FOR THE LADIES.

Otaki Mail, 1 August 1923, Page 3

FOR THE LADIES.

I ; ♦ I j Soft white rabbit skins make beauti- - : ful linings for bedroom slippers, or for s j rough, thick gloves for wear when ’ | driving in the rain and cold. It is > quite easy to cure the skins at home if * the following method is followed: Pin ’ the skin on a board and cover with > powdered alum; leave for forty-j’ghi j hours, by which time the alum will ..have absorbed all the moisture from ] (ho skin, and after another fortyeight hours repeat the process. The skin will be quite dry after eight or ten days, and then ail roughness should be smoothed down with pumice stone. Rub the fur with a little glycerine, and after a few days it will be ready to make up. Frocks designed for wear at infor- • mal functions arc plain, straight, and the finest of pleats only being used. Fancy silks are employed more than any other material, with a plain silk in a dominu! ing shade forming a border, and, perhaps, a sash as a means of trimming. Sleeves are quite short in the more original types of frocks, but long and clinging closely to the arm in the more dignified and quieter models. All are of a good length, tile majority rebelling below the ankle; but none, up till now, have dared to sweep the floor. Full overskirts over tighter skirts, the top skirt ■ being arranged as to suggest au idea ox great fullness, are to bo seen on many afternoon models at Home, Kow To Buy Gloves. Never buy gloves in a hurry: take your time and inspect them earfully. 800 that the points on the buck are properly finished, and that the gussets are well sewn. The seams should not have a twisted appearance; they will never look “right” if they have. The texture should be even, and the entire glove made from one skin, otherwise they will have a patchy up- i pea ranee. ! The kind of glove chosen is, of - course, a question of taste. Capo and reindeer are very hardwearing. Doeskin is also a hard-wearing glove ] and looks smart. Never buy chamois gloves unless you - are prepared to pay a lot for them. Poor chamois leather is only suitable ( for housework. Good suede wears well, but is apt. to go greasy very soon. When buying suede gloves test them by pulling tlie skin width-ways: if it is faulty it will show flaws and white cracks, and that is the pair you leave in the shop! Don't buy kid gloves ton large, they ( wrinkle and look worse than tiiose too light. When Cutting Flowers. Flowers cut from the garden will last j much longer if they are gathered pist T tit, tlie tight time. Here are a few) ■ points worth bearing in mind. Paeonies j should always lie plucked just !■ •tore the buds actually open, and they will keep their colour a-el last intn h longer than if they ha , e expanded out of doors. Pick poppies overnight., selecting the buds which have just cracked. Always gather sweet peas when the dew is on them, either in the morning or late uu a clear evening. All kinds of iris should be cut just v. ijen tin; blossom has started to push ; its way through the protecting sheath, i Roses last longer when they are cut , with the dew on them, after the buds have begun to expand. Try to get as much stem as possible with roses, as these flowers will not keep if the stalk is short.