Ladies' Column.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 227, 22 January 1876, Page 3

Ladies' Column.

DRESSMAKING AT HOME. A new journal, devoted to dress, was started in London at the begining of the year. Myra’s Journal, as it is called, is published monthly, at the extremely low piice of threepence a number, the illustrations in many instances being advertisements from some of the great Paris houses, and in the best taste ; while Madame Goubaud writes in each number. We draw attention to it chiefly because, unlike most fashion books, it strongly advocates economy, and gives most sensible advice on a point that interests most women. Dresses we must have, and that they shall be pretty and suitable is most desirable. The large circulation this journal has attained shows it supplied a want. As patterns are given, and advice as to making , up the different materials, anyone, with this little work, can try to make their own dresses. When we think over our dressmakers’ bills, we shall find that the making of a dress generally costs as much as the stuff ; so the experiment is worth trying. Ladies in England are evidently growing more useful, and the sewing machine is being turned to account. Besides, it is really a fact that it is much easier to make a dress of the present style fit well than those worn a score of years ago with points and full bodies. Even the skirts are not so troublesome as when there was the same width to be got into the waistband as there was round the hem of the dress. The tablier, too, is convenient for hiding defects and remedying mistakes. Cut the skirt too short, and the join is hidden under the tablier. Make a Jiasco of the front breadth in the goaring, and the hypocritical tunic pretends that all is well. Then, as to the plain work—ask the manufacturers of sewing machines why so many of their machines are sent home. When arrived at their destination, they are enshrined in the pretty morning room, and their owner finds her amusement in what was once a labor, making up under-garments, and hemming and stitching household linen. The sewing machine has taken the place of the distaff, under the fair fingers of to-day, with the improvement of being ornamental as well as useful. It is certainly to be suspected that we owe much of the over-trimming now prevalent to the facilities afforded by the sewing machine. Too many of our trimmings are as utterly meaningless as Prince Henry’s appendages of needles in the days of his frivolity. Usually every trimming when it is invented has a raison d'etre, but in course of time the reason for the trimming becomes forgotten, and the arrangement becomes meaningless and senseless, and consequently objectionable. Carlyle says that in dressing the person one ought to have in one’s mind an architectural idea that shall run through each detail of the costume. A French writer in the Gazette dcs Beaux Arts expresses the same idea, but by means of a musical simile. He says : “ Listen to the symphony of a master. You hear principal motif pass through different forms, linger or hasten through varied rhythms ; and if another thought appears, ore part of the orchestra develops it at the same time with the first, until these two ideas, at first different from each other, meet, recognise each other, and, so to speak, are reconciled, and melt into one grand thought, which sums up the meaning of the whole piece and he proceeds to show that the pervading idea may be graceful, noble, simple, coquettish, or severe ; but that any deviation in expression from these sentiments destroys the consistency of the whole. An article that appeared some time ago in St. Paxil’s Magazine says, “Probably nothing that is not useful is in any high sense beautiful. ” At least it will be most universally seen_ in the matter of dress that where an effect is bacl it is an artificial or false effect, and rice versa. A trimming that has no raison d’etre is generally ungraceful. A pendent jewel simply sewn to a foundation where it neither holds up nor clasps together any part of the dress usually looks superfluous, as it is. Above all, bows (which are literally nothing but strings tied together) stuck about when there is no possibility of their fastening two parts almost always appear ridiculous ; when needed for a mere ornament, a rosette should be used, which pretends to be nothing else. In the making of dresses lines ending nowhere and nohow are often apparent, and never fail to annoy the eye. One of the reasons why peasants, fishwives, and such folks look picturesque and beautiful, even in their rags, whatever be the mixture of color or arrangement of form—.so much more beautiful than fashionable people look, even when they try to imitate the fishwife—is, I

think, the motive apparent in everything they wear. The bright kerchief that covers the. peasant’s shoulders is so much better than a bodice trimmed in the form of a kerchief. The outer dress that really covers an under dress fully and fairly is so much more satisfactory than one which only pretends to do so, and betrays its own deceit at the elbows, or at the wrists, or behind or in some other unexpected place. A hood that’is at once seen to be incapable of going over the head— something that looks like a tunic m one place, yet in another is seen to have no lawful habitation nor a name ; a false apron, a festoon that looks as though it had fallen accidentally upon the skirt, when by no possible means except glue or irrelevant pins could it stay there ; a veil that you at once perceive is never meant to descend over the face, but is tacked to the top of the head in an exasperating manner ; heavy lappets, that, instead of being the natural termination of something else, hang meaningless and mutilated; slashes that are.sewn. upon the sleeve instead of breaking through it (as in the girl’s dress in Millais’ picture of “The Huguenots”), leave the eye unsatisfied and displeased. ECONOMICAL DRESSING. At present it is of girls’ dress I wish to speak more particularly ; not of those who, having abundant allowances, can afford to be robbed by tlieir dressmakers, nor of those who live so very quietly that their more moderate incomes are found amply sufficient ; but of a very large class of young ladies who, with allowances varying from £35 to £SO a year, are expected to dress well on all occasions, and to take a fitting place in society. It is a common complaint that girls spend too much of their time and thoughts upon their dress, and that they would be much better employed in filling their heads with some more useful knowledge. Granted, in many cases they do ; but do not be startled when I say that I think girls are not brought up to think nearly seriously enough of the subject of dress. Girls will find that they must give their dress a little real thought before they can dress well on a moderate allowance. They must have morning dresses both for summer and winter ; they must have dresses for garden parties and kittledrums, for dinner parties and balls, and —what runs away with more money than all—pretty fresh demitoilette dresses for countryhouse visiting, where in the long, bright summer evenings the slightest imperfection of toilette is noticeable. And still all this can be done for the allowance I have mentioned. The girl with £35 a year will find it take all her ingenuity and cleverness ; the girl with £45 or £SO may do it easily. She must at once put away from her mind the idea that because others have a thing she must. They may have double her allowance, or they may have run into debt; others are no criterion for oneself. One or two rules I will give before bringing this to a close, which I fear has already been too long. First, in underclothes, never wait till a whole set of anything is worn out, but rather as required make it up by degrees, buying one or two of tiie same article at a time, always taking care that they are beautifully made and neat. If embroidery cannot be afforded, then good sewing and small tucks and frills can be used instead, and they require no expenditure save time and patience. Secondly, boots and shoes should always be the very best, and should fit perfectly. The plainer they are and the less disfigured by enormous rosettes and absurd heels the better a woman’s foot will look, though both in moderation are an improvement. If a girl goes out much she will find white satin shoes make a terrible hole in her allowance. White kid shoes wear far better ; and if, before putting them on, all imperfections are touched with a little Chinese white paint, two pairs will easily last a long while. With regard to gloves, it is no economy to buy cheap ones, as they do not clean, and all medium tints are very extravagant. Very pale colors always clean well, and black sewed ■with color to match the dress, will be found most economical for winter wear. Lastly, in dress, a good rule is to buy one good dress every year, and to have it really well made. A silk dress is, as a rule, a mistake for young girls. A silk skirt and cashmere tunic, or a mixture of the two, will be found more generally useful, and this may be got for £8 or £10; the last year’s dress always comes in as a second one. In summer there is nothing prettier than light cambrics, and for more dressy occasions delicately-tinted muslins trimmed with lace, with hat or bonnet to match. Imitation lace and jewellery should never be worn. Real lace looks well; but if such cannot be had, simple linen cuffs and collars will always be ladylike. Having myself dressed on £42 a year for many years, and in an expensive town, I speak from experience. If girls take the trouble to devote one or two hours a day to useful work, they will find it amply repay them. — “Meta,” in the Queen.