Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 288, 29 June 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER - - Copyright,

A SAILOR-BLOUSE FROCK. However busily employed :i woman may be, she likes, at the same time, to steal half an hour occasionally to see to her wardrobe affairs, for whether in an office or in the home, her dress should be neat and becoming. J""rocks that are given hard wear every day need an occasional " look-over" in order to keep them in good condition and help them to last. Dress for every-day use mould be simple and easy to slip on, but it .may also be dainty and capable ot a certain amount of change. Variety can. to a certain extent, be given by means

ot braces, which can be worn one day and abandoned the next, while the blouse worn with the brace-skirt can be dark to-day and light-coloured tomorrow.

A simple frock for home wear, made with r, sadlor-blouse bodice, is suggested in tbe acompiuying sketch, and it is' a model that i I not beyond the .powers of the inexperienced dressmaker to deal with. Any woman in fact, with the average knowledge of dressmaking, sholml he able to turn out for herself a frock oi the kind illustrated.

The impcr pattern is in eight parts, these including half front of skirt and half the hack, one half-front of bodice, half the back of same, one sleeve, one cuff, the breast-pocket, and half the collar.

These several pieces' should be disponed, after the manner shown in diagram, en 5| vards of 40-inch material, the back of 'skirt and the cuff bein«i laid on double material opened out to its full width The remaining patten-, pieces are laid on material folded in half lengthwise, and the straight edges of back of bodice and back of collar are laid to the fold, to avoid seams. The other pattern pieces are, with the exception of the breast-pocket, each out out in duplicate. As the skirt, as well as the nailorblouso fastens in front, the blou'<e can be joined to the former, and the frock slipped on all in one, The pattern, however, is equally useful for a separate blouse and skirt dress. The success) of a dress depends upon careful fitting after it has been well cut out. and it is worth while spending a little extra time over thje fit before hurrying on to stitch up the seams and get to the finishing-off stage. Many a dress is spoiled by the dressmaker « hurry to complete her task. The frock illustrated should, when tacked together, be tried on and •.•arefully fitted before it is stitched. . The blouse-bodice fasten! with two big buttons, and a. line of stitching trims the bodice, skirt, collancyffs, and breast-pocket. The latter and the cuff, should be lined. The skirt is seamed at the back and also in front, but a placket j.-, left from the waist downwards. WINTER FOR A CHILD. Serge and velveteen are rendering splendid service in the interest of chiid-

rt'ii's wardrobes, andjmc ol t ii<> most popular odours for childen's mat- this

season is green in ii rather bright shade. Number, of coats in green serge are to be seen worn by little girls and little boys alike, and they are very smart looking when met by gaiters of one kind or another. Quite young children wear ■white woollen gaiters or gaiter-boots, while, older ones adopt cloth gaiters in a light fawn shade. Where gaiters are not worn, tan-coloured boots sometimes accompany a green serge coat and look very smart.

I'or tiny children, la'iubsjwool coats are very serviceable and luitable, ami coats of white caracul-cloth are also very and ore not expensive. There is, indeed, nothing more becoming tluu white fur children's wear.

Camel-cloth in -oft re:uiiv tone i> also charming for children's coats, and under the f.ame category is pale blue nap-cloth, while scarlet cloth, nap or otherww. ; s delightful for children's wraps'.

Illustrated is a simple wrap-coat for ;'. child, and it is rendered qtrfte handsome in appearance through' the addition ot a iur roll-xillar and fur cuffs and buttons. This little coat would be lovely in cream-coloured, thick cloth, with beaver-coloured fur. or in scarlet cloth with black or white fur. as preferred. The co.tt is loose-fitting, but is provided with a belt, fastened with a fur button. Two buttons to match fasten, the fronts. Worn with the coat is n laminating little cap. also trimmed with fur. CHAKACTER-TRAIXING. From their earliest years, children ;ire unconsciously forming habits. It is. within a large latitude, as easy to form good habits a.s bad ones, and it i> hardly fair to any child to let it form habits, whether from ignorance or indolence on the part of the grown-up per>on in charge, that will simply have to be overcome later on, thus causing unnecessary trouble to the child, wasting time that shcidd be going to further development of character and powers, and causing weakening, at any rate temporarily, to the character.

In physical matters the responsibility of the mother or nurse of the cliild is fully recognised, and failure in proper care-casts ;i reproach upon her that few would willingly incur. It is not, however, so clear that what holds good in the physical 'if/here is equally true in regigrd to the spiritual .and mental tiphere.

It is well to grasp this fact to begin with, and to let no had habits that can possibly be prevented form in one sphere any more than in another. The first thing that is important on the part of the trainer is to have a clear line of campaign. Comparatively few people who have charge of babies and young children have any clear conception of tlie matter of character-train-ing. It is not until the baby becomes a child and traits and habits! have become strong, and often tire tome, that the matter of habit-formation is considered at all. and this, <$ it has already been [jointed out. is manifestly unfair to the cliild.

Let the little ones be trained in good habit.', from the beginning and there will be less corrections to make afterwards. In training the young, self-control s an important quality to be cultivated. Children differ enormously in character, as we all know, but they do not differ in the fact, which may he called a trtti im, that as they are accustomed tn conduct themselve.s in small matters, so they will in great. Self-contiol may not be easy to a.couiie, especially ill the case of the passionate child, but tho>e who have the care of the young should endeavour to foster it as much as possible and thus, :r. the same time, encourage the valuable quality of independence on tue part of the child —an independence that strengthens the character and teaches the child to depend upon itself and not always to lean upon others. This quality "ill in after-life prove a. most helpful one, for it is always an advantage to lie able to judge and act for oneself and be independent of the advice of another.

TO BRIGHTEN PEARLS. The pearl necklace is *o popular an ornament and roaJ pearls are so well imitated, that a hint on reviving >ham pearls that are faded-looking will no doubt be useful in many boudoirs. To rub pearls carefully with at-hnmuis leather, going over each one in turn, will do wonders to re.tore lost beauty, and another method of regaining lustre is to .shake the pearls in a cambric bag partly filled with warm bran. The meal will rub the pear!- into brightness again without scratching them in the least degree. .\ soap and water bath will, again, have p. resuscitating influence on sham pearls, though the treatments that succeed best, will be dependent, fit course, on the composition of the pearls. To brighten them bv means of soap and water, dip a Turkish glove in water. wring it out. rub a corner of it on to » cake of soap and then over the pearls, dry the latter ; n a cloth and polish with chamois leather. ATTRACTIVE TABLE COVERS. There are many attractive materials that "an lie utilised as covers for tablet ps. Pieces hi old brocade or embroidery can oeca.ionally be picked up at ~.ales or upholstery -.|iop.s cheap, and if bound with heavy .silk or satin in a plain colour, or with a firm gold braid, they may make i harming table covers, ; nd may be lilli I with felt or Canton II muel. If the cover is meant to hang do-.UI own the ends of tei t' ble, Heights can be use ! to ke. p tl IVcIS from curling up. or lieavv gill t:sM-ls can b:- employed. For sin <!! t.iU">. Japanese mat . « it'i ilieir rich hhhvs, green-, and gold, or •'rip. of .1.-ipaue-'e eiiibroiderv. au.v.ve.' ndniiia'dv and look vcr\ arti-tir. A table-desk, the leather on tin top nl « hich has worn saabbv. look- all tic bviie.' In;- a -erne i uvet— i ilher re 1 i r I'll'-, bordered with galotl. OYSTKi! OMKIET. Wire -omeihing specially nice and re I;, ri i c in the v. iv of a dih l< r in- .',.!-. c wanted. ov-t< r < lllelet 'I >T |i:,m< ttlio like ovstef-) i-olves the problem. St-w one dozen oy>ter« in .> very little wati r: rub two or three lumps oi