Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 422, 19 May 1904, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

Latest London arid Paris Fashions. Bt MISS ADA MELLEE, Lady Journalist, &c.

[All Rights Rbbesvud.] A PBETTY HOME DEESS.

MHE handkerchief sleeve is a fashion fflwrtg very much adopted on housefjtLa dresses, tea-gowns and robes de

nuit. It takes its nam* from the fact that the lower part of the sleeve is exactly like a pocket-handkerchief with a circle out oat in the oentre, the material falling; in fonr sharp points over the hand. It is a very graceful sleeve, aad finds expression on the home-dress sketched in this oolumn. For winter wear it is advisable to have a close-fitting or bouffant under-sleeve, from the wrist to the elbow, as the 'handkerchief is open;aad Bome-

what too airy for cold weather wear unless the arm ia protected by an The frock sketched is Buitable for njMiMj Telling or cloth, and would look smart sapphire bine with coffee coloured laoe insertion and an emerald green scarf run through It and tied into a bow in fronts the tacked vest being of grass lawn. Other suggestions ate a moleskin brown cloih dress with an old rose ecart reseda green, with a scarf of tomato red soft silk, or ohiffouj black with a pale blue scarf j and cerise or cherrj-red fne«», with a black scaif. Tre skirt and sleeves are tasked in parts, and a tucked flounce, or flounce trimmed with rows of narrow black ribbon (* prstty idea with cense cloth), finishes the skirt

VELVETEEN BLOUSES, The reign of the bloutfe promises to be a long on*, and the outlook for this moßt charming bodice is, apparently, as rosy now as it was years ago. The blouse changes, of course, in detail, but in intention it remains the same. Tiwre is just now a slight indka'ion of a fitted lining

attaching itself to blouses, and this has the effect of giving rattier more shapeliness without doing away with the Eatural looseness of the blouse, which is, of course, its chief chum. Two blouses suitable for velveteen are sketched herewith. The one is nar*de in the Bussian style, and is quite simple, with a lace vest and fancy Oriental galon, arranged to give, the long shoulder-line effect now

fashionable; the other has a Viotoriau collar and coifs of velvet ribbon and frggot-stitohing, applique with ivory ooloared guipure leaves.

THE CULT OF THE TAILOR MLDTSiI Never before has the tailor-made costume displayed ench variety as marks it in this present season. From the simple cloth coat and skirt of the most severe out to the lovely tailor-made of velvet, with innumerable intermediate styles of more or less decorative aspect, we have an end* less choice of useful and smart raiment. The velvet tailor-made is something quite new and in which to rejoice. It is made in the fashionable fancy velvets with watered and lined, or finely-ribbed surfaces—novelties which must not be confused with cord velveteens and corduroy velvets, though these are, of course, manipulated by tailors with ejtaeme sue oess, and are less expensive than the newer varieties of velvet. A skirt and sdfoerblycut ooat-bodiee of purple velvet have lately been turned out by a high-olaes tailor. The skirt is perfectly plain, save for a few pleats in which the fulness is set, and the double-breasted bodice is beautifully curved to the figure and teaches barely to the top of the hips, sloping,, gracefully outwards from the waist. The neck is cut rather low, and the collar and small ravers, after the style of a msa'a frockcoat, are faced with mauve cloth bordered with black and dull gold braid. The* coat sleeves are trimmed at the wrists en suite, and the bodice fastens with small, dullgold buttons. This simple but essentially smart dress could, of course, be copied in one of the cheap washing* cord velvets, costing under two shilUsga a yard. Faultless cut should be a sine qua non of the fitted bodice, no matter whether it be of velvet or cloth. Perfect workmanship in this regard is far more important than material. The long, simple coat to the knees is a favoured mode in tweed and cloth tailor-mades, the only trimming. allowed to the most severe models being a velvet facing to the collar and possibly to the cuflsi The Newmarket coat is also .fashionable, and we axe still permitted to wear the blouse front, attached to a belt and baequei but while the front may ?>ueh, the back is every case m fitted, he short pleated saoque is a**demode fashion. The best tailors will have nothing more to Bay to it. Sut they are reviving the Eton coat.

Xheatre-goera will watch with interest for the ultimate effect of the recent open discussion on 'Dress and the drama.' started by Mr. George: Alexander. U . evening dress in the best ■ • part of the house becomes optional, a new field is opened to dressmakers, who will doubtless seize the opportunity to design and create ~ special high-neck toilettes -for the stalls. .1 There is no doubt that hundreds of women would feel the convenience of such a ay** '$ tem, for although a woman going under m existing conditions to the most expensive part of a theatre in a hig-neok bodice % would hardly be turned away, still, while >"M full evening dress is a recognised law, aha m would cejrtainly feel ' out of i%' J| Don't drink" ioed water, 000 l water >1 Joenches thirat much better than io>odd. vjl old, ; n»v-,-- -m m