Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 266, 13 April 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER - - Copyright.

A COATEE FROCK. Among tho most prominent fashions for the new season are coatees, which havo !>ecn so popular during the summer that U is small wonder they are carried into autumn modes. But the autumn coatees are concerned mainly witn indoor dress, whereas earlier in tho year the coatee has, of course, been associated equally with outdoor costume. It is a dainty l'.ttlo garment that is, as often as not, sleeveless, and is useful made of taffetas, fancy crepon, and various other materials. When made sleeveless, it varies the character of a dress agreeably, for it can be worn over a blouse or be left out of tho scheme entirely.

Tho little coatee Jllustratbd might accompany a skirt of its own materia! or of something quite different. It is eiiarmingly simple, and fastens in front, and the sleeves are put in at a rather lew shoulder level.

Tho paper pattern is in two piece*, namely, half the actual coatee and one sleeve. The collar is quite independent of tho coatee. Tho quantity of material required for the garment is 2 yards, 30 inches wide. In preparing tho material for cut-

No. 201 R. out, fold it in half lengthwise and distribute the pattern pieces on it as indicated by the diagram, laying the straight edge of back of coatee to the fold, and cutting out the sleeve in dunlicate The coatee is cut sufhcienth long to'make a self-formed basque when °Th©'collar might be a bought one of muslin or lace, or it might be made of tho skirt material.

SKIRT FASHIONS. When fashions change, it is to skirts wo look primarily for a jjuule as to the new line and skirt fashions therefore, ,ro always interesting and hare been more than usually so of late, owing to

,; v ~x lrwl (0 which they have I.CPII siilriw-u-d. It '-' ""'y :llu ' r ; v T w 25! h- le-o„,o fau-ly wjnoral that "extreme-," are e l ,minuted Irom dressschema, to Infill w l - - the introduction of ii mw mode. 1L has been no easy task to renovate u la.st year's skirt into an up-to-date

pattern, owing to tho skimpiness of the lormer and the breadth of tho latter; nevertheless, tlio clever dressmaker has devised several plans for rendering a demode skirt quite fashionable-looking, and sho has been aided in her ta«k by the convenient mode of mixing materials which is carried cut in many of tlio newest skirts.

Some, for instance, are made with deep hems of a contrasting material, a silk hem bringing to a smart conclusion a skirt of line cloth or serge, perhaps; others are taatfe with silk yokes and tho lower parts oir another material. These ideas" readily suggest methods of renovation. Where a last year's skirt has been cut off at tho hips and "'lifted" so that some fullness may bo admitted at the waist, it will naturally he shortened so much that lihe addition of a deep hem will bo inevitable. This can l>e easily added without detriment to tho style of tho skirt.

Another method of renovating a narrow skirt and bunging it to a fashionable state of fullness, is to open it in front and insert a panel of the desired width, this being of a material that harmonises well with tho rest of the skirt. Tho insertion of the panel will, of course, admit of the sides and back of tha skirt being eased at the waist, and of allowing fullness below. If buttons are added on each side of the panel, to give a buttoned-on effect, so much tho better.

Tiie two skirts illustrated are smart styles worth copying, and in Figure "A'' may bo gathered a hint tor renovation. A narrow, last year's skirt, for instance, might be split up and used for the front, 'back, and sides, whilo now, soft materia! might be introduced between tho panels and have somo tucks at the bottom. Fancy and plain material might he med for the skirt, as suggested in tlus small backview-

In Figure "B" is a plain but beautifull ta'lored skirt, fastening in front. The striking fer.tures are the two curved pockets of embroidered material that suggest panniers and are buttoned en to tho waist-band of similar material.

CONCERNING HATS. Tho secret of keeping hats, whether of straw or material, fresh, is to brush them every t:mo after they have been worn and never put them away with dust clinging to them. The hats should bo brushed again before they are worn, and thus they will preserve their freshness to the last. A thorough dusting with a pad of material, will help to keep straw or fabric hats fresh-looking. If the straw of a hat is torn in places whero hat-pins have gone through it, the lining of the hat should be removed and a patch of strong cotton material, matching the straw as nearly as possible in colour, should be gummed inside the crown. Further, the broken ends of tho straw should bo gummed down firmly before tho lining is re-placed. When wearing the hat again, the hat-pins should be pierced in different places than hitherto. In this way, the hat will retain its life better.

HOW TO KEEP YOUNG LOOKING

A certain youthful-looking woman, on being asked to "give away*' tho secret of how she retains her goodly appearanco and avoids tell-tale lines 'n tho face, replied with a laugh : "I am nearly fifty years old, but 1 am never judged to be more than forty. My hair has only a few noticeable grey streaks in it, and is full of life. I always hair every three weeks which, I believe,ko?ps the life in it, and I am certain that 'lifeless-' hair adds years to the appearance. I never used any powder to my face until the last year cr so, but always washed in cold or tepid water. This habit certainly helps to maintain ;i youthfullooking cpmpjexion. Besides looking young, I try to be as active as if I were young, and although I have many worries I try to shake them off qu'ckly and forget theTu. I have three daughters and I encourage them to bring young people to the house. I always participate to a great extent in their amusements, and help them with the'r social work. My youngest daughter is ten years o'd, and 1 spend many an evening reading girls' talcs with her or giving her an arithmetic lesson." Another woman of mature years, but fresh appearance, attributes hei " youthfufness" to the fact that she has always taken a great deal of outdoor exercise.

—''l have always," she says, "kept up my daily walk. 1 still pjay tennis, nile, swim, and row, and am fond of golf an dcold water. Above all, I keep up an interest in what is going on., and refuse to 'crystal] se.' Then again, my daily exercise and careful diet prevent my growing stout, and as long as one (iin keep an upright and fairly slim figure, the appearance of age is warded off to a great extent."

TO CLEAN" KID GLOVES. Washable kid gloves :;ro favoured by most women fcr economical reasons, for they ran l>o easily washed out in lukewarm or cold water and good white, soap. It is advisable to keep them on the hands during the washing process, and to pull them from the hands very carefully, so tint the shape ot the gloves is still retained. In this way the latter are more easily put on when dry. During the drying process the gloves should lie pulled out from t:me to t'-mo. otherwise, thev are apt to dry Stiff.

Another mi tlmd of denning light-col-oured kid gloves is as follows: Place the glove- on glove-trees, rub them with cream of tartar, applied with :\ p'rc.i nf clean flannel, and let this remain a while. Follow i:n with an application of powdered alum and luller's earth in equal parts, have the mixture on the glovoi all hilt! t. then hrusli it i-if and rub them with dry oatmeal, mixed with a little wlr.tmg. Finally, rub \\ ;!i a eh an • loth.

AVIUM II KNOWIXCr. Win'n a metal t-apot is not in u.vo, put a 1 Hiiip (if iimnr in it, ami will prevent the rot Irom hoenming musty. * * * M.'.-'h to a |>a-to with some oi their oun nil, and tliev will make more n.itisfactory .-andivkhcs than if s'mplv split. » * # Try ri'Mting silver arti"V« cverv (lav u'tli a drv flannel tl'fv 5 1 1 net.

then, require to be cleaned with plate powder nearly so often. *" * » To clean picture frames, brush them with water in which onions have been boiled threo or four to a pint. Also wash tho glass of the frames in tho same sort of water. * # * Paraffin oil will produce a better light and last longer if a piece of common salt al>out th-3 size of a nut i* placed in the reservoir of the lamp. * * # To keep mats in place at bedroom doors-, try this plan, Sew a small brass ring at each corner of the mat. and two tiny rounded cup-hooks into the | corners of tho doorway clcse to the floor. Slip the rings over the hooks niul tho mats will be held in place: and. as thero are rings at each of the four (orners, the mats may Ixs turned frequently so as to wear evenly. The liooks must be very small and rounded, or dresses will catch on them. * * * Clean furniture liefore polishing it. Few peoplo apparently think of washing their polished furniture. Yet if the dirt wcro removed by washing it with a littlo vinegar and water, or even plain warm water, the cream used to. obtain a polish would have a much better and more lasting effect. * * • Enamelled baths may be cleaned of stains with a rag dipped m salt mixed with paraffin. Afterwards rinse well with hot water to remove oil, and dry with ft cloth. * * * Cloudy mirrors should never be seen 'n a house. Rub them with a cloth wrung out :n cold water and dipped in dry whiting, and then polish them with ;j dry duster, and they will bring you credit instead of disgrace. * * * The bars of a prate often have a burned and ugly appearance which prevents thoir taking a good polish. This difficulty is soon overcome. Before applying the Ibacklead, rub the bars with a pieco of lemon, and they will be quite easy to polish afterwards.

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR XONMEAT FARE.

Tn homes where meat is struck out of the bill of fare, it is often a difficult matter on the part of the housekeeper to think out tempting little dishes that shall please the palates of tho?e before whom they are set and shall present vaiTetv from day to day. A very appetising dish is curried eggs, and savoury rice, which can be flavoured in various ways, as also delickms. Fish, baked in the oven and basted with a piquant brown sauce, or served with parsley sauce, may form a meal in itself, arid, by the way, the above hint, namely, of heating a good brown sauce with the fish with winch it is to lie served, is a French one, and is worth remembering. To eke out a fish dinner, thick tomato soup may be cordially recommended: potato soup and pea soup, the latter served with sippets of fried bread and made with dried in, are also excellent and cheap. Kedegree, a favourite fish dish; sponghetti or macaroni mingled witir rich tomato sauce, or heated tomatoes, and strongly flavoured with cheese: flat potato cakes, dipped in egg-and-breadcrumb and fried; rice and potato cakes with onion flavouring, rolled in vermicelli and egg-ad-crumb ad fried: Yorkshire pudding or sweet batter pudding; pease pudding; Welsh rarebit: scrambled eggs on toast; fish pie, and baked beans—all these simple dishes may be borne in mind as nourishing and nice, and a pudding worthy of remembrance is rice boiled in a mould and mixed with sultanas, sugar, and butter. It should be served with sweet sauce

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK. Do only what your conscience bids you, and do it kindly, just for one day at a time.