Clothes Again!

Flowers are everywhere—artificial ones. Real flowers are lovelier, but they droop and look unhappy, so most women seem to have abandoned them to gather joyfully the products of art—daisies on the front of a shallow-crowned, wide-brimmed leghorn; a Victorian posy in a lapel; carved wooden flowers for buttons; “flower” buckles on belts; flowers on evening gowns, vivid shoulder sprays, roses of organdie or velvet in “plastron” effect, a posy tucked negligently in the belt; flowers from the frock material appliqued on coats and capes of net or plain material.

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Noticed among the hats—picture hats, adaptations of the sailor, the breton, the shovel, the bowler and the ubiquitous toque; flat crowns, sloping crowns, folded crowns, flowered crowns; wide brims, narrow brims, no brims at all, brims tilted or rolled, graceful or rakish, of cellophane or wisped with veiling; trimmings of flowers, of velvet, of ribbon, tails down the back or veils down the front; leghorns, pedal or sisal straws, jack tars, weaves coarse or fine, shiny or dull. Hats, this season, for all tastes.

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Frock materials are manifold. Cottons carry on the work of peaceful penetration begun last season into the heart of Fashionland. Linens must be included in all wardrobes, as summer suits and as sports frocks. The silklinens (also anti-crease) rival the dull finish in popularity. Among more dressy materials are printed georgettes and crepes. Dull crepes may show lacquered designs or a rainswept effect. Cloque materials are marvellous for evening frocks, hostess gowns and even for suits.

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Style points to be noted this spring: The jacket influence is seen in clothes for many social occasions. If Madame leaves her suit of fine wool or of dull-surfaced silk cloque in the wardrobe, it is to don a frock with a basque or maybe a jacket dress. Jacket necks are interesting. There may be a small upstanding Chinese collar or none at page 60 all, the collar of the frock or blouse being pulled out over the jacket. Backs are usually wide as in the evening jacket of velvet with raglan sleeves, so suitable for these cool evenings.

As an occasional change from jackets, one sees the three-quarter coat, semi-swagger. One smart model had detachable pique cuffs (frequent laundering necessary, of course). Wool tunics to slip over thin frocks are smart and sensible. The slim, wool coat to wrap over gay frocks, will be of use all through the summer.

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A final note of the new season is variety in accessories. Even tennis frocks may be adorned with gay piping, buttons or belts, though to my mind trimming looks better on the stand than on the courts.

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