Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 144, 11 February 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER

SOME MODUS OF THE MOMENT. Collars are a notable feature of fashion this season, and the Napoleon collar is a very popular model and should certainly remain on as an autumn fashion, (iirls who are fond of pretty knick-knacks are making for themselves smart collar-sets ill this and other modish stylos that tllcy can easily adapt to blouses or coats. A homo-made Napoleon collar, for instance, is fashioned from a strip of striped silk, about ten inches long, or thnee-quaiters of the neck measurement, and ton inches deep, overcast to a narrow, double strip of lawn of the same length. The collar is joined in front by a folded, nairow strip of black sat n, sewn to one side, and snap-fastened to the other under a small, lengthwise bow. Smart, muslin collars are united in fiont in a similar way with black vel-vet-ribbon, and these and the?vipo]oon collars can he easily tacked into the tieck of a coat and vield a verv becoming effect. Jabots, also, are very decorative and fashionable, and are returning to favour once more as an adjunct to dressy b!ou=o-. Sometimes there are two lit-

tic pleated jabots ef net and lace, mixed addmg to the smartness of a flare collar; while, again, a tingle, folded jabot may finish one of the new, high collars effectively.

There is more than ever a fancy lor gmnt. drop-buttons, made of coloured Itono or c«Dchet, or covered with material. These serve a really useful purpose and are purely decorative, the actual fastening being performed with snaps. The dress made with a sleeveless ier-sey-like bodiee is a re lining favourite, and is seen a good deal in soft washing fabric-. The bodice fastens on the shoulders, at |tho tside-seanjs, or in from, and is cut with big arm-holes, n.- it i= split for a short distance in front and laced across. The sleeveless jersey illustrated is of pink linen, and is worn with a Mouse and skirt of white cotton-crepe. The skirt, gathered at the waist, is hemmed with pink linen, and the sleeves arc finished with cuffs; of the same. The jersey is buttoned on the shoulders and ted in front with pink cord, drawn through eyelets and knotted. The diagram shows the two pattern pieces of the jersey (half the back ami half the front) laid on two yard.-, of -{6-inch material, folded in half-length-wise, the straight edges of patternlaid to the fold to avoid -cams. This [.attorn is useful for serge, satin, lace, or any material, and should he kept handy. A pretty sailor-hat is also illustrated. SEASIDE TUttIPERS FOR CHILDREN. Cnquestionably the most comfortable suits for children, especially when holiday making, are rompers, with which every tiny tot who has reached the walking stage >liouid be provided.

Copyright.

smcc a couple of yards or less (according to the age of the chilcf) of ordinary width gaiatea, and a couple of hours' sewing can provide the little hoy or little girl of tho family with a new par of pretty, comfortable rompers after the fashion of Figure "A" sketch.

The pattern arranges for a fulllength back closing, which is excellent lor small children, half-length sleeves, and a square-cut neck. Half a dozen of such little rompers made from crinkly material, such as cotton crepon. that does not require ironing, would be very useful for country or seaside wear. Of course, goods that require ironing, such as gaiatea, sateen, and so on. can he used for their development, but what mother will not appreciate being able frequently to change her little one's suits without thought as to the amount of ironing required to make them presentable again? The rompers will appear to the best advantage if trimmed with a contrasting colour. The trimming is used at the neck, on the sleeves, and for the waistband. Chocked blue and white gaiatea. with blue linen trimmings. would look well. Quite it novel pattern for rompers is seen in Figure "B." This model has all the advantages of the regular rompers, hut is quite a smart little suit at the same time. The front of the bodice and the knickers are in one piece, which simplifies the making, and adds much to the good appearance of the garment. The bolt is attached to the knickers at the back, and it also buttons up on the waist at the back. The ends of the belt are brought to the front, and held in place with buttons and buttonholes. To copy this ~i|if for a child of four years of age requires two yards of material, thirty inches wide, with half a yard of twonty-sevon-inch material for collar, bolt, and trjjntning bands. There are any number of pretty cotton weaves from which these rompers may be made. Of course, a dark colour wears better than a 1 iglit one. but, lor a change, a romper suit made of tussore is. very nice, and the material washes well and easily. Another idea is to make the'suit of Cambridge-blue linen, with Oxford trimmings, or of indigo linen or Shantung, with me-dium-blue relict. THE ART OF RENOVATION. Discarded clothes that have already done hard serv : ce, may yet he converted into really nice-looking, useful garments for children, if the material be worthy of a little trouble expended on i r . Forethought in renovation is essential. Failure is achieved by rushing at things in a haphazard way. Clothe., to be renovated should be carefully brushed at the outset, so that nil dust is removed from the seam wrappings. Half the fa lures with made-over things are due to the fact that the material is used in its old state, instead of being cleaned and freshened up to the best advantage. Very often when material is cleaned, ■ t wiil he lonnd better to use it wrong side out.

When tin? art des have been put into good order, work should be started with the aid of good paper patterns. Ir will he necessary to exercise patience in finding out the best way to lit the material to the pattern, hut in renovating one most he prepared for trouble and contrivance. To cut the- goods to the highest advantage,' they must, of course be arranged so that the pattern lies on the best pieces of material, and one piece should lie dove-tailed with another. When it is necessary to join pieces, the joining should bo connived in a way that inake* it show as. little as possible.

Actualities must depend upon individual need", but one or two general suggestions may l>e made.

An old cloth coat, for instance, can possibly be converted into a splendid pinafore frock for a small girl. The yoke and sleeve., can be made from an old blouse, and if the belt and shoul-der-straps of the pinafore part of the frock are ornamented with buttons, covered with bits of the blouse or other material, the frock will look quite smart, and not a bit "cut down.' Old dress-skirts can aNo bo converted into pinafore frocks or into skirts tor little girls or kmckei> for email boys. Then igain. perhaps old skirts, gowns, or big coats can be cut down. joined and fitted and made into warm petticoats for children. Such underskirt' Mionld. of course, bo made quite plainly, with ii row of feather-stitching round the hem and mounted to a calico bodice. It may be po-sib'e, with care and trouble, to conceit a man's or woman's long coat into cpi'to a smart overcoat for n email boy or girl. It must not be just cut down, of course, hut must be ripped and re-cut with the help of a pap?;- pattern. The seams of the coat, after the latter has been cut out to the be--t advantage, should be doublestitched and new canvas should be us-d for stiffening the collar, fronts and lapel* of the coat. The result should repay any trouble that has. ben Li\cn to the work. and it is. a proud moment v.hc-r. a young woman sees what good work she has contrived "o it of nothin?." ill STIFFEN CUFFS. The \\ ;;<:.•!! who has her morning shirt- ;■- will a, other things laundered at hom< . often finds it difficult to nim-n diirt ( nil's -uthcently. Here - line woman's methad When making clear -tan b for launurv work, she tak. « out the starch she will ue, ,| for her coll'- and puts it into tint, toa-poonfid- "1 man arable in two taitle-pronfulv of luke-warm wat I. and wli, n it i- smooth and thick she adds the mixture to the warm -tar:h and u-o- t for her cull'-. A THOUGHT !'<>]! Till". WEEK. Nor until von make nun silf-rcl ant, intelligent and fond of struggle—fonder of struggle than of help—not till then have von relieved pov rty- Phillip Brooks!