Autumn Parade.

When shopping with Mary, I was too busy living in past winters to notice much about the harbingers of this, so next morning I decided to run round the shops by myself.

The autumn and advance winter styles illustrated what overseas fashion papers had said.

Nearly all dresses and coats featured built-out shoulders.

Frocks showed new flares to the skirt; peplums; tunics.

Sleeves carried on from the built-out shoulders with varying amounts of fulness and varying degrees of length. Slot sleeves I noticed, as particularly new.

The interest of wide belts and unusual buckles has not drawn attention from the neck-line. I saw yokes of various kinds, including a pleated one which released stand-up fullness round the throat. The draped neck-line or the bow and jabot flatter femininity as do a ruffled collar and cuffs. I was interested in a frock whose lacings at neck and wrists repeated the decoration of the hat, and in two others with slit necks, one fastened by cunningly fashioned gold links and the other by lacings with tassel ends. What I coveted for myself was a slim, plain frock with byron collar.

If you want a frock “to carry on with,” do as Mary did and invest in a light wool. Or you may tuck a new scarf in the neck of last year's standby. Alternatively, try the effect of a gilet worn outside the frock and tying neatly at the back.

Your spring suit has been resuscitated for autumn. Remember that the blouse is very important. Short sleeves are popular, as are fancy yokes and neckfinishes. Very neat and youthful is a double peter-pan collar.

Perhaps your swagger coat is still presentable. Lucky you! You can probably wear it over any one of several frocks.

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My advice to anyone planning a new street-frock, is to have it dressy enough for an afternoon occasion and to wear over it a matching short, loose coat simply trimmed with, perhaps, rows of stitching.

Your all-occasion coat (not the one you wear to a morning reception on the latest ship in harbour) should be of warm tweed, made as you like it. You probably prefer a belted style, fitting, perhaps with four large flapped pockets; or trimmed neatly and warmly with a turn-down collar of fur fabric.

We'll know more about the new styles as more of them are opened up.