Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 387, 8 October 1903, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

FASHION AND THINGS FEMININE* By MISS ADA MELLER ' [All Bights Besk&vbd. A SMABT 'AT HOME' DRESS.' 4MKHE cry of fashion ia all for lace, and jyWo dreseea of every material ara tfifes lavishly trimmed with frills, flounces or insertions of guipure or finer lace. Thanks to the immense demand for dentells of sorts, some very pretty pieces of inexpensive lac a are to be met with that are almost as effective as the real good old lace Itself. A lacetrimined gown for home wear is the subject of the fall-length figure sketched in this c >lumn. The gown would make up very well in crepe de chine—which is quite the fabric of the hour—in nun's veiling, cashmere, or poplinette; The skirt is trimmed with ivory-coloured guipure insertion in a way that suggests a hip-yoke and front panel, and there are a couple of flouncas of painted lace which run round the lower part of the skirt and

are very effective. The bodice is rather elaborate, having a yoke of fiuely-pleated crepe (or whatever the skirt material may be) and spangled nut, the latter falliag in deep points beyond the yoke on to a aacque of guipure, the tips of the Vandykes being caught with little bows of< black velvet ribbon. A strip of guipure insertion borders the yoke, .and the sleeves are of the skirt material, handsomely trimmed with lace. A deep pointed ceinture of silk or velvet encircles the waiat, A bodice made after the style of the sketch could be so arranged as to serve a dual purpose; for it would be an easy matter to make tbe yoke and sleeves (all but the cape of lace) detachable, so that they could be removed if the bodice were needed for dressy purposes.

THE NEWEST MILLtNEBt. Painted quills take a prominent part in millinery modes of the moment, a smart little aigrette to a hat of light satin-straw forming itself from a couple of fawn-coloured stiff quills, hand-painted with bunches of cherries. Plain quills are also extensively used, and are usually pierced, dagaer-wise, through the crows of the hat. When used as aigrettes the stalks of the quills are cut short and secured to the outer brim with a decorative cabochon, either of pearls, or paste and steel, lightly mounted in a gilt set* ting. The greater past of the price of a hat is sometimes engrossed by the cabochon on the brim, whieh ia an important feature of the new hats, and looks lovely when square-shaped and' much

raided, consisting possibly of a wire-work of gold, lightly studded with jet and uteol and paste, and surrounded with larger stones. The aigrette of to-day, be it remembered, starts from the outer brim, and is no longer fixed to the crown of the jhat. Another new notion concerning j millinery is the fringe of chenille or jot j which falls over the brim. A toque embodying this idea forms the subject of one of our sketches this week. It ia of supple gold-coloured straw, with a fringe of black chenile, lace crown and big 'pobj' chou of pale blue, soft, satin-ribbon, a bow of ribbon to match trimming the back of the toque, which, according to present fashionable decrees, is deeper than the front. The other hat sketched is of pastel-blue straw with palest pink roses between the brims and a scarf of pale blue chiffon round the crown," this being caught at the back with choux of black velvet ribbon arranged in loops. A few flowers are tucked under the brim and fall on the hair, and at the back the chiffon scarf is knotted and falls as a short cache peigne.

WHITE, SOFT HANDS. To promote whiteness and softness of the hands they should be washed in warm water, with mild emollient soap, and carefully dried with a moderately coarse towel, being well rubbed every time they are dried to ensure a brisk circulation, than which nothing can be more effectual in promoting a transparent and soft surface. Almond paste is of great service iu preserving ithe delicacy of the hands. It is made thus: Blanch and beat up two ounces of bitter almonds, add to them one ounce and a half of lemon Jniee, one ounce and a naif of almond oil, and a little weakispirits of vjinej \ ... .