Current Gossip

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

Current Gossip

New colours include dawn pink, dreamy grey, nasturtium orange, saddle brown, “tender” blue, swamp green, and grenadine red. Linens glazed by a new -process which makes them stiff and glistening, much shantung, patterned white pique, silks in alternate stripes of brilliant and dull satin, corded silk and pastel woollens, will make up our sunny-day frocks.

Dominion Monarch .travellers! If your clothes need freshening up, cleaning and pressing, after weeks of shipboard wear, just ring 63-723 —the Dominion Dyers, Ltd., Petone. They’ are really reliable, and can be depended on to do first-class work in the shortest space of time.

The Buckingham Palace Court nights demand hundreds of bouquets, and debutantes and their mothers are taking' advantage of the early date in March of the first Court to order bouquets of mixed spring Howers, states a London correspondent. But these bouquets of narcissi and daffodils will be something more titan collections of attractively arranged flowers. They are ingeniously contrived to conceal a tiny purse, just large enough for a handkerchief and a powder case, among the flowers.

A unique old armchair at Kobin and Co., in Grey Street, surely belongs to crinoline days. It is so wide in the seat I thought at first it must be meant for two people, but, of course! it is a crinoline chair! The seat is not very low, and the back rises high in a lovely curve, with wings. The frame is of walnut, most beautifully carved, and it is upholstered in rose brocade —the most perfect seat for a crinolined lady.

in fashion jewellery, the more colours you mix the better the effect. Biblike necklaces, made up of blue, green, red, purple and white crystals, and four or five inches wide, ■ are worn with day frocks. Heavy “curtain ring” bracelets are in favour. Half-a-dozen are worn on each arm —one ring hangs over each ear.

An attractive evening gown of stiffened net is pale blue shading into a real plum toward the hem. Large flowers are outlined on the plum with narrow blue braid. The tight little bodice has the new Victorian off the shoulder line with narrow shoulder straps, and a wide circular bertha of the net bordered with braided flowers. Wilsons, 52 Willis St.

Lame blouses for informal wear, with u long skirt, will prove popular this autumn. In peony, lilac and claret with a silver pin stripe or in all-silver for n town suit,

Loudon jewellers are showing clever clips in the shape of luscious bunches of wild currants, and an effective dress clip is made of gilt leaves and turquoises, the new colour stone. Another attractive clip is a grape-cluster in shining coloured glass, ruby, sapphire and ebony.

Mementoes of New- Zealand? Nut bowls of New Zealand woods —burl totara with its lovely grain, or burl tawa, very like oak —are suggestions from the Disabled Soldiers’ Shop.

For tea in town, a black crepe dress with a yoke of purple-blue sheer silk Jersey swathed and draped. With it, one of Schiaparelli’s toy hats of black, with dangling black velvet ribbons.

A double-purpose dahlia-red suede Jacket, that may be worn over a sports frock or equally well over a dinner gown, has the. new coilarless neckline.

No chapped haifds, no backaches, just a carefree day and a perfect wash when the Ideal Bag Wash Laundry is on the job. Ring 63-000; you’ll never regret it.

Another fashion surprise—wnite silk stockings are coming in again for day wear with white frocks and navy coats or navy frocks piped with white.

PET MANNERISM?

Are You Guilty Of This Awkward Gesture?

“What muuuerisms do you find most characteristic among women?” This was a question recently put to Mr. Christopher Burns, the well-known American psycho-analyst. To which he waggishly replied, “The great feminine gesture of that awkward pull which even the nicest women give their corsets on standing up!” So! We wear corsets to make our figures attractive, and all that mere man remembers is not how we look in them, tat how we tug at them. Well, what a lot we’re going to thank 1039 for. For it has dealt very deftly and very finally with that old bugaboo "ride.’.’ The lastretch woven into the latest corset fabrics makes the daintiest satins and batistes wear like linen, and yet adds nothing to the bulk. The fabrics stretch, like a piece of elastic, yet spring back into place the moment Hie tension is released. This “spring” makes the corset cling firmly and tenaciously to the body, so that the tendency to ride up is reduced to the very minimum, provided you wear your foundation next your skin. Neglect of this first principle is responsible for practically all that tugging and pulling at the base of the corset, Women seem to think they need a vest next the skin, presumably to protect the corset from perspiration and the oil of the skin. But why? Corsets not only wash like a pocket handkerchief —it actually improves them by tightening up the fibres that are inclined to slacken in wear. All modern corsets should be laundered , regularly and frequently, and should be worn next the skin. Another enemy of that ungraceful tug at the base of the corset is the new skintex material. Instead of bones down the back to hold the garment in place on the body, narrow strips of 200 per cent, stronger lastretch are woven into the stretching material. This new fabric boning is a tremendous step forward in dealing with the problem of “ride,” and the firmly fitting, but completely flexible back makes the garment delightfully comfortable.

To use up odd scraps of soap, shred the soap finely into water, allowing about. Jib. soap to a pint of water. Simmer till the soap is melted. 'When cold it will form a thick jelly, which can be used in many ways.