WOMAN'S PAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1932, Page 3

WOMAN'S PAGE

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

the Social round. . < i . I. , LONDON, Eel). 6. Manners and customs’ of social l|fe change like fashions, and people returning to London from - outposts of the Empire are, apt to find considerable alteration in the manner of entertaining and the general social round which has become almost casually informal. It is all part of the social evolution which has been going on since the war, when the old order really died, but, which we sentimentally hoped would be revived. ,' Smaller houses and fewer servants have made restaurant entertaining popular, while shrinking incomes and less leisure have made parties smaller and later. The . “six o’clock” gathering at some cheery friend’s house, with sherry and cocktails, and all the little bits and piece's that go with these tilings, such ns salted nuts, potato chips, cheese straws, foie gras sandwiches, and tiny Sausages,' make idfrirflf Aimost ~umfbcessarv. • - -.1 - - • - 4 ■. i ■ i.. . ... And so we find the evening engagement becomes a theatre . party,; or supper and ; dancing,at a restaurant, and often “picnic fashi6nP—which moans everyone paying their own share.

? The cult of the motor-car, even though it may only be a “baby” car, has linked London and the country So closely that a tiny flat in town and escape to the country cottage for the week-end is considered the ideal way of living in these harassing days. All these new conditions of life, have bad an effect on fashion which the designers have recognised. With the result that the new spring clothes promise to touch perfection. They will be . simple, feminine, and informal, but .with, it all supremely well cut and with a great deal of fire needlework in their inake-up. The desire,to lie gay and young translates itself into dressing brightly ano in London or Paris to-day that is the impression you get. Slim, well-cut tailor-mades, in tweed* and flannels, and soft woollen fabrics, either in the form of a coat frock, a dress and bolero, a dress and jacket, or a classic coat and skirt, all give the illusion of youth. Bright, clear colours add the note oi gaiety so necessary to our daily livefcf * while hats are more becoming than they have been for years. Day. drosses will continue moderately short, but there will he many dresspfor late afternoon which will carry one on to the evening with ankle-length skirts,. An almost invaluable garment for this type of dress is a long black skirt that moulds the figure over the hips, and is full round-the ankles. This may be in velvet, soft satin, op crepe, and forms a background to one of the most popular gowns of the season, when worn with a jumper of heavy white lace, cut low and sleeveless for full evening wear. A short cream lace blouse, tucked into tbo skirt with long, tight sleeves and a simple V.neck, is ideal for bridge. Many other short over-blouses of lame plain satin, georgette, or panne will ’give you a varied afternoon outfit at a small cost.

All sorts of faggot stitching will figure on the new gowns. In elaborate.versions the “stitching” is formed of narrow strips of the material, but ordinary faggot stitching cleverly executed would he quite as effective.

Embroidery will also bo popular, hut in a more modern form. Sprays and flowers, etc., do not fit in with modern clothes, hut the newest darned embroidery adds pounds in appearance to « simple frock. ft. is usually carried out in the same coloured wool on a plain material, and consists of first iv long darning stitch and then another thread that catches Up each stitch, hut does not go through the material.

T have just seen a beige jacket suit decorated in this fashion. The”dress had a darned embroidery yoke in matching Woollen thread, while the sleeves of the coat- were darned from the wrisj to half-way between the elbow and the shoulder, and a matching horoi <ap had trio centre () | the crown darnee' in the same fashion. Another way oi embroidering is to create a design with a simple thread stitch, and then scatter all over it loose French knotsi.-jji wool of course, to imitate the mwvwflecked tweeds. »

I have .mentioned the popularity of crochet yokes; in -woollen 1 see a very' lirto jersey tlirit almost looks like crejie is being made tin .with insets of wool lace.

Silk gowns lor afternoon wear win have a great; ijiaiiy hand-made pin tuck-. to add decorations and design, an ( | huttons in hone, metal, and malerial wil’ figure on every type of garment All sorts of double-breasted effects will lie created wilfi decorative buttons - while straight lines of buttons wtrl come from I lie neck to the hem in the front of n gown or from the neck to the waist at (lie hack - . A fairly bright navy blue coat, with high military collar and wide recurs. lined and faced with red. and with gold buttons and gold buckle to the bell., is one of the smartest coals shown for the coming season. It should he worn over a matching blue dross,

Mite CARMEL LEROY I mtes

untouched by red, so that the dress

can he worn with a short fur coat for smart occasions.

Fashion calls for wide shoulder effects, but beware of over accentuation of tbe wide shoulder line above a slim, short skirt. With a full skirt shoulders may be as wide as you like an#Sleeves as full, but in dress, as in all things, it is proportion which matters most. '' Tf you are short, do not exaggerate either your shoulders or j-our sleeves.

DELIGHTFUL MODELS. NEW STYLES IN LONDON. LONDON, Feb. 9. At a dress show at the May Fair Hotel yesterday afternoon I - saw so many delightful models that my head whirls in the attempt to describe them to you. For the London season this year evening gowns' are to be either intensely feminine 'combinations' of lace and, georgette or. sheath-like creations of the silkiest satin. : - One gown which drew murmurs of admiration from us all was designed in alternate diagonal strips of oyster 'lace and oyster satin. Cut on tightfitting lines, it clung to the mannequin’s very slender figure, then, suddenly—almost at her knees—-it billowed out gracefully. Hi is particularly model was very long, but the less formal evening dresses were ankle-length. One novelty was a. three-piece evening dress—designed especially for wear in these days of economy. The foundation was a simple brick-red satin dross. To vary it, there was a little lac-e bodice of the same red which could be slipped over . the gown-—completely changing , its. character. Finally, and most clever of alj was a cunning little satin coatee which could be worn over the frock-atone or over the frock-and the slip-on evening gowns for the price of one! The question 1 of skirt lengths has now been definitely settled. For sports , wear they are to be 12 to 1.3 inches' from the ground and for afternoon j wear 10 to 12 inches from the ground. 1 Evening dresses are to be, anklelength, with a slight drop at the back, which gives a most - graceful effect for dancing.

PERMANENT BLUSHES. EYELASHES SOLD BY YARD. •LONDON. February 9. Beauty is not even skin deep nowadays; Artificial eyelashes are becoming lYibrcs and more popular and soon, or two' very- different ' reasons, the rouge pot will have to take a hack seat. According to one beauty specialist only pale and fragile-looking girls are “chic” just now, but another expert insists that this is not so, and is dispensing permanent blushes for the price of fifteen guineas. It is certainly cheaper to be fragile and. with so much “flu” about it is not very difficult. For those who prefer to look in the pink of of jicrfeotiori, however, the permanent bifish will prove very useful. Biit. alas, if they should he ill, no one will believe them, as no amount of soap and water or cold cream will render the blush less permanent. I Eye-lashes are being sold bv fh e yard j now. I went into a shop the other day. and saw yards of “eyelids” of fleshcoloured sticking plaster to which long and alluring eyelashes were fixed

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES

Spanish Beef Steak. I Jlh steak, 2 or 3 potatoes, 3 or 4 tomatoes, 2 large onions, salt and pepper. Place the steak in a baking tin with a small quantity of smoking hot fat. Cook five minutes, hasting the meat. Then cover the meat with the onions cut in thin slices, season with pepper and salt and cook till tender. Then cover with the raw potatoes cut in slices. Cook till tender, then cover with the tomatoes cut in slices, and cook When done put on a hot dish, make n nice gravoy, and pour round. This dish should he cooked in the oven.

A Good Pudding. flour. Iw. suet. 1 dessertspoonful sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, I teacup of any sort of jam, 1 teacup of milk, pinch of salt. Mix well, pour into buttered basin dusted over with sugar; rover with greased paper, and steam two hours. Serve with custard or sweet sauce. r-'- . . * * *?3 flHe Prune Tart. lib. dried prunes, about 3 cups of water, J cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons shredded orange peel Wash prunes and ns! cover them with water an ( | sonic until ptdled. Stew gently in same water with sugar and orange peeling, until swollen and plump. Remove stones. Place in piedish, pour in enough juice to fill tlu' spaces between tlm prunes, j Place crust, on top. Bake in hot oven! for In minutes. Serve with custard or cream. i i - !