unjoined’ on either side from the waist downwards, so that they hang in two panels, caught together half-way down by bows of ribbon with long ends.