Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 380, 20 August 1903, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

FASHION AND THINGS ■ FEMININE. T Bt MISS ADA MELLER.

[A.ll Bights Besebved ]

SM4BT 'UTILITY' DRESS,| 9HKHE blouse and skirt epoch is likely M/m to be a lasting one, the fashion of tj&? wearing a dark skirt with a dressylooking, light being alto» gether too good and convenient to be lightly cast aside. Women are so very much more active now than formerly, and the demands of dress are so much greater than of yore, that it seems some special style of dress had to be devised that would enable bnsy people with moderate incomes to look up-to-date and be smartly elothod, and the blouse came to the rescue imbued with every quality that could be desired. Fashion is mad at times, perhaps, but tnere is often much method in her madness. A pretty model of what may be termed a * utility' dress is sketched ia this column. A costume on these or some

such lines is quite essential to the girl or woman who goes about a good deal. The skirt might, of course, be copied in any black material. Satin would, however, be the ideal fabric for a dressy, but useful skirt that might be worn in the afternoon at an 'At Home,'or in.the evening at a theatre or concert. The cordings introduced, running all round the skirt, give a very rich appearance, and the deep, corded flounce is smart. An exquisite contrast -would be a slip-blouse of palest pink crepe do chine, tucked and trimmed with string-coloured or yellow lace insertion, which would look pretty if run through at each border with black Tom Thumb velvet. Twin rosettes of black velvet. Buch as are now much worn, would also afford pretty touches. , ■ STYLES FOR REMNANTS. . No doubt a great many bought at the January sales areH waiting to be made up into useful articles of the toilette. Accordion-pleated chiffon, sold off very cheaply, is possibly among the j ays possessed, and if there be enough thereof to make an evening bodice the accompanying design might be copied. It is simplicity itself, the waist being drawn into a pointed belt, and the sleeves ending in frills of their own jinaterial. Bound the neck is one of those circular berthea of laca that are so fashionable. A berthe of the kind was poesibly bought at the sales in company with the chiffon. In any case, here is a suggestion for using

both; and to those who caie for simple designs, inexpensive to copy, the evening blQuse sketched will no doubfc appeal. The second figure illustrates a pretty way of using up remnants of esprit net. silk or satin, and piece lace, combining them into a smart little coffee sacque. The blouse is of net, mounted into a pointed yoke of guipure lace, and supplemented by a box-pleated sacque of silk or satin, with slashed sleeves of net and satin finished with frills of net. The sacque is arranged with a shaped collar and stoleends of guipure, laid upon satin and bordered with narrow brown fur, which migbt, however, be replaced by a hem of velvet. . The sacque could be copied in cream, pink, or black, satin over ecrucoloured spotted net with good effect; or it would look lovely in tuiquoise-blue bengaline, with a >em of black velvet round the Btole collar.

THE NEWEST The boned blouse being <?ut of favour,* it behoves women to prepare for spring needs by laying in a Eupplyof slip bodices and cache-corsets to wear beneath their loose blouses of silk, inlet with transparent lace, for blouses in this style are going to be the height of fashion avails The Hewest design for a cache-corset is" of cambric, cut like a rounded bolero, edged with flat insertion and lace, and fastening with a single button and buttonhole across the chest. The little garment just escapes-the waist, adding no thickening to that part of the figure, nor having fulness anywhere, for. the-mattei; of jthat.