10.
THE CHINA MAIL.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1925.
THE ENSEMBLE NOTE FASHION!
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ATPIPACTIVE
It May Have Been a "Winter's Tale" But
It Will Continue a "Midsummer Night's Dream"--It is Every-
where in the Mode.
It would be difficult to name any iden, theme or style that has taken the firm hold on the fancy of both designern and buyers that the costume note has done. One really has to study fashion to understand how swiftly changes empie, even in fundamentals; how short lived Vogues are; how the eyele turns and brings in the old, disguised as the new, with every few years: how the men and women who determine our modes study Cause and effcets, that they themselves, the buying public, and the shopkeeper may all the served and well. The wide shirt displaces the narrow; the bhort skirt makes the long skirt ridiculous; necklines, sleeve lengths, waletines vary; fabrics, colours and trinnings change with every passing senon. Rarely--so rarely that one van bárdly mention case in point-there is a theme that persista; outside of the costume ensemble which we are dis cussing the straightline silhouette is the only one of recent years. The reason for the former is identical with the Teason for the latter-its becoming #daptability and its smart suitability, Both have proven a boon to the woman of full gura, and after the teens and the twenties there are more large women than small. And fashion, is at last, giving them heed as they should. Both the straightline silhouette and the Costume ensemble are practical fashions, the former for spoesibilities of remodelling; the latter for reasons that will be obvious from any considera- tion of the mode.
It's An Ensemble, It's Correct Barring any and every consideration Teof lines, colour, fabrics and all the many detalls of the fashions of the present hour-and of the hours to come-if it's fan ensemble, it's correct, and the word pplies to many things besides suits and frocks. Ask any French designer What she considers the ultimate end and aim of a fashion and she will promptly answer "Simplicity."". That does not, of a necessity, mean plain effects, but rather the simplicity that is founded
We are concerned, right no, with the fashions for the spring and summer of 1925. There have been pre-showings: and there are authentic displays now teing held to aid one in her plans for the coming seasons, and no matter how one considers them, it is evident that every new fashion feature of this interesting season has been interpreted in relation to, und embodied in the All the newest silks and ensemble. woollens; the leveltost designe- plaids, stripes, prints, embroideries; all the rarest colourings and the mast unusual combinations of these colours have been used to glorify this one fundamental idea. And the result in yours to adopt, adapt and enjoy
It An All-Inclusive Mode. That you may the better understand the breadth of the scope of this fashion of the ensemble, we will enumerate. Our first thought is the anaemble suit-two or three picce as the cune may be, although when it consists of dress and coat it is frequently named three-piere. It is, this ensemble suit, the most important single unit in the general scheme. It means that one may buy a frock, a coat and a suit at one and the same time, for the dress may be worn without the coat; the coat without the dress and with ather
mis-
dresses; and the two together make a suit that in perfection. And when the suit is made up of coat, skirt and Lunts, there are even greater possibilities of change and combination. It is the same whether it be a sports suit; a tailored affair; or a costume for semi-formal afternoon wear, such a costume correct for many evening affairs, as well.
The ensemble frock is rather new, and is so-called because it is cut to appear like a coat and dress. It will be a very desirable type for street wear when spring comes, for one will feel as though..she, had on a suit, and will not have the extra woight. I permits the use of bunutiful fabrics and the combination of colours and shade of colours and is a distinct addition to fashion We are having, for winter
Son subtlety. It is the goal the designerxperts, ensemble unifits of sweater, cup,
gets out to attain, and when she finds an idea that contributes to it, she keeps t, changing it slightly with the new enson, but retaining it as a theme. That is why we are being delighted with new and varied interpretations of the ensemble; why the idea is touching very possible department of dress- Sigaren" to Ringerle." It is a far more gimportant note in spring fashions than t was in the fall and winter modes; It belongs to formal as well as informal Pattire; it provails in the morning, after
Apoon, evening and unclassified sporta, modo; it appears, ever now, at this mid-sonson time, in apparel for both Northern and Southern wear, and links the fashions of to-day with those of to-morrow.
gloves, scarf and hosiery, or an ensem- ble may be made up of any two or more of the group. There are hat and scarf ensembles for street wear; and at times the trimming on the hat not only matches the scarf, but is really another scarf; and again, there is a bag added to the outfit.
PLAIN
AND
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plaids, stripes, checks and really strik ing designs in all fabrics. Illustrating this trend we have the costume sult of plaided flannel, the dress a simple affair So entirely has the ensemble idea with tailored trimmings of buttons and possessed the designers of beach and bands of the plain fabric in a tone that bathing attire that one will be hope harmonizea; the cont of the same lessly out of style unless some parts, at material as the bands and trimmed with least, of her custume match, Whether the plaid. This is an approved type of
COLOR
prominent place in the mode. The coat has a smart flare which lends the model the appearance of a higher waistline; but the embroiderice. are Russian in design-so does Russia insinuate, ber distinctive way into the mode by the way of godeta, The lace collar and cuffs are unusual, but welcome-they are a touch of spring in a winter mode.
DID YOU KNOW—
It be the plain little wool swimming what we are pleased to call the "sport's suit or the gorgeous brocaded beach suit though it may, and probably will pajama outfit, it will have, cape; cap-live a life far from links and courts, or hat; gandais; even the whimsical Making clever use of the idea of ene peccatories that the mode demanda, in fabric as a trimming for another, we' a colour or fabric that match. And have what we might facetiously call a THAT afrock, conic from Paris, there may be a "tic that blods” in some patchwork suit, aimée the straightline is made of volle and embroidered in clever trimming. It is the same with dress has an applique of the dark on leopard spots, the design completely boudoir apparel, and some of the the light the cost has two minds as to covering the material? And lovelient of the lingerie offerings are what colour its siceres shall be and its unsuality, it has belt, pockets, and add to made ensemble fashion.
compromisca by using both; and the buttons of brown kid. scarly thapartat in its use of the two. THAT there is's new godet pump on A winter trimming on a summer fabric the market? It installered affab with fur on valla-makes the individual," single godet at one side completely distinctive, and the asan penchant backdes The toe is amartly rounded and ensemble with its flared coat even more covered with a beautifully thiuld enamel for embroideries, or for patterns that the heel a Spanish. aflate them illustrated. The atter THẤT 11 you would be simplicity that is a characteristic of calls date your Will get
Shortened post
** Analyzing the mode we have there are the ensemble suite of many kinds, Interpretation for all hours of the day and for all purposes; the ensemble costume for evening wear; the ensemble rock; ensemble effects in jewellery, in shoes and hosiery, in hats and scarfs, boach, boudoir and all-time. apparel. And as a result, every new vogun and Proving the supremacy of the ensem very new offering of weavers, dyers, ble idea we have six anita-thie-parti, briginators, in subordinated to, and thascular type of ensemble,. chosen because comes a part of the ensemble, theme it was the original ecceoption of the And it means that the women of to-day theme and because the bait is really the
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THE MODE is Made
Does it live in your memory the happy, but inelegant day; when you had. a bost hat and an øvery day hat; street gloves and dress gloves; brown shoes and black; a fan or two; some pieces of jewellery-some of them heirlooma, but real jewels; and a real lace collar, likewise on heirloom? The day of a few little things as compared to the to-day of many, was no even a score of years ago, one might say a decade, and the little elegancies of the costume of to-day, likewise the part they play in one's grooming, were as yet får,in the future. The trifles of the toilet fill quite as much of the average specialty shop as do the fundamentals, and there
are whole shops that deal in nothing else. Which proves-or, should prove their value in the scheme of things. And there is always news concerning these trifles and their newest relation
to the costume what news of to-day?. What about gloves and hosiery and neckwear and costume jewellery, with- out which no ensemble is complete, without which no ensemble is correct, unless these details, too, are correct?
You will be called upon to choose new gloves for your new spring suit, and the choice will lie between cuffed styles
by Trifler
A Scarf Bo Wide That It Is Almost
A Shawl Is A Patterned Affair, Of Crepe Georgette,
THE PART THAT TRIMMINGS PLAY.
And the turn-down cuff in best-and the slip-on type. But if you have faith in newcomers, then you will choose a two clasp glove with fitted wrist, the top of the wrist trimmed with embroi- deries or bands. Emboidery has first place in glove trimmings as it has in the general trimming field. If you are choosing silk gloves, you will find the styles moch the same, barring, perhaps the wrist-tted glove. Pastel colour- ings are making a decided bid for pro- minence when it comes to hosiery—or rather manufacturers are making
bid for them.
By pastela 476 meant the soft shades of blue, pink, green, gray and orchid. But the various ahades of boire are still pronuanced correct, and there seems to be a very decided tendency to retain "airedale," practically the only new shoes of the 1824
spring to weather the storms of winter. The pastela will go well with white and the new vogue for gunmetal shoes calls for matching hosiery.
ance.
You will be boying neckwear, this spring, for necklines are being dressed, not left wholly unadorned as of yore. There are "cravala," for the V-neck, although they are sometimes tied round the neck; tailored bows for the mannish shirt; Jabots; scarf ties, and a world of. both tailored uns feminine thinga, Leave it to neckwear houses to make the most of the demands of a public hungry for their wares. There are the mest. marvellous new scaris, made of all sorts of fabrics, in all possible sizes, some of them so large that they resem ble a shawl. Handkerchiefs are making use of net and have a tendency toward pastels. Appliques are next in jmport. Umbrellas grow aborter and brighter and more amusing as summer upproaches, for they will be impressed If all the world's a stage," then | a stiff fight for first place. Appliques into service as parasols. As to your
grów more important every season and Fashion is a play-one of the many
costume. Jewellery, it will, in the mai there seems to be a very generous use
be pearls. All sizes, all colours, alá plays that, show, year in and out, to
of buttons, beads and braids, .... With aorts of ornamente, necklaces and an ever-changing audience. And the each season ribbons grow more import bracelets are sponsored, and they come players not as you might suppose ant and there are not only novelty in neparate picces or in matching
the clever folk who make the fashions ribbona plain colours, ombre effects,
ensemble sets. they have any rivals bat the fabrics, the colours, the linee prints, embroideries "and Jacquard of note, the rhinestone, pins may be and the trimmings with which they designe; but, following the mode in counted such. They serve for variety, work, They Arer let us say, the pro fabrics, there are checks, stripes and but they do wt displace oven a singlo ducers their tools, the payers. Each plaids. There is an effective use of pear In the serving Look to your season a new play is produced and there moire-not new by any means, but a trifles-they are Interesting; they are between, that interest in the old may not the long string ties that seems to com
sketches introduced leader fust the same-for, belts and for important; they are delightful to own. lag before the new appears. And everyplement so many of the V-neck lines, new play has a different cast of charac- lending their beauty to a long line, and ters, so that there must be new players sometimes running through a slash in to interpret the parts, new scenery, new the belt. Velvet ribbons, plect edged hat with more than a grain of sense to three aide to Iashion, all lavishly, used. costumen. A whimsical idan, perhaps, ribbons and metal ribbens here: are back it. As to the importance of the And we may not forget fringes, for they players, sometimes it a Line, sometimes appear, with fringed ornaments often Fabric, again it is Colour that plays the times, in allks, artificial silk and wool. lead, with Trimmings an anderstudy to And eretonnes are being used for trim- all three. But this coming season it | ming-most effective ones well as Tooks as though there would be four for fabric. They make charming leading actors in the play, and only the appliques, especially against a back- most discriminating will be able to state ground, of net. M a preference. the two Dromios had turned serious and inconsistent combinations of fabric and And it would almost seen as though popular one, and many of the most For The idea of heavy on light is a
minge, the other with fabrics for Bousing Leather on all sorts of materials,: bocoms identical, the one with trim-trimming, are delightful. And they're like are they in their uses that it is, at both heavy and Night; fathers; and times, hard to distinguish the one from in the fashion play, I in to be a NOBROTI the other, and they are both "leads,
bau in placar, where "form" nsed to many places fore have *Hand painting has a of beautiful fabrics, that? AN IN
trimming demoda. Izd ornament
STO: numerous