1931-04-18 — Page 9

PICTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, APRIL 18th, 1931.

PAGE THREE

fashions forecast by the stars

N

Hollywood designers, whose styles for the leading ladies of filmdom must be six months in advance of the current mode, look forward to the coming season as being one of the most colorful in dress history

TRAVIS BANTON

A

gray may be a do- mure color, but it makes up in charm- ing Tashion in this street suit of Loda

cloth, banded, with

platinum fox, which

理

worn by Juno

Collyer.

by Travis Banton

who designs all costumes worn before the camera by Paramount picture players

FTER eight weeks in the fashion capitals of

Europe, I have concluded that the com ing reason will be the most calutut in the chapters ni modish history. By colorful I mean that the reign of Black, navy blues and subdued tones is over after a dictatorship in the rain of fashion lasting more than 10 years.

Paris is color mad. The famous couturiers state that no well- dressed woman can afford to ignore colors this spring because they air the very foundation of the entire season's de.

This news should not be greeted with enthusiastic shopping expe ditions into the yardage deputments, with the net result a rainbow effect. The selection of colors and shadings will not be an easy matter, since fashion demands catelul contrasts, but offers no fixed rules on the subject.

It is advisable to include at least two and sometimes three colors in every outfit. It is also chic to select a dark coat for a light frock. or a light coat for a dark frock.

Color schemes favored by the woman spending the water in Paris and the Riviera include warm brown and copper red, deep blue and ripe corn yellow, dark red and ink blue, navy blue and maize, brown and bud-green, brown and rusty orange and dark blue and gay, Plaks in gay and brilliant combinations of colots are offe mendous importance. No one will escape the epidemic of the plaids during the spring and ensuing summer. I found them everywhere. street frocks, blouses, pajamas, sports attire and chiffon evening KOW15.

The lines of the new costumes divide their favor between the bias cut and deep diagonal wrappings. The spiral drapery that swathes the figure is also used for evening gowns with astonishing success. The tendency is definitely toward glorifying feminine curves. MENTIONING curves brings up the ever-interesting subject of

the ideal figure. Although Paris is no longer afraid of curves. there is no indication that the extremely slender figure is on the wane. The notes still demand well-proportioned slenderness to be worn correctly and with chic. It is my advice to all women doubtful about the return of curves to adhere to their diets.

The first question prat to me when I arrived in New York had to do with skirt lengths. This still seems to remain a puzzling prob lem to the women of America. I found the hemlines doing much the same thing that they were doing last fall. Street skits are nearer the ankle than the knee, pouls skirts usually reach midway- between-knee-and-ankle point. Surprisingly enough, evening skirts are almost a shade shorter than last season! Some of the cleveres! of the evening gowns displayed in Paris are slashed and shit at the hems, making them delightfully light ad graceful about the ankles. During the winter months, pajamas have become one of the most important items in the wardrobe of the smart woman. I found the chic Parisiennes wearing them on every conceivable occasion. They dine with guests at home clad in pajamas that borrow their claborate effects from dimer gowns and evening costumes. They wear them in the boudoir, at tea time with guests at home, on the beach and on yachts. They may be as dignified, as amusing, as elaborats or as simple as the individual desires, and they may be created in minist any material innging from satin to sailcloth.

HATS continue to shrink in size, with slight leanings toward the 1860 pancake type of millinery. The new chapeaux perm:il two-thirds of the hair to show, which will probably revolutionize fastions in coiffures. But more about hair later. Trimmings in the form of ostrich tips, aigrettes and flowers are making timid de buts on the hats at the mannequins seen at the races. As yet the approval of that nail group of women who pass upon the artistry of the Parisian designers has not been offered.

For midsummer the large hat with half brims of tulle will be seen. The natural straw with sharply drooping brim will also be used with Straw that is soft and pliable will be the spectator spoils costume, used more than the unyielding type,

this hat of dust-pink linen droops flatteringly in a romantic, yet piquant, mood to make a frame for Juliette Compton's face.

THE completely smart male-

rial for evening gowns is soma crepe. Satin, lame, chil fon, and soutfle have all taken a second place. Black gowns

are often combined with wraps

of pale pink or white trimmed with kolinsky ar sable. When pastel shades are used it is a little more chic to add a wrap of the exact color of the dress. Some of the interesting shades are dust pink, deep blue and corn yellow.

Suits me of colossal import this year. The woman of lim- ited income may select suits to the exclusion of all frocks. She should be very careful to choose jackets and skirts that are cleverly but softly tailored. offering extremely feminine results.

Fay Wray makes a bright move in the color game when she stops out in this tomato suit of basketweave material trimmed in black galyack.

June MacCloy mixes her colors when she wears this gaily lmpertinent chapeau of hand-woven bright blue and white straw.

Hair, by the way, is getting longer. There is little use in attempting to stem the tide. The bob must grow, I noticed en thusiasm for the new jeweled hair clips, which I look upon as the very beginnings of a mode that will cover the hair with ornaments for formal occasions.

There is no established length for skitts, but every woman is per

and mitted to choose the length which is the most graceful

the most comfortable. Incidentally, the two have a habit of going together. An awkward length for one woman may be the perfect length for another, for just an inch has power to increase or decrease the effectiveness of your costume.

Hips continue to be form fitted. Lines continue to be straight. There is a spirit of youth in the up-and-down movement that go other style poucasca,

Brown is playing a strong note in the spring color harmony, too, although it is usually associated with the mellow tones of autumn. Many women who have brown hair and eyes find that they snap into new eagerness when they are given a brown background, where- as a black one takes away their gleam. To be brown is to be quite in the mode. Warm colors are very effective with browa

oven though you don't swim a stroke, you would linger by the sea If you had Juli- ette Compton's white Jersey boach pejamas whose blue flow- ore match the taffeta jacket.

there's a vivid evening In store for, anyone who follows Fay Wray's example and lets tomato lace fashion an evo-i ning gown with_throo ́ tanics.