PICTORIAL SUPPLEMENT
HONGKONG "TELEGRAPH, MARCH 30th, 1929.
PAGE THREE
imple Evening Gowns Acquire Character
Sims
Paillette Entbroidery On a Surplice Decolletage And a Staggered Shirt Distinguish This Patou Evening Gown in Palt Pink
BY JEAN PATOU
rOMEN have finally and, I think,
W conclusively, been made to accept
dresses totally different in aspect and line from those they wore but a few scatoni ngo.
This has been noticed by, everyone, but what I am thinking of more cipe- cially is that simple little evening frock" they all cherished so sincerely a little while back. Its main defect, in the eyes of all creator, was of course its lack of character and line.
Speaking personally, my present col. lection accentuates the fullness placed at the back, an experiment which I tried out last summer.
THE starting point being, therefore,
more fullness at the back, it was necessary to accentuate it by contrast. In many of my recent models you will see practically plain, straight fronts, with all the fullness massed at the back.
A point that may have escaped the undiscerning is that, imperceptibly, skirts are really acquiring more length. Lengili was given to winter models in an irreg. ular fashion, but recent creations show whnt may be termed an all-around skirt 'length.
There are quite a few "simple" eve ning gowns in my present collection, yet in each of them you will find some fea- ture indicative of their function. I have in mind the perfectly plain dress of gold iame shown in the two photographs at the lower right.
Although the front may hear some resemblance to the simplicity of farmer years-being severe and almost tailored in its lincs-its back is éminently, new with a hooded effect to its neckline and an intricately cut skirt reaching to the heels.
1
DRAPED effects are perhaps the
most usual and certainly the most ef fective means of imparting the necessary amount of character to a dress which is · meant to be worn in the evening, how ever informal the function.
In the case of simple mousseline de scic or georgelle evening frocks, the hap piest mode of "dressing" the model is ihe use of frilla, godets or volants on the skirt. The bolero zflect on a georgette or mounseline bodica is always good. To illustrate the volant or frill shenic, I cite the mousseline de soie eve ning dress at the bottom of the page- a dress designed for Mademoiselle Arletti.. It is a filmy black gown which suits her slender figure and also empha- sizes both the back trimming I favor and the volant theme.
IT has always been taken for granted heretofore that a beaded dress of any kind was sufficient unto itself and that the need for a studied cut or style was superfluous.
Altogether, all-over beading has ever been one of my pet aversions, but I am obliged to include a few beaded drenes in every collection. However, I have endeavored always to use this form of trimming in a new way. Line is invari ably the sole characteristic.
The yellow beaded model, at the lower left, for instance, I have cut on tailored lines through the waist, with a perfectly fitting hipline, a tailored belt. and then introduced a godet movement across the back from a slanting hipline. The skirt's longest points also are placed at a rather unusual distance from ih: center back.
Quite different is the pale pink frock at the upper left-a frock whose pail- lette embroidery is its dominating char- acteristic. This frock is cut in an ong- inal manner, with a surplice bodice giv ing a charming decolletage and with the skirt's embroidery staggered higher and higher across the back and very low in front. There is also the accompany- ing staggered effect at the bottom of the skirt, giving an unusual uneven effect.
ANOTHER uneven effect comes in
the apple green velvet evening gown shown at the extreme lower left. Although very simple, this model could not be mistaken for anything save a charming evening gown. It has much softness in the gently bloused bodice, And while the skirt is longer all around, both the front and back dips consider- ably by the introduction of fan godels that are cut in one with the bodice of the gown.
There are many people who, like my- self, have the earnest 'desire to see all women, sponsor the longer skitt for eve- ning from a purely esthetic point of view. And it has been a source of great satisfaction to see the success of my gown at the upper right, the out- standing feature of which is a fringed skirt reaching down to the ankles.
This is a very simple and extremely unsophisticated frock of white crepe sat- in with the fringe of white silk. It has a bloused bodice, tight hipline and tlie fine long fringe put on in geometric design.
There is a soft fat bow across the back of the hipline. As the model mover the fringe sways, revealing a skirt of the fabric that is of good length itself,
Delightful Simplicity
Is Found in an Evening Gown Of White Crepe Satin With a Reatless Overskirt Of White Silk Fringe
In This Evening Gown
Fashioned of Apple Green Velvet Patou Achieves a Soft Richness That Requires No Ornament.
The Snug, Tailored Lines
Of This Yellow Evening Gown,
Bespeak Patou's Passion
For Parfection of Cut Even in Beaded Creation.
Actress Arletti
Wems a Palou Gown
Of Mousseline de Sole
Notable for Ita Back Trimming.
Seen From die Front, This Palou Evening Gown Made of Soft Gold Lame From a P'erslan Design Seems Almost Too Severe..... But in Profile fi Reveals a Hooded Decolletage and a Paneled Skirt.