Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 253, 23 February 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER

FOB SEASIDE AND COUNTRY WEAR. Fashions for seaside and country wear are naturally very much to the fore just now. and it is obvious that the popular long blouses, built either in the form of smocks or Russian blouses, will hold an Honoured place in the hoi day outfits of not a few women. The smocked blouse is very charming when made of cotton materials in Russian colours, and equally mj when of coarse canvas-linen in cream or biscuit tints, and when of the latter kind it may be smartly finished with a sailor collar of brown liuou and laced across the neck with a brown silk shoe-lace. This fashion of splitting open the neck of a blouse that is made with closed front and lacing it across, is very dainty and attractive, and it is practised with good effect in connexion with a Russian blouse of rose-coloured crepon and a sailor blouse of white cotton-cloth with dark blue sailor collar and dark blue lacing.

Among useful styles for seaside and country wear are linen and tussore frocks and costumes, trimmed with <allars and cuffs in Russian stripes. Tho dress illustrated would work out well in this way and is made in a very original

manner. It is an all-in-one drees though having the appearance of a coat and »kirt costume, and is altogether verj smart. A very good way to renovate a summer washing dress of white embroidered lawn, when it h;'s worn shabby at the toot, is to iut away all the worn part, buy a piece of flouncing with a pretty embroidered edge to it, and 1 sew the Bouncing to the skirt, thus making the liottom of it quite fresh again. The seaming can be arranged with a tuck, of more or less depth, and, if the flouncing is sufficiently deep a. second and a third tuck can he added if liked.

1' louneing is very useful in helping the young dressmaker to "create'' a skirt* quickly and easily. Three rows of flouncing* stitched to a plain toundat ion-petticoat, at once produces a tiered skirt. If preferred, the skirt can )>e mode with two flounces only and a yoke, the later also being of flouncing and the edg;» overhanging the top of the first flounce. A DAINTY DRESSING JACKET.

A pretty design for a dre-s-iiig-jacket is shown in the accompanying illustration, an attractive feature of which is the square neck, which is trimmed with coloured embroidery. This might he in any bright colours, were the dressingjacket of cream delaine or white crepon, for instance, while if pale blue he the chosen colour the embroidery might advisedly be carried out in dark blue and white.

In front two pleats are arranged on each shoulder and are stitched to bust level or beyond, but there are no pleats at the back. Tim jacket fastens in front, and tho fastening should he arranged with buttons sewn to the left front and buttonholes made beneath

(lie 11.-!:i|) trimniinn on tii«» right. The sleeves are piiUin iiiitx and ate trimmed iit !!!<■ end uilh embroidery. Two yards hi Kt-imli (lolaUm of other notorial will ho r*-*|Uitt*tl for tin-inij-jaiket, t!:o paper pattern, "hieh s in three |>i ':fs ropresi ntinj! half the. i:,r|;rt. 'PilO diap-ntll llilH-trtlt«»«. tho patt« in pi<'' > lni«l "ii the mati; Lai folded Icnuthv, i- '. tlio edge of hack

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being hud to the iold. I lie dotted Lines, on jacket-front coin \ey the position of the pleats. Arrange these on the two fronts, and tack the latter to the uack at shoulder and uuder-ann seams.

Tack up each sleeve, mount those to the armholes, and try on the jacket, arrange fastenings and put on the trimming. The raw edges of seams should ho snipped to prevent [raying.

A PI.AY-BOX FOR BABY. YVhon a Hi by reaches the stage wncro he begin* to crawl and try to lift himsen up, his mother naturally has a very anxious time, and feels that she miht watch him constantly. The fear lest in trying to raise himself to a standing position he may pull down some heavy article on to his head and do liimself an injury, is constantly on her mind, and very often it will seem to her that she must neglect her household! duties because her baby uemands so much attention.

She should not, however, spoil her child by teaching him to expect Her constant companionship. Let him learn to amuse himself; lie will soon do this it he is titained to do so. A woman with many household duties to attend to cannot afford to give up every minute of her time to amusing her child. He should bo trained from the bcginirng to i>e. content with a rattle or a. toy of some kind while she is al>out her work. He will probably he quite happy to remain strapped in his carriage with his toys for an hour at a tim« if ho is not spoiled by being lifted each time he cries.

When he logins to crawl and reach tor things, his mother should try the following arrangement:—Get a.s long and wide a packing ease a.s possible. It must also ho high enough at the sides to prevent haby from crawling out. One of his little cot-h!ankets or a travelling rug should Ik; hud at the bottom of the box, and the sides should l>e lined with material. Then, when bin mother lias to attend to household matters, the child should l,e put into bis play-box with lis toys, and he will be able to amuse, himstOf quite happily and safely while she 'n busy. The box should be larg<i enough to .allow of some crawling about.

TO PROTECT THE COMPLEXION. A combination of lemon juice and glycerine may, with advantage, be used to improve the skin when it needs a little extra attention. The proportions are. two-thirds lemon juice and onethird glycerine. The lotion may be applied once or twice a dkiy, and should be well rubbed into the .skin.

Cocoa butter is an excellent thing to use when tho skin smarts from sunburn, which is often extremely painful. In many cases where a girl has been out in the sun practically all day, the skin blisters and causes real suffering. Sim should treat it at once by putting on a soothing cream to allay irritation; but it would have been better had she taken the piecaution to treat it before going out, and had protected the skin by rubbing into it a very small portion of pure cold cream, removing all trace ol grease, and applying a dusting of ground oatmeal. SUMMER DIET.

When summer weather reign.-, it is advisable to change the diet from ordinary rules and choose a, daily bill of fare that shall be cooling to the (system and nutritious at the same time. Fish, fruit, and vegetables are excellent for the summer table, one of the most appetising dishes being flaked-up cold boiled fish, masked with mayonnaise and eaten with a lettuce and tomato feilad with the addition of sliced beetroot and cucumber.

Quite in nice little course to itself can 1,0 made of a potato naiad with French dress ng, or of an ordinary lettuce and watercress salad with cheese introduced. Also delicious as a summer coursei .■■ a salad made of lettuce leaves and chopped apples, nuts and beetroot, with a few cherries added and either a mayonnaise sauce or a dressing made of ooudenscd milk and lemon-juice.

Kggs, served in various ways, are also to be recommended where, a light, nourishing diet is advisable. Egg salads and egg sandwiches are delicious on hot days; devilled eggs are also appetising; and cold, hard-boiled eggs, eaten with thin slices of brown bread and butter. lorm a delicate luncheon in themselves.

Cold meat pics tomato and cucumber sandwiches, cream (hee-o spread on cracker biscuits, gruyeiv sandwiches, and so on. are all light and tasty fare for hot-weather da vs.

As regards swots cold stewed fruit? and milk puddings, with custard or cream, suggest themselves as ideal fare; trifles made with sponge cakes and jam, "moulds" flavoured with vanlllii. strawberry, raspberry, and °o on, bread-and-butter meringue puddings, and fresh fruit tart-) —tho-e ;ire a few more suggestions that sliould readily wnr to the mind ol the youn . housekeeper.

A IHOK.HT FOR THE WKEK. " E.vpei iei ci\" -ays a philosopher, "keeps si dear school, hut fools will learn in no other, and scarcely in that, tor it is true ive may give advice, hut we e-iniiot give, rouduct. Hemenilier tin.-, they that will not !"• compelled cannot he heljM<d."