On all sides we hear a considerable amount of grumbling anent the growing extravagance of dress and fashion. We have in all truth returned to the 1830 period, though the sartorial and modistic experts have vastly improved upon those modes; needless to say, in so doing they have not reduced the prices of the same! Of course, in those days it was only the rich who dressed in the height of fashion; now every little suburban draper will follow blindly the modes of the moment, even though they be quite unsuitable for his clients.

Looking at it from whatever point of view we will, we come to the conclusion that the new full skirt, the charmingly quaint bonnet with its nodding plume, the pèlerine, the high bands, and last, but not least, the voluminous sleeves,, are not consistent with a practical everyday life. Such garments are essentially what must be called "carriage wear". It is impossible to carry yards of trailing stuff with comfort along dirty pavements or country roads. And her it is that the intelligent tailor of to-day has stepped in with his knowledge of the requirements of our smart sporting women, with the result that the trotteuse skirt and the sweetest little coats (even though they have sloping shoulders and rather voluminous sleeves) have won our approval.

I want to point out to every woman that there must be no compromise between her walking skirt and her visiting or afternoon frock. If she is poor and can only afford two gowns, one must be exclusively for morning and one for afternoon wear. It is a blessing for such a woman that she can walk in the well-made trotteuse skirt in London or any other town, and still feel bien chic. There is no doubt that the short skirt can be quite becoming and smart, provided it is full. Heavy winter skirts are being made without linings, and are worn with very smart silk petticoats of sufficient substance to keep them well out at the feet.

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Well-dressed women are wearing all sorts of brightly coloured petticoats in daring contrast to the sombre cloth dress, while those who are economically inclined content themselves with one smart black silk petticoat, making it do duty for more than one frock.

There is nothing more charming than a touch of colour in the underskirt for the winter. Scarlet, orange, or bright royal blue, under black, brown or dull navy blue cloths, are extremely chic. This contrast in colour applies only to the underskirt worn with the jupe trotteuse. The general idea is that frocks, hats, outdoor garments, and in fact everything should be en suite. The leading couturières and milliners are all working at a variety of shades of one colour. In some of the best hats, as well as in evening frocks, I have seen as many as six tones blended, with the most fascinating result.

In fact, I think a harmony in colour is more distinctive than a mixture or contrast, which is often incongruous with the surroundings. I advise only women with good complexions to wear the new wine colour. I feel it is a most dangerous shade to introduce into the English market, and we shall doubtless see as many incongruities in wine colour this season as we did last year in green. We cannot help shuddering even now at the recollection of many of those bright green dresses; yet how lovely were those emerald tones when cunningly produced by experts, manipulated by the leading authorities, and worn by exactly the right women!

I rather hope that brown will find favour with many people, for I think it is a colour which can be extraordinarily becoming. It is a little uncommon, and useful enough to take the place of black.

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There is no saying nowadays in what direction fancy may lead us where fashion is concerned. Every individual dainty detail is thoroughly appreciated by the leading tailors and dressmakers, and they are perfectly willing to make use of any good ideas their customers may give them. Nowadays no woman of good taste and sense wishes to be dictated to by even the highest authorities in the matter of dress. She is sure to have some fancies of her own, and she has a perfect right to adhere to the same. But let no one imagine that the study of fashion is an easy one to master.

Surely it does not require an ultra-observant woman to realise that the work of combining the old stately Court modes and fabrics de luxe with practical modern requirements is beset on all sides with difficulties, and especially is the case where skirts are concerned! And these must be divided into two classes - those of the dressy type for smart carriage and evening wear and for receptions, which are very long all round; and the real jupe trotteuse, which is so practical; but extremely difficult to make well. There is always an unmistakablecachet in the short skirt as made by the first-class sartorial expert.

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I always like extreme neatness in the country as well as in tailor-made garments for town wear. This neatness around the feet and head is characteristic of French and American women, and constitutes a chic which is seldom thoroughly grasped by Englishwomen. As a rule, when an Englishwoman attempts tidiness of apparel in the country, she dresses as much like a man as possible - so much so that sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the sex in the distance. She is particularly addicted to copying him in the matters of coiffure and headgear. It is a great pity, because she can be charmingly neat about the head without going to extremes. For instance, most Frenchwomen in the morning are wearing their hair brushed straight up at the back, with a very slight wave at the sides, where it is puff out a little with combs; they bring just one wave down to the forehead, or have two small curls at the side, the rest of the hair being in a neat coil on the top of the head, apparently held their in negligé fashion by a couple of tortoiseshell pins.

Then the felt sailor or the smart motor-cap in tweed is just as practical as the hard, ugly man's sailor which we adopt, while it is sensibly tilted forward to form a shade for the eyes, tied round with a veil which crosses at the back, and is fastened in a bow under the chin. In this way the elements may be successfully defied, and the wearer retains the original neat appearance. I must admit that some Englishwomen are taking a leaf from their French sisters' book in this matter, chiefly smart women who motor.

Without doubt all tailor-made garments should be so constructed that they can do duty for motoring when unexpectedly called upon. If you are visiting at country houses, you never know when motoring will form one of the chief amusements.

I must say I do not care for the French curtain veil of lace or gauze, which, instead of being caught down firmly, hangs like an early Victorian "fall".

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It is in the construction of dainty lingerie that the clever amateur can show her individual taste and talent. And here it is that sale remnants can be utilised. A length of pretty silk or satin, with a little nunsveiling or Viyella, can be turned into the cosiest bed or dressing-jacket, and perhaps trimmed with a dainty collar taken from an old blouse.

The kimono is a charming pattern for the flannel dressing-gown, and very little trimming is required on this beyond a piece of dainty embroidery or lace at the neck, and to edge the wide sleeves.

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Old evening dresses and teagowns can be turned into really elaborate petticoats for evening wear. Indeed, there are many things the clever worker can do at home, but there are two which I always advise her to leave alone - one is the making of the short skirt, and the other the trimming of a hat, however simple. I cannot, for a moment, predict the success of the amateur in these important details.

As for the carriage and picture hats of the moment, their loveliness is unsurpassed. I am told the millinery to be seen at Monte Carlo ere long will be in itself a wondrous sight. The growing extravagance of fashion already alluded to seems to have reached a climax in the millinery of the hour, though here again there are two great contrasts - the neat and becoming headgear for country wear, and the most gorgeous hats and toques created for the afternoon in town. How lovely it all sounds! - the rich plumes, Russian sable, old lace and quaint silk beaver, with cockades of moiré, and its gold trimmings and tassels. The long-haired beaver in white, adorned with various shades of royal blue, finished with ostrich plumes to match, is also a beautiful model. Enormous flat hats of chiffon-velours and lace, with cascades of lace falling over the coiffure at the back, resembling enlarged soup-plates, do not sound lovely, but at the same time they can be very becoming, for the modern milliner at her best is a creature of great genius.

The woman who has left her first youth behind can be as charmingly "hatted" to-day as she who possesses more youthful charms, because the new improved turban toque in various shades of chenille and velvet, with long coq's feather plumes, turned up at one side, broad and high, is one of the most becoming shapes it is possible to create for a face of maturer years.

The Directorie bonnet is suited to old and young alike, small or large, as the face requires. Many of these bonnets are being made in long-haired beaver, lined in with tulle, and with feather trimming, or a contrasting shade of short-haired beaver.

I am so often asked whether black is economical. I think in London it is, because nothing is so smart for day and evening wear as black. Of course, there is a smart and a dowdy black, a beautiful and a useful black, between which there is a terrible difference. The black frock for visiting or evening wear must be really lovely, and should contain not one shade of black, but many.

Now my advice to the woman with a small allowance who lives chiefly in London, and who must have one good black frock, is to have two bodices. The skirt, after all, takes the most stuff, the most thought, and the most expert Cutting. Therefore let her have one full skirt falling on the ground all round, which is the usual length for small dinners, theatres, restaurant dining, etc. Let this be in velvet, panne, or one of the new fur plushes, with the day bodice unlined, and trimmed, if possible, with some good old lace forming the fichu, and sleeves not too exaggerated, completed by one of the new Marie Antoinette bands, which, by the way, require as careful making as a pair of corsets, but which do duty for evening as well as day wear. I conclude she has some fur cape, stole or pèlerine to wear with this blouse. Then for evening wear let her have a crossover fichu bodice, with elbow-sleeves and a fichu or lappets of real lace to form the décolletage. Now this ought to be her best winter frock for day and evening wear, and it will certainly be more satisfactory than three gowns of an inferior quality. This is always my advice to the impecunious: choose one good thing in preference to half a dozen indifferent others. One never really gets tired of a really beautiful black frock.

If you are not in mourning, I must say that for the trotteuse skirt I prefer brown or navy blue with a glimpse of a bright-coloured underskirt beneath. I am not, of course, laying down any hard and fast rule, and black may suit you best, in which case you must have a smart tailor-made coat and skirt of this sombre tone, showing perhaps an inner vest of cloth or embroidery, with something attractive, though minute, in the way of buttons. Buttons have been a craze for some time, and are rather a fascinating one when treated with discretion.

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Furs and lace, chiffon, mousseline-de-soie, silk muslins, and embroidered lawns sound incongruous mixtures; yet they blend admirably. Some of the new stoles, which, by the way, make charming Christmas presents, are in lace of a heavy guipure make, edged on both both sides with sable tails; sometimes these laces are used en paillette, and the effect is extraordinarily light and becoming.

Fur edging is a great deal used as a trimming. A lovely Paris costume in deep brown velvet had a fichu-like collar and stoles compiled of Venetian guipure, edged with marten tale, the figure being charmingly defined by one of the new belts, with an empiècement of guipure down the front, finished with fluted rosettes of moirè ribbon and tiny motifs of gold embroidery. The skirt was plain around the hips, but very much gored at the feet, after the improved 1830 style.

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Royal blue once again seems to find favour with Parisians, especially in millinery, and it is introduced in the cravat, the petticoat, and the band. It is a somewhat trying colour, but very effective. An extremely smart toilette-de-visite of Royal blue shot taffeta, closely spotted with big black velvet and chenille spots, showed a cream muslin cravat, and was worn with a lovely chenille and lace stole, finished by an enormous granny muff lined with almost priceless lace. The picture hat was of chiffon-velours in two shades of blue, with one long shaded feather.

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Furs are certainly most gorgeous this year, and of course costly in proportion. I would suggest that all who can afford to make their poor relations good presents should give furs. What could be more acceptable than a huge muff, stole, pèlerine, or even tie of fur? Every skin employed nowadays seems beautiful; but perhaps the most novel and the most becoming to many types is white caracal, and this promises to hold its own in the early part of the year at Monte Carlo.

The furrier of today is an ingenious individual, and does wonderfully well with the inferior skins. The velvet pèlerine edged with fur is a great deal worn, with the huge granny muff to match, and this is a very good substitute if we cannot afford fur. And if velvet also beyond our means, we must be content with velveteen.

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Boleros are being cut shorter and shorter to show the elaborate belts now in vogue; but in direct contrast to the bolero we have some very charming effects in the basque coat and Russian blouse.

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One of the smartest tailor-made gowns I have seen, which was, by the way, to be worn by a tall woman, was in myrtle green cloth. The trotteuse skirt had a cunning tilt at the back, but it only just cleared the ground in front. The hips were outlined by strappings of tan suède, which also bound the hem of the skirt and the basque of the Russian blouse coat, this Basque being cut away at the sides to show the strappings on the hips. Round the waist was a belt of suède, caught with a curious buckle, and the big pèlerine collar was piped with suède, while the inner collar and little folded waistcoat of the same fabric were decorated with tiny green enamel buttons. This was worn with a three-cornered hat of suède, trimmed with a cockade of green moiré ribbon and gold.

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In the country accordion-pleated trotteuse skirts of tartan, and plain cloth kilt coats, are still considered chic. Cheviots and small shepherd's plaids also look charming. Waistcoats, of course, are newer than blouses; but daintily tucked silk and flannel shirts seem almost indispensable under tailor-made coats. At the same time, much may be said in favour of a tight-fitting waistcoat of suède or corduroy-velvet, finished with the daintiest cravat of muslin or cambric finely stitched and pleated.

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Accordion-pleating and lace are important features of the evening toilette, and entire robes of lace are used. But the wearing of lace does not diminish the value of chiffon, for never does the former show to better advantage than when it is lined with chiffon or mousseline-de-soie. A great many lace wraps are made en paillette.

A Worth frock was made entirely of blonde lace covered with gold and silver paillettes, arranged with a series of graduated flounces, finished with an exquisite pointed ceinture of the Louis XVI period.

There is also a decided feeling for using white appliqué lace in close proximity with lace dyed to the same shade as the frock. For instance, a brown tulle frock was covered with brown lace, with white lace appliqué, and here and there decorated with gold. This frock was finished with a knotted sash of brown crépe-de-Chine and little hanging gold drops. Gold and jet fringes and all sorts of pretty buckles are worn, but they are treated with care and discretion.

 

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And now I must tell you a little about the most important feature in the world of fashion—namely, the corset. The corset of the hour par excellence is that sold by the London Corset Company at their new premises, 28, New Bond Street, W. It is the daintiest little garment imaginable, which looks simple enough to the uninitiated, but not to those who understand such things. It is cut very low, but is brought well down over the hips and is long in front. The back is short and there seems to be no compression anywhere. It is beautifully moulded to the figure, soft silk batiste being the favourite fabric used by the London Corset Company, while the whalebone is souple enough to satisfy even the most hygienic. Every pair is made in Paris, and the same skilful workmanship is put into those costing a few shillings as into those costing many guineas.

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Now in conclusion, let me tell you of a few of the dainty accessories of dresses of the moment. We have already touched on successful neck-gear, and have alluded to the suède waistband of the moment. I forsee a revival of the girdle composed of very beautiful trimmings; and people possessed of any lovely old embroideries should at once place them in the hands of those firms who make these things up into the fashionable girdle or shaped waistband of the moment. We like anything gay, if it be really good, in the matter of what the American calls "waist".

Wrought gold and silver and really fine jewelled passementerie buckles look well on the right occasion and in conjunction with velvets and similar gorgeous fabrics, which will be good news to those who have such possessions laid by and have not known until now how to make use of them. Sashes of gold and silver tissue are a feature, and fringes of every kind are much used. The foundations of some of these sashes are of satin or chiné ribbon. For girls these are particularly nice.

Very becoming and exceedingly difficult to make is the wide, shaped, boned corselet waistband, which has to be adjusted with great care. For country wear nothing is prettier than the soft suède bands, which are wide, but soft enough to crinkle of themselves. Leather, too, really good leather, will be used.

It is in details of this kind that individual good or bad taste is shown, and I always think gaudy accessories of dress are apt to give an outré and bizarre appearance to the whole toilette.

There are plenty of novelties in high collars, and here I advise you to keep to washing collars, white always being dainty.

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A good many white and black lace veils are worn, and of course plain chiffons hold their own ; but personally I think the clear plain mesh, with chenille spots, has no rival. The wise woman does not approve of disfiguring her face with an unsightly veil, whatever the fashion may be.

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Quaint old buckles and clasps are used on everything, not only on waistbands, but also on cloaks, fur stoles, and hats. Here also, I would say, avoid buying rubbish. Purchase one really good enamel or paste ornament in preference to a quantity of indifferent rubbish. Nobody is more terrible than the woman with a craze for collecting trimmings and odds and ends in the way of clasps and buckles. She never looks well dressed, no matter how much she spends.

The wearing of jewels, like the wearing of really good old lace, is more in vogue than ever, but in the daytime the best-dressed people wear very little jewellery. We no longer display a string of pearls on a high collar, which always seems incongruous ; and the craze for cheap chains has disappeared. Beautiful enamels are still to the fore, while very heavy massive gold chains are worn for use as well as ornament.

But in the evening never were jewels more beautiful. They are, nevertheless, simple in design. Very lovely are the slender makes of chains caught in the middle with an antique design in diamonds and topazes, from which hang suspended two chains with diamond and topaz drops at the end. The same idea is carried out in pearls and other precious stones, and this is a peculiarly beautiful way of showing individual gems to the best advantage. I mention the topaz particularly, because it is rather a favourite stone at the moment, the result of the craze for wine colour. In spite of this, however, pearls and diamonds will reign supreme.

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Handbags of velvet, suède, and kid, with old gold and silver clasps, are much used. Anything really good is welcome nowadays in the world of fashion, and the well-dressed individual with good taste will never be guilty of wearing a lot of inferior bijouterie.

The greatest success in dress is achieved by a costly simplicity ; and if we cannot afford good things, it is better to be unostentatious and therefore in good style.

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The possibilities of lace have always been great, but never have they been better realised than today. This is only natural when we remember that velvet is the favourite material. The old painters wisely loved to paint their fair sitters in glorious tones of velvet and wonderful old lace—Venetian for preference. Many of us have been fortunate enough to inherit at least one or two little bits of good lace, and nowadays these can always be utilised, being moved from one frock to another as occasion demands. However small, a piece of good lace gives a finish to any toilette.

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I do not think artificial flowers are much worn, except a few on headgear. No doubt there will be a revival at Christmas for the girls' ball-frocks ; but taking it all round, it is not a very pretty fashion. Real flowers, when of the best, are always permissible, and the luxury-loving woman will adhere to this delightful mode.

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In gloves pale-coloured suèdes, or those to match exactly the tone of the frock are de riguer for afternoon and evening wear, while with the tailor-made frock for country wear smart gauntlet gloves are made in champagne, white, grey and tan shades.

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Tortoiseshell pins find a place in every coiffure, and the leading hairdressers are still waving their hair slightly. But there is every indication that very shortly the hair will be worn quite straight. It is not now dressed nearly so full at the sides, and the simple styles are still the prettiest. In the evening, however, it is still worn high on the head, dressed with lovely tiaras and magnificent jewelled ornaments.

The fashionable shade of hair, by the way (there is always one!), is a bright brass colour. Every woman with an eye for colour will strenuously avoid this. It is hopelessly unnatural and cannot suit any face. There is much to be said in favour of the beauties of copper-coloured hair, even when produced by the expert dyer ; but I am quite sure that the craze for the brass shade cannot find favour with any artist for long.

A few smart leaders of fashion are parting their hair simply in the middle and waving it slightly—always a lovely mode when the face beneath is a classical one.