A Lady's Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 15 October 1895, Page 2

A Lady's Letter.

Wellington, Oct. 12, 1895. iSince last I wrote there has been an Afternoon Reception at Government House when a large number of guests were present and some very stylish costumes were worn by the ladies. Lady Glasgow received in a very handsome moss green silk, sprayed with small white flowers, and the bodioe was finished off with a lovely lace ruffle. Lady Alice Boyle was helping to entertain and wore a pretty green shot silk gown. Mrs (Dr) Filchett wore an elegant English gown of a magenta colour trimmed with stripes of jet, small jet toque trimmed with large magenta ■haded roses and green leaves ; Mrs Wai Us, pretty goblin blue gown with pi ok silk vest, small black bonnet with bunches of small yellow cowslips ; Mrs Abbott, handsome violet brocade gown, bonnet composed of «cru lace and pink roses ; her daughter Miss Daniells looked very well in a pretty pale green gown trimmed with lace insertion, lace bat with large heliotrope ribbon loops ; Mrs Pirani, handsome black merveilleux gown trimmed with jet, stylish little bonnet of red and black velvet brighted with jet ornaments ; Mrs E. J. Biddiford, black cre*pon skirt and short circular cape and pale green figured silk blouse, large black lace hat trimmed with jet and ospreys ; Mrs Pynsent was wearing a very handsome gown of black satin with wide revers of cream satin embroidered with jet, pretty heliotrope and cream bonnet ; Mrs B. Goring, black crepon skirt and pretty full blouse of pale blue silk; the Misses Halse wore neat light grey gowns ; Miss Johnston, black ciepon gown trimmed with jet and pretty vest of blue silk and lace, black hat trimmed with bine flowers ; Miss Reynolds, (Dunedin), black cre*pon, most of the bodice and sleeves were of light mauve silk spotted with black, and the whole finished with a stylish deep collar of hern lace, light fawn hat trimmed with jet ornaments and black tips. There were a great many more pretty frocks but it would take up too much space to tell you, move, as I must now tell you about a huge 'tea ' Mrs (Bishop) Wallis gave last '

Tuesday afternoon. There were over four hundred guests present, so you oan imagine what a crush it Was. Mrs WalHa received at the entrance of the drawing-room, with her husband, and wore a pretty light blue silk gown, with full sleeves of yelloW and blue shot Silk, and on the bodice there was a ftraave shape pattern of e"cru lace. Some of the prettiest gowns on this occasion were worn by Mrs MacPherson, black spotted orlpon with yoke and full sleeves of heliotrope shot silk, spotted with a tiny black spot, and tied with satin bows on the shoulders, small black hat with tips ; Miss Duncan looked very nice in a black cr£pon (very much crinkled) skirt and short cape and a stylish silk blouse of rather broM^ black and white stripes, dark violet velvet bonnet, trimmed with violets and aigrettes ; Miss Q. Eliott, very pale grey cr£pon, with one of the fashionable square white lawn collars and cuffs, pretty white hat; Miss Buller, dark moss green cloth gown, with sleeves and border round the skirt of black satin edged with- jet, large black hat with feathers ; Mrs H. 13 u Her, beautiful black satin gown, with broad collar and revers of pink velvet edged with jet, the folded vest was of white chiffon and narrow black ribbon velvet, the bonnet worn with this gown was composed of mignonette and gold embroidery; Lady Hector wore »' neat black tailor r<^de gown and black bonnet trimn* jd with violets and jet wings; Mrs Firth's gown wag of striped black cnSpon trimmed with violet velvet, toque to match. The polo season here opened on Saturday last, when quite a number of ladies and gentlemen drove out to Miramar to be present. A large marquee was erected close to the playingground, from whence a good view of the game could be obtained, and the lovely tea and cakes given by the Mesdames Crawford were greatly appreciated. Among those present I noticed Mr and Miss Wilson (Rangitikei), Mrs Levin, Mr and Miss Hislop, Mr and Mrs Cooper, the Misses Cooper, Mr and Mrs J. Duncan, Mr, Mrs and Miss Turnbull, Mr, Mrs and the Misses Barron, Mrs Gore and the Misses Gore, the Misses Johnston, Dransfield, Coleridge, Harding, Skerrett, Brandon, Lady Dorothy Boyle, Miss Williams and Miss Seddon, who looked very well on horseback. The gentlemen playing were Messrs Wilson, Baldwin, Skerrett, Cooper, Buddie, Mills, A. Crawford and Buchdly. You will no doubt see from my description of dresses worn at the different functions, that black crepon is very much in evidence, and indeed it is, for nearly every second gown you see is of this material, either spotted, striped, checked, crinkled or plain. Some of the all silk ones are very pretty and light, and are also very expansive ; shot silks in all shades are also very fashionable, especially for blouse 3, to wear with ciepon skirts, and very dainty they look, with very full sleeves of course, and box-pleated fronts fastened with three large steel or jet buttons. The new shirt blouses have much fuller sleeves than last year's, and in most cases detachable collars. Wide belts are coming in again, at least have come ; a great many are of elastic belting and are fastened in front with a long buckle. For myself I prefer the neater, narrower ribbon belt, bu^ ;; I suppose the fashion must be lot* lowed, and 'tis said we are slaves to it. The new striped handkerohief belts look rather stylish, especially on a slim figure, and are crossed over and fastened in front with a neat buckle. Siona.