Fashion Hints for Islands Women

By Therese

CLOTHES are prettier, gayer and more fascinating than ever since they have once again become feminine.

Tiers and flounces have come back for day and evening alike and there is no happier medium for them than crisp cottons patterned in gay colours and exotic designs.

With the return of these flounces, waists again become important, and hips that have been so carefully kept down have been allowed to increase—not a lot, of course, but sufficiently to give them a rounded appearance. Many methods are used to acquire the small waist line — some do it by wide bands with the fulness set just above the hips and others with gathers at the natural waistline—but whichever way is favoured it is exceed ingly attractive.

For day wear, skirts have become short, because of their fulness; otherwise the effect would be heavy. Active sports clothes are very short —in some instances knee-length.

Boleros are once more Fashion’s fav ourite. These little jackets are a most economical addition to the wardrobe.

They can be worn with frocks or blouses and skirts and make the most delightful ensembles. Some of them have long sleeves, some three-quarter and others short sleeves, but whatever the sleeve length they always manage to look dainty and chic.

NOWADAYS, necks mostly assume deep V’s, though the square neck, too, is very cool and smart, and when it is in the form of a square

pleated front of organdy in a navy sheer frock the result is very becoming. These white touches are trimming the newest frocks; everywhere women are discovering how attractive white is and are wearing it as collars, cuffs and jabots. White hats, too, ore popular and play a fitting ac companiment to light and dark frocks.

Skirts are flared, pleated, gored or plainly tailored, and the bodices that go with them are softly feminine. Shirrs are still featured. Soft gathers and pleats give the fulness required for this sea son’s blouses. The circular skirt is much favoured, too, since it presents no laundry problem. The pleated skirt is perhaps a little difficult to iron, but to offset this, many of the new frocks sport unpressed pleats.

THE Princess line frock can be worn for any occasion. It is lovely when made of linen in one of the new pastel shades, with scallops running from neck to hemline down the front edged with white, and buttoning all the way down with white buttons. The addition of an initial worked in con trasting shade adds further interest.

The sheerest of organdies, Swiss mus lins and dotted Swiss—all uncrushable— are ideal for afternoon and evening wear.

Special mention of these does not pre clude other cotton fabrics, for nothing looks neater than a gay frock of crisp patterned cotton. Novelty pique in plain shades is also a winner for festive hours.

Make a frock of it with a heart shaped decolletage, tuck in a cluster of field flowers and wear a tiny bolero with the briefest of sleeves. Or go all glamorous in a frock of Swiss voile with a three

tiered ruffled skirt and an off-the shoulder neckline.

IpYELET embroidery is new for even ■i ing. It makes lacy-looking dresses which are at the same time crisp and fresh, and even the softest lace takes on this crisp effect when worn over an organdie slip. The gipsy dinner suit is a happy informal costume and one of the most popular of the season. Sometimes the skirt is printed in vivid splashes of colour with the bolero jacket repeating one of them and the blouse still another contrast in colour. It is equally attractive in a plain cotton with contrasting blouse and cummerbund. This style is also effec tive for day wear.

Linen suits in stripes and plain colours are the last word in chic. Despite their tailored finish, the soft little blouses that are worn with them transform them into something really feminine. Sheer is de lightful for formal afternoon frocks, and one of Alpine rose with a little tucked vestee of white with points at the neckline held up with with a crisp bow is really an enviable possession. The vestee again appears in a blue and white spotted frock, but this time pleated to match the panel of pleats running down the front of the skirt. One of the slim mest-looking flared frocks is made with a panel running from the square neck

line to the hem. Little ruchings of pleats outline the neck and sleeves and the hem of the skirt.

Shirt-maker frocks come in infinite variety and are trimmed with feminine fripperies without losing that air of practicability. A smartly tailored frock of check gingham has a front outlined with rick-rack braid, wide revers and short sleeves braid trimmed. The skirt is six gored.

A SUNSHINE yellow frock of linen de serves a word of praise. Its square neck is outlined with a narrow organdie frill and a kick pleat is placed in the flared skirt.

With the back-to-femininity trend, history repeats itself in all the trimmings beloved of the 1890’s. Crochet lace is in let in blouses; insertion bands trim the bodice of a voile frock; gloves take on embroidery, as hand work again comes into its own; and so on, ad infinitum.

Clothes for the beach are more intrigu ing than ever. Shorts are topped with gay blouses and coats; culottes are made in plain and patterned materials; beach coats are voluminous, with the skirts falling to the feet from a tight-fitting bodice. Swim suits come in silk, satin and cotton and are even more attractive than those of last year.

Miss Rona Riley, a teacher at the Gov ernment European School, Ifi Ifi. Western Samoa, arrived in New Zealand in mid- September.

Mr. C. E. de F. Pennefather, District Commissioner in Fji, arrived in Sydney recently from Suva with his wife to spend long leave.