‘The Chatelaine, August, 1929

NEWS from PARIS

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by EINNA

Paris, cc mois de Mar‘, 1929.

E.S CHERE3 CHATELAI NES.

I expect when my letter appears in print that you will all be enjoying glorious summer weather. but nevertheless I have chosen as my first topic, the woolly side of one’s summer wardrobe.

To many of you these great little additions in the shape of light woollen suits may seem absolutely unnecessary at this time of the year, but to a French woman they are really the big stand-by of her summer clothes. I mean to say that it is so essential to have at least one or two woolly costumes with the changeable climate that we now have thrust upon us in Europe. and I’m sure the same thing must apply to those of you in Canada who are planning long trips on your coming vacations.

So every summer collection shown in Paris has its comple- ment of woolly costumes. with one or two dezrx pieces en lainoge. which is usually the newest kind of kasha that happens to be in vogue at the time. because. Clzoleloirzes kasha has come to stay, but because it still happens to be kasha the grondes maisons have to change it a bit every year. Like the leopard it cannot change its spots. so they change its lissoge a little and dish it up under another name. Yet it always remains the good faithful kasha of a good many seasons now, and always makes the best looking light summer woolly suit.

And so let us turn to what the grondes moisons frarzcazses say about the woolly suit for summer wear. Jean Patou is showing some delightful ones in his latest collection. Several are in tarten-patterned kasha, the skirts appearing in a series of box pleats, while triangular motifs in kasha are appliquéd on the plain jumper. There is always a corres- ponding scarf and hat to match.

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Lucien Lelong uses the finest of jersey for his skirts and hip-length jackets. while the majority of his sweaters are hand-knitted in original designs. Lelong’s skirts. by the way. are nearly all made with five distinct in- verted pleats on the right side. giving a walking fullness which is very agreeable. Outstanding in this couturier’s collection. is a three—piece sport suit called Morrmde. The jacket and skirt are in black and white tweed jersey, that is to say. a jersey knit which resembles a tweed weave. while the jumper has the same combination of colors only in a tighter weave. (You will find a photograph to illustrate this suit.)

Another of his delightful models is called Polme. It is what I should describe as a little ensemble that would be delightful to possess on all occasions, as the skirt and three—quarter length coat are in gray crcpella. which is an attractive name for wool marocain. The sweater shown with this model was in two shades of grey and green. worked in an amazing pattern. but producing wonders in hand-knitting which no machine could possibly make. This is an outfit that one could wear at practically any time when en voyage, en noilztre ou chez sol.

ELONG has many fascinating travel coats in those new light tweeds which Paris has made the mode of this season. To look at. they almost resemble a sponge-cloth. as the material is

A jersey and kasha woolly sport ensemble with ha! and scarf to match. jean Potozt.

very tightly woven. Mustard yellows combined with moss green are two of the favorite shades, while reds and browns and red and blue are also much sought after. In- cidentally. irrespective of the number of colors used. be it your travel coat. two-or three-piece knitted suit or two-colored tweed ensemble, the scarf handkerchief at your neck must contain all the colors to correspond. The same can creep into your hand-bag, the gros—grain on your chic little clzapeau. and possibly in your shoes. if you still like wearing the plaited kind.

And while I’m drifting from actual garments to etceteras, may I just say two or three words about hats to wear with these summer woollies. The very newest of the new are hand-knitted tagel wool—amazing little hats which are exceedingly chic and so very practical ‘for sport or travel wear. They start out by being a very small wool crown which is stretched and draped actually on the '_wearer’s head. The crown is then finished off/with rather stiff gros- grain ribbcn, whicluproduces a little brim which can either he turned up or down.

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I AM perhaps giving you very advanced in- formation here. because the hat I have just described will not actually be on the market until the first bright snappy days of autumn appear, although we in Paris will be able to buy them long ere then.

Other attractive pull-on hats are made up in the same tweed or jersey as one’s ensemble, and although they sound heavy to wear, the modern art of hat-making has overcome this incon- venience. by draping the crown. so doing away with wires and uncomfortable buckram. Felts in all manner of shapes and sizes are still just as popular. The majority are still cut very severely off the face.

I saw a delightful new idea for wearing the ever-popular scarf yesterday. The model shown was two plain squares of different colored georgette, one corner of each square being passed through a crystal ring. To wear the

A travelling coal, Lelong’5 “Record” model, in mixed green and yellow, colored tweed.

scarf one passed one square round the neck and then through the ring, so making a very fetching arrangement over the ear. while the other square falls in a fascinating jabot in front.

THERE are no limits to the possibilities for woollens in one’s late summer wardrobe. Designers are producing such lustrous. soft weaves. that new fabrics are adopting all the age-old grace of silks and satins. Today. unbelievably delicate fabrics are lineal descendants of the once un- comprising wools, and appear in every phase of one’s wardrobe.

In the midsummer days when you, Clzalelairzes, will be reading this. there must be a dominant interest in the part the silky soft woollens can play in your late summer and early fall wardrobes.

I have told you of some of the bewitching new things I have seen here in suits, hats. scarves. bags. Now let us consicter the new fabric weaves in wools. They are ravishing! And moreover, as in everything else, they exploit a subtle combination of color and weave to achieve new delights. Particularly striking. are the swagger unions of tweeds and jersey for the sportive moments that enter into every holiday season. Rodier. that wizard of fabric enchantment, has developed jerseys with an open basket weave. in diamond designs. that is particularly effective with the open weave tweeds in rich colors. I saw one today. in which a dark blue tweed. fiecked with white, was used with one of these diamond patterned jersey fabrics with the open basket weave, in two shades of the darker tones of blue and white. The ensemble was very striking.

Speaking of color reminds me to stress the new shades which are destined to play an important part in the coming months. The blue shades are still of unrivalled popularity with many new inflections of color that are very lovely. There is a new dark chocolate shade which is particularly effective in the woollen weaves and which will prove a beautiful foil for the tanned skins of summer.

You will love. I am sure. the new greengage shade which is being shown everywhere, and the rich Currant red. which has developed from the summer interest in this shade. A new Oxford gray promises to be one of the most popular shades when developed in the novelty weaves.