Fashion Hints for Islands Women
pp. 61-62 · Read in the full issue
By Therese
lOVELY shades are heralded —Mediterranean blue, sugar-stick pink, lime green and water-lily yellow conjure visions of coolness under a tropical sun.
Pale grey, one of the coolest of colours, goes to the making of a crepe two-piece, which consists of a short sleeved jacket over a slim frock. The sleeves of the jacket are gathered puffily over the shoulders and the front of the coat turns back with cascade-like revers.
A multi-coloured posy is at the throat.
Crease resisting linen will be again to the fore and is unsurpassed for tropical wear. A pink linen dress has a sun-top and is as cool as it looks. For more formal occasions it dons a little jacket that does up amusingly at the back.
What could be more delightful on a sweltering day than a pale blue short frock with touches of white embroidery and a shady straw hat of white?
A sleeveless tennis dress of white linen has three cleverly inserted godets and the gay little jacket for off - the court moments strikes an appropriate colourful note.
Full skirted daytime frocks are gain ing popularity. The fullness starts imme diately below the hips and is achieved by flares, godets, and clever pleating.
Coats have slim fronts and flaring backs, while jackets favour the nipped in waist line. Sleeves are of infinite variety and charm. Peasant sleeves are full to the wrist where they are caught in narrow bands. Kate Greenaway puffs have a tight cuff from elbow to wrist. Short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, and long sleeves all have their hour. In beach frocks, there are no sleeves at all.
Two piece suits with a feminine air are delightful. A thick cord trims the hem of a swinging skirt. A matching cord ties at the Peter Pan collar and edges the brim of a very flat sailor hat.
A silk and linen two-piece, the jacket of which boasts high revers, nipped in waist and squared shoulders has a blouse of contrasting colour. This gives wide scope for colour combinations.
A tailored frock of cream linen of the uncrushable variety has tucked pockets and a tucked band on its short sleeves, It is worn with one of the new narrow belts.
A wine-red crepe takes unto itself a cord belt of navy suede and matches up with navy accessories. A spotted jerkin ties over a slim navy frock and gives it dual personality.
For morning and sports wear, dresses are accompanied by dark coats while with contradictory feminine charm the dark afternoon gown lifts itself from the gloom by light coats and gaily coloured accessories. Over a dark dress, a light spotted jacket is worn. Pink and navy are delightful contrasts.
Hemlines are banded with colour —a happy inspiration for both day and even ing. Blouses are well in fashion’s van guard for almost every hour of the day
and night. Wear them all slickly tailored for suits. Wear them for formal after noons and again for cocktail and dinner hours. Lame blouses and lacquered satin tunics and lace blouses with voluminous sleeves are the prefect complement to the column slim skirt.
Lace trims everything. Lace hats, lace collars and cuffs, boleros lined with lace to match accompanying blouses, lace fans and mantillas for evening, and so on ad infinitum.
Glittering materials for evening abate not one whit in their popularity. A blue blistered chiffon weaves a gold thread
through its beauty to form a square.
Gold buttons fasten its fitting bodice down the back, and outline the off the shoulder effect. The skirt flares to ful ness over a bouffant taffeta slip.
A chiffon evening gown of the faintest pink has a mistily swirling skirt. Its belt widens to a high peak at the front, of opalescent sequins.
Bunches of mauve and purple violets
are scattered over a dress of pale mauve sheen crepe. The bodice is made halter fashion caught with a jewelled clip, and leaving lovely shoulders bare. A violet topknot perches on the brow.
Pansies are clustered thickly on the shoulders of a black crepe dinner jacket
forming floral epaulettes—the only note of adornment.
Halos of curls are surmounted with flowers, and wreaths of celophane flowers are fairy like and heaven sent for the frock of net or tulle. Flower necklaces and bracelets are amusing and charming, and exquisite fans are made from lace of cobweb fineness added to tiny flowers.
Belts are imaginative. Evening belts made entirely of flowers are the most delightful possessions imaginable. A stitched suede belt is buckled together by roaring lions. Vivid leather bows trim a patent leather belt, and multi-coloured tufts of wool flaunt their brilliance boldly on a stitched belt of black fabric.
Gloves are important. They are of kid, suede, fabric, or leather in a variety of styles. Mustard-yellow hand stitched suede gloves are delightful with brown, black, or hunter’s green, and green gloves of the same type supply a touch of colour to the sober gown. Blue gloves have blue and red stitching and beige chamois gloves are stitched with orange silk. A zip fastener of contrast ing colour zips up the back of a pair of
suede fabric gloves and gives them an individual air. Then there are the skin fitting gloves of pre-war days—snug and sleek and short.
Bags remain classic. A metal pad lock and key pretends to hold fast the contents of the tailored bag of pin seal, but it is merely the catch of the zip fastener and fools everybody but the owner. A square bag of navy suede fastens with a gilt circle on a gathered flap. A beautifully carved fox slinks along the entire handle of a brown bag and is a possession to be envied.
There is an enchanting confusion of evening bags. Some grow small and flaunt long handles in seeming derision.
A gold evening bag is tufted in colours and a black velvet is bead-encrusted as are its swinging handles. Exquisite petit point bags are for the favoured few—a direct gift of the gods.