SO COLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 63

SO COLD.

We meet them everywhere during the winter months, these shivering girls who might almost go so far as to say they are never happy in the cold weather! Jt certainly may often prove a time of great tribulation, particularly if to the trials of getting up and going to bed in cold, draughty rooms you must add the discomfort of feeling cold most of your day. Housework is warming. Any work that entails exercise is a great comfort in the winter. It is the sedentary workers who suffer. It is always difficult for office workers to get all the exercise they require. A brisk walk on the way home seems the obvious solution, but one has not always the heart for that on a blustery winter’s night after a hard day! The other obvious step to warmth is to wear warm clothing! “ Now, if you are going to ask me to wear woollens, you needn’t bother!” many of those shivering girls will say. Woollens for them conjure up visions of long-sleeved vests and those curious garments which our mothers used to call spencers! These girls take a great pride in saying they wear exactly the same underclothing in the winter as in the summer. Whether that is cause for pride or not depends rather on what they wear in the summer! Modern hygiene has taught us that a superabundance of underclothing is not necessary or healthy. Garments which are light and warm are the ideal, and providing a soft woollen vest is exchanged for the silk or eotton one worn in summer, no further change is necessary, unless you feel you need something more. If you feel the cold intensely, or if conditions keep you sitting still and getting colder, it is a very short-sighted policy to refuse to wear warm underclothes on the grounds of vanity. To look cold is one of the most unbecoming looks in the world.

Consider the warm underclothing of to-day. Could anything be daintier, softer to wear, or less bulky? All three arguments against wool can be knocked down with one swoop. The usual complaints are that the garments look “ stuffy ” or uninteresting, that they tickle or irritate the skin, and that under close-fitting frocks they take up too much room. Nothing could be softer, lighter, or thinner Gian a Shetland vest. Made in all soft pastel colours, with ribbon shoulder-straps, Shetland vests to-day can vie with any of the silkier garments. These vests can be worn with impunity under the most close-fitting frock. One of our most famous woollen firms now manufactures the thinnest and most slimming of woollen vests and pants. Both these fit closely to the figure, and are ideal for wealing under closely tailored tweeds. Those who really cannot wear wool—and there are some skins that cannot stand the strain!—can buy vests of a very satisfactory silk and wool mixture. This mixture is as warm as wool, and softer to a very sensitive skin. Cold feet are the cause of much coldweather discomfort. The great problem is how to keep them warm. Woollen stockings are all very’ well for country wear, and are certainly more suitable than silk, but most of us like to cling to silk stockings through thick and thin for town wear. Cling to them, then, but invest in a pair of woollen ankle socks to wear over them on very cold days. These little socks are. practical from many points of view. They help to keep the feet warm and dry. They may’ be re. moved once you are back indoors. They may’ be carried in a handbag or pocket, and may be slipped on and off easily during the day’. Furthermore, they enable us to wear out stockings that are only worn out at the heel; a good silk stocking darned at the heel never looks so well as an unblemished one, but wear little socks and nobody’ knows about the darn.

Cold feet are uncomfortable enough during the day, but cold feet at night are far worse, because the average person finds it extremely difficult to sleep once the feet are thoroughly cold and cannot get warmed up. Never make the mistake of doing without the hot-water bottle just because people call you a molly-coddle. Even descend to bedsocks, if necessary! More sleeplessness is caused through cold feet than we realise. If you are a very chilly mortal at nights, you will like the new pyjamas with tuck-in tops and belts. You will like, also, the soft, warm, floral winceyette of which winter nightdresses and pyjamas are made. Rather expensive, but very decorative, are the lined crepe de chine dressing jackets trimmed with wool. Most of us, however, are more concerned with dressing-gowns. Do see that you have a warm one for the winter months! It need not be unattractive because it is warm. Some of the newpatterned and shaded velvets, for instance, are very’ warm, but so attractive looking. With a warm and becoming looking dressing-gown and warm, wellfitting bedroom slippers, getting up and going to bed will be robbed of half their cold-weather terrors! —Answers.