Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 211, 22 September 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

SPRING FASHIONS. The short coat, very simple and smait, is one of the early spr ug fasnions that are certain to be popular It is ;i loose-litting co.it, and cut en lines with which we are already familiar, but is none the less pretty for that, and is excellently well su ted to cloth and line serge materials, that promise to be worn a great deal. Very little is seen, nowadays, of the coarser serges, fashion is in favour of the finer makes and of whipcord rbs; and as regards colour, although plain navy-blue suitings and serges arj always among the mdispeiisables of fashion, a fancy has sprung up tor mixed effects and stripes, and tho dark-blue cloth or suiting costume. w:Th white or dark <;rcen stripes, very fine in character, is among the ne-v materials o[ which tailor-mades are composed. A beautiful shade of "faded mulberry" : s also conspicuous among the newest costumes, and is expressed in velcur-cloth, the coat made with ,i strap at the back—which is loose-fit-ting like the front—and a Directoire collar of a very limp kind, that folds over and leave- the throat free, and

No. 1966. tlrj skit arranged with box-pleats. A soft, turn-over collar, of wliite lawn, attached to a vest of the sam?, trimmed with tiny buttons, gives a charming relief-touch to the costume. Here and there among the latest tailor-mades, may bo found some verv good styles in black and white checked cloth, a very dainty costume being <.? so fine a check that the effect, at i short distance, suggests a pale grey material. A facing of black moire on tiro collar and cuffs and a black patent semi-belt, very loosely buckled at the waist, throw up to advantage th<* delicate appearance of the material. Always attractive, even among newer colours, in navy-blue, and the spring costumo illustrated would materialise well in navy-blue serge suiting with a vest of coarse canvas embroidered 1:1 Russian colours and a black corded silk belt. The fasluon of the coat is novel, the bait passing through slits n tho coat-fronts. A high collar is added to the neck, and this is tied with velvet-ribbon. The sleeves are inset and turned kick at the wrists with plain cuffs. 'Hie skirt is absolutely plain and nl a fashionable length. This would bo an pattern for the home dressmaker to deal w.ith, an f the costume would be very useful :.o the average woman. It is an economical pattern withal, and is smart without beiig "extreme "in any way.

A DAINTY AND USEFUL COATEE. It is always advisable and convenient to have by one a pretty little jacket or coatee, that can be slipped on to ward off dull and improves rather than detracts from the appearance of the frock worn. A coatee of the kind is illustrated, and tho pattern will be found most useful to home workers, for it can up

No. 1967. used for any material, from cloth to chiffon. Even so fragile a fabric achiffon or ninon coat will be found a delightful addition to a silk dress. On the other hand, a taffetas coat looks

By IDA MELLER - - Copyright.

very wcli over a frock of voile. These suggestions are offered as a guide u. the matfi-iahbation of the frock and coatee They would be use iu!, no doubt, :n navy-blue or molecolour. The coat, again, would de velop well in soit satin or merv. I lie dress worn under the coat >:> made wth a fail skirt, finished with a nan and two tucks of similar depth above it. and a siniplo bodies with long, magyar sleeves, gathered at the wiists to form self-frills. The coatee is quite loose-fitting and is shown in the sketch with open fronts; but these could be caught together if preferred. The border trimming might be a frayed ruclv'ngof silk, or it might be of marabout or feathertrimming.

ihe diagram indicates the two pattern picivs of the coatee—half tho seamless back and one front—laid upon two yards of 44-inch material, folded m half lengthwise. The straight edge of back is laid to the fold; tho front s cut out in duplicate. If the coatee be unlmeu and made of transparent fabric or oi taffetas, the seams must be arranged in the Frenchhem nay, so that ,there are no rawedges on the reverse side, which latter >:s quite neat. The coat must be hemmed all round and the armholo? must have a bias facing on the wrong iide.

Inspiration can readily pictujrje |i charming little coat, made from'tho design sketched, and carried out m black lace, mounted on chiffon and worn over a fiock of black voile, crepe do dime, or ninon. Again, the coatee might be of soft broche crepe do chine or other fancy material worn over a frock of plain-surfaced stuff. A frayed rucning, as suggested, is very effective as a border-trimming, and where the coat is of silk, can be made from the. waste of material. SERVIETTE RINGS OF LINEN. Dainty serviette rings that children can make and that sell well at bazaars, aio of heavy linen, embroidered in colon:'. To make one of these rings, cut a piety of linen seven inches long and two inches wide. Buttonhole the edges in scallops, and make either eyelets or French knots m each scallop. Buttonhole the ends also, and join these to form a circle. The rings are dainty and soft-looking, and harmonise better with white tabic linen than the usual metal serviette rings. Moreover, they afford pretty work for juvenile fingers. Very nice, also, for the table are embroidered linen hot-plate mats, made envelope fashion —thai is, open at one end—so that a stiffening i>t cardboard can bo slipped 'n for table use, and removed when the mat is washed-. THE WORKING GIRL. It Itehoves every girl r.i middle-class life who is likely, one day, to be called <tpon to earn her own living, to choose some congenial work during or immediately following her schooldays and thoroughly master the subject she has taken up, so that if the day of necessity comes, she may turn to* the tiling for wlrc-h she is fitted for a livelihood, and not be driven to pursue an uncongenial profession. Life holds few more pathetic figure? than the woman who, year in ani year out, drudges along at monotonous and distasteful work while having a brain for better and more remuneiatir.i occupations, that she is. however, through lack of training, quite unprepared to take up and turn lo profitable account. To-day, the majority of women in m'ddle-class life are workers, som<> from necessity, some because they dislike idleness.

The idle woman is rare, for, apart from the effect of war, idleness is no longer fashionable. Even the society woman has entered the realm of business life and rivals the ordinary dressmaker and milliner. No strenuous has modern life beeomi that idleness \s completely shorn of t3 chat in, and the who cither by nature (~- (iiliivation possesses an idle disposition, is apt to find herself an outsider.

Thorn is no place in life to-day for the idie woman, and the fact that id!:. has fallen into disrepute :s ;i blessing to the will-bred girl who must work from necessity. She n/>od n> longer defend her own strenuous attitude towards life, nor imagine, for a moment, that sh,> will of necessity lose the respect of h,er friends because she lias become self-supporting rather than live mi the charity of relations. a thofghTfor the week. Character is made up. as a mosai", out of trvial pio;vs which day by day we fit in and cement fast by habit, precedent and custom. Take care, then, ot the unimportant things, and the important things will take care of themselves. It is the law of "Line upon line, precept upon precept."