WOMEN'S INTERESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1932, Page 3

WOMEN'S INTERESTS

THE ART OF INTRODUCING. May I introduce ? a few tips on the art of introducing gracefully (by Miss Leßoy). The hostess who drags you by. the hand tittering “I do hate introducing,” is a nuisance. It should be simple enough; this matter of ; introducing. Yet judging Joy the number of people who bungle ..it,', it. is a. distinctly knotty problem. Many hostesses, excellent in every other respect, display extreme neiwousness and the most obvious uncertainty when ever they are called upon to introduce; one friend to another. Only the other day I met a woman who quite frankly told me that the business of introducing filled her with dread. “I never know what to say,”' .she confided “or who should be introduced to whom, and so I make a thorough mess of it.” This woman is no exception. I can thftik of dozens, who, like her, make a mess of it simply because they have have never bothered to find out how it should be done. This is a pity, be-, cause hazy introducing goes far towards spoiling the atmosphere of a party.. It creates, a strained feeling at the beginning, after which it is difficuli to start the ball rolling. .. • Few things are more disconcerting than to enter a room and be taken up to a fellow guest by a .hostess who mumbles something unintelligible and then walks away. Two courses are qpen to you. Either, you avoid the lise qf any name whatsoever - or else yori spend the rest' oil; the afternoon of evening saying'. “Mrs—er—a form of address which becomes extremely and ends i$ cramping your style!. , 1 ..... . . ‘ i . Then there ife the hostess who shies like, a nervous horse and >fevoids any kind o? introduction whatsoever- If it is a very,, friendly .'. party this does not matter' so much.* But at a more formal affair such as an , “At Home” the lack of proper introduction. is distinctly inconvenient, and many times have T been left stranded like a ship-wrecked mariner as si result, of it. Another nuisance is the hostess who drags ypu by the hand, aijd titters, “Oh. dear, I hate introducing, . I get all tied up. I shall, never be ...able tp take you all round the room,”. This leaves you grinning in sheepish' uncertainty as to whether it would be better to fade . away or wait until the hostess has made up her mind, what to Say. All this sounds as if intrqduciui? were a nerve-wracking procedure, Whereas it is extremely simple. First of, all a man should, always be introduced ,to a, lady., and the. correct way is to say, “Mrs 'A. may; I introduce Mr B.” In .introducing-'two men or two.ladies, it is, immaterial which . name is said first, but if one of the ladies is married and the other , single,. then, .the unmarried lady should be introduced to the one who is married, thus ‘Mrs A, may I introduce Miss, B,’ ’/‘ The same '' thing applies when there is a distinct difference in the iges of two people, in' which case the younger should be introduced to the aider.. ; '

; So far I have only talked about 'the strictly correct procedure beyonrl just saying the names correctly. Some hostesses have the happy knack- of making their .friends feel at home fco. their individual ’ hobbies or interests. This sqrt of filing makes all the difference .to-the success of the. party, as it givds the guests Vomethirig to go on Tt J is very difficult to siistairi an intellisrent . conversation with a. person about whom you know nothing. ; .

COTtON FOR THRIFTY

SMART EVENING GOWNS. The London'shops this summer are making a..serious effort to help the busy woman ltd dress in the 1 height of fashion— I without loss of precious time • on fittings, and at prices well within her means, sayfe a writer, in the “Daffy Mail.”'':/;.- ""

Special departments are being opened for her in which chic clothes for all times of t!he day are being shown,.Jin' cjne of these I saw trim little suits, gay tenuis, frocks) and smart afternoon and, evening gowns, as well as' ingenious bathing suits and beach costumes which will make all the difference to the gnjoyment of' many a business girl’s precious fortnight, by the sea this year.' tSo jiljuring and so ultfa-elegentwere the clothes that within a short time of the opening of the department two' wolltkhbwn womep with a considerable refutation for chic looked in and bought some of them. ' Evening clothes especially are an easier proposition this year for the business woman or .the stay-at-home girl with a small allowance, because they can be inexpensive and yet look well. Besides, they can be matched with the ~requisite, accessories quite, easijy. In consequence, the average girl isfinrj'ilging in two or three evening frocks instead of one. , ' The possibilities of the new cotton qveriing frocks, of course, are enormous, and, provided ithat a good pattern is obtained, open now fields for fhe amateur dressmaker, Cotton flower trimmings are by now familiar to everyone, biit, a young film star set a new fashion recently when, with a w’’ito. pique frock, s]ie wore a “choker” ef c-jmson flowers tp match her shoos. f have even seen evening dresses m.ade of gingham? This/sounds an extraordinary ’material to choose, but the checked patterns looked quite udUSU-

, t.. -r ’v.- y- c Joints from . ji . .v; . • ; ; Jiome and jHbroad.

I ally smart, and in ar.y case gingham i washes and makes up so well that a frock of it might be added to the wardrobe for the hot summer evenings that, we hope, are coming. 0. course, there are dozens of inexpensive uncnisliab < artificial silks on the market, in all patterns, a»d I recently saw an all-silk crepe with broad, wavy stripes which would make up into a very attractive gown. " » But an unsophisticated cotton frock cannot be worn in an unsophisticated manner. A careful make-up is necessary, which should be as natural as possible, and a very neat but welldressed head is essential if. the. effect is not to look banal. •

The joy of, the 1932 evening gowns lies ill the fact that they are so cool and fresh and youthful. They, bring a jolly air of summer gaiety to the evening.' wardrobe. Even the sophistication of the new crepe, which reminds one of nothing so much as the okl-fashion-ed widow’s crepe, cannot banish this impression. One of Miss Frances Doble’s latest frocks in “While Parents Sleep” is, made of this crepe, yet the dress, with its high waist and long, slightiy-full skirt? suggests' youthfulness. Its pale apricot shade is attractively combined with tomato red, which is shown in the sash and in the blousejacket. This also ties with long stream; ers. . .; , ;/ ; . This Unusual colour-mix is typical of the new evening mode. Such effects bring the .vividness of the boacli"into the ballroom.

Another of the new hitrh-wa'istotl frocks',was worn by M’ss Madeuuq ( a-, roll, the English actress, at i recc”f ball. This, was in he n w pink having .a full skirt, and a front rcrsar , ‘ made in three loose sections. , A t“ angular piece rose • f rom the skirt and a niece on each side fitted into it, while a bow of deeper pink velvet, to match the tiny jacket, was caught into the point of the decollete. Another dress I saw the other dav, cut' on much the same lines; was mack' of the new 72-inob-wide crepe satin. As a result of this extra width, the gown sebmed to have no seams whatever. As the hot weather approaches, evening jackets become more 1 \ shawl-like than ever. They wrap round instead of fitting, and the effect is chnrmimr. T was shown one new wrap made of a single length of thick white, satin with a couple of strings about half .a. yard apart on the lower, edge. These tied round the, waist, and the remainder of the satin was treated like a shawl., v

PARIS MILLINERY, Feather toques have beep worn her forte- . but Paris, li'is again produced something new; in this line. Feathe; 1toques which fit closely -to the .head a"d cover all the hair, an?, being wAr: by many women, and they give the appearance of a feather hob. '• 'A new toque is composed of green feathers With a perfectly natural looking cock's tall at. th'e back, cm, a feather; toque can ha.ve as' trimming a. bird's. bead with A sharp beak and' brilliant grepv eyes. , 'Some of the- n°w suinmer hats seen ate corded muslin, shirred hcircular rows, with a close cap effect underneath. And a.' new idea is the b'richt printed cotton or plaid kercbmf which cam be worn either round the shoulders or twisted into a turban or hue bead tying with a bow to one side.'

HAVE YOU TRIED THESE?

Partnip fiisso*es. v Boil half -a ' pound of parsnips in water until tender. and press . them through a vegetable masher. When done, add loz butter, 2oz breadcrumbs, the yodv of 1 eger and loz grated cheese If necessary, add a’little milk to make into rolls or balls. Roll, in flour, and din each rissole into the white of the egg, and then ' into breadcrumbs, frv a nice brown in boiling fat, and serve very hot.

Wholemeal Bread. 2 clips flour. 2 cups wholemeal. £ te^snoonfiil' salt, 2 tehspoonfnls cream of tartar, 2 tensnoohfuls baking soda. 2' Kblespomi'\ils golden syrup, If cups milk. Method.—Sift floor with salt arid cream of tartar, then mix with the wholemeal. Add milk in which golden syrup and baking soda have been" dissolved. Prepare a drop hatter and bake in tins three-quarters to one hour. ■ , ■ - ,

Jam Puffs. Mix 1 cun flour. 1 cup dry mashed potatoes, 1 level (teaspoon baking powder, and a ru'iich 'of salt. Rub into these ingredients 3 tablespoons good beef dripping and mix with enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Roll out very thinly, out into rounds, wet edges, nut i n. spoonful of jam on each roun-1. fold over and p-crn eddes together. Bake on a creased ovo/i shelf in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

•:yCanadian “Cookies”, Roz flo.ur.. loz currants, \oz sugar', about i bint milk. loz butter. 1 too. s'anon soda. Rub the butter well info the Holly, end then add all the d"v. ingredients including currants. Mix to '• li<ri,t doimli .with milk, hnd 'knead until smooth. Then roil out lightly' and cut into,rounds, These should bo placed on „ .rronsod tray, brushed with a little prtrr or milk, and baked for 7 to 10 minutes in a very niick ovou. fin]it il*o “cookies” open, butter them, and serve very hot, ' .