Semi-weekly herald., 1912-12-16
FADS AND FASHIONS.

love of designers for combinations of
materials. No two materials, it would
seem, are considered by the designers
too incongruous to be associated, but
as general thing the combinations
are tastefully and effectively made,
and though contrasting colors are
frequently combined a majority of
the most successful daytime costumes
are built up in several constrasting
materials, but in one color.
Velvet, fur, silk and chiffon are
often used in one frock and in mono
tone coloring, the difference in tex
ture and surface affording enough
brocades for street and afternoon
contrast to give the desired effect,
wear are more often one-toned than
not, though there are some wonder
fully handsome afternoon frocks in
two-toned embossed velvet.
The corded weaves of silk, parti-
cularly the finely ribbed weaves on
the gross de Dondres order are high
in order for dressy street costumes
and MORE in its finest qualities is
extremely chic as well as very beau
tiful, though so far the crowd has not
taken it up to any marked degree.
In Paris it is greatly liked and used
in combination with velvet and fur.
The sleeveless tunic is worn good
deal and is rather comfortable coat
for wear with the velvet long sleeved
frock which is likely to uncomfortably
warm when associated with sleeved
coat and furs. All through the mild
| weather of November velvet or cloth
| one-piece frocks have been worn with
small furs and without coat, and
| even in midwinter this sort of thing
will be done, the wide long scarfs of
supple fur affording as much warmth
as coat and quite as much as is
needed with long sleeved frock of
heavy material.
Owing to the mild weather of the
present season furs have not been in
evidence to a great extent, but the
| displays of the furriers and importers
| are gorgeous. Civet, cat, natural
| skunk, in less polite phrase, is perhaps
| the fad fur of the season, and while
very effective in some cases hardly
looks as well in ordinary neck and
more expensive favorites. Fox in all
n,ttff - aIl 4
its forms-fisher, dyed skunk, lynx
| and breitschwanz, is as usual popu-
lar. Racoon, so much worn last wint-
er, is no longer a fad, but finds a
place among the less expensive ac-
ceptible furs. Sable, of course, al
ways has its prestige. But in the
matter of the quantity used and the
| excellent results obtained ermine, seal,
| and mole are the three furs most en-
phasised. All three of these pelts
lend themselves readily to folds and
draperies and the mole offers amaz-
ing testimony of the skill of the fur
riers, affording as does no other fur
opportunities to introduce designs in
plain surface through handling the
tiny pelts so that the pile runs in
different directions. A very tiny
baby lamb may be admitted into this
adaptable company, but is wears less
satisfactorily than any one of the
three other furs.
Fur coats offer more than usual
variety in line; but setting aside the
| long straight conventional coat one
finds the smart new coats broadly
| divided into three classes-the long
slightly shaped coat, the short draped
coat, which is one of the season't
extremes, and the -eighths OF
| half length coat with or without Rus
sia details. The short draped coat
is of corse an outcome of the pannier
and godeter coat and wide hip drapery
movement, and it looks more than a
| trifle absurd on most women, yet
occasionally one may see woman
dressed in one of these coats, looking
very chic and piquant.
Many of the fur coats fasten snug
ly across the chest with some sort of
close scarf for neck finish-a mode
very comfortable as well as becom-
ing on cold day. One of the inter-
esting features of present day fur
fashion are the coats combining two
or more different kinds of furs in
their construction. This fashion of
combining furs and of associating
furs with velvet, chiffon, ETC., for
muffs, neck pieces and millinery,
makes every scrap of good old fur
valuable and clever women are find
ing uses for many parts of discarded
furs that are not shabby. Many a
stunning evening frock has an effect
i've touch of fur only on its tiny sleeves
of chiffon or tulle or in a narrow line
across girdle top or bodice front;
and narrow fur edge on collar and
cuffs may give cachet to an afternoon
frock otherwise very unpretentious.
More emphatically this season than
in former times is the general har-
mony of costume considered by the
xuan H. IL