WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 303, 19 June 1912, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by ".Eileen"). FASHION NOTES FROM LONDON. WHO SETS THE FASHIONS? London, May 3. 'The question is being debated in the papers a good deal just now as to how miueh the fashions are set by the theatres, and, failing that, what it is actually that determines just what is going to be worn. There can be no doubt that the theatres are responsible for a good deal. Plays are so wonderfully staged nowadays and so much attention is paid! to the dressing of the different parts that the leading dressmakers are glad to seize the opportunity of getting an exhibition of the styles they want to introduce. 'But the theatres do not do it all. No doubt the great Dickens boom we have been having this .winter has something to do with the popularity of the old-world styles, with the way the panier is catching on, for instance. We may have the Dolly Varden skirts with us again before long, who knows ? THE POLONAISE.

Talking of skirts, the polonaise has made its appearance. Some people prefer it to the paniers; it is more becoming to sonic figures. Paniers, whether worn short and! well weighted, so as to be flat or long, or much looped up and rather "boufflant" are all very well for tall and slight people, but they do not do for a short, thick-set figure, and a polonaise relieves the severity of a plain skirt, and is not quite so trying. The quite plain skirts will probably disappear altogether before very Ion". COPYING OUR GRANDMOTHERS. Another early Victorian fashion which is being revived is the small white, satin or broche coats, which are worn with almost anything, but which look best with a black skirt. There is a very short basque, and it is made with quite a small waist belt fastening with a clasp. The revers and cuffs may be of black satin when it is worn with black. Even the bolero is coming in again, so there is no lack of quaint revivals The short white satin coat belongs to the Louis Philippe period

SHORTER GLOVES. 1 With a satin, taffeta, or any kind of a silk frock the sleeves are often of a ■ different material altogether. The armholes are cut away, and the dress finished off then by being piqued and a riinon or lace sleeve w«rn. All sleeves are worn long almost on to the hand, land are finished with lace, which falls half over the hand. For such sleeves gloves of one or two buttons are all that are. required, the long gloves of | last season being useless. I VERY GAY SUNSHADES. i The sunshine in which we were all re- | veiling last week has given way to greyer skies, and! we are now thankful for just an occasional gleam. But the shops have brought out all their sunshades. So many were wanted last week that they liave been displayed earlier than usual. The plain colored sunshade seems to be out of favor this year. They are all very gay and brilliant. Handpainted with flowers, or of flowered silk, or at least with a bright border. There are some beautifully shaded ones to be seen, the combination of colors being most delicate and artistic. Most of them are domed to allow of the high trimming on the hats, but some of tie newest are so straight as to almost forecast that this high trimming has not come to stay. [ HATS VERY SEVERE.

■ The hats are certainly getting smaller. j A toque shape is much' in evidence, and, j although the bright weather is upon us 1 the newest hats do not promise much j in the way of shade to the eyes. They J are. also very little trimmed." Summer I hats one would imagine should be gay with flowers, but fashion has decreed it otherwise this year. There are very few flower-trimmed hats among the models. Knots of ribbon and high upstanding aigrettes, poised at a becoming , angle, is all that they have. Of course, they are not nearly as interesting as usual, nor are they very becoming. The style is too severe to suit the majority of people. TOUCH OF COLOR IN THE SHOES. The hobble skirt has for many months been the joy of comic papers, who have simply tumbled over one another in their anxiety to outdo each other in saying the smartest thing they could about them. But, from all accounts, in spite of the wider skirts, women in Pari.? are walking just as bad'ly as ever, owing to the very high heels they have taken to wearing. Colored heels seem rather the rage, especially with black shoes, and they go to match something in the toilette. A black and white costume, for instance, with touches of green on the bodice and perhaps in the hair, too, might have green heels. COLD WINDS AND SUNSHINE.

April has been a record mouth as regards dryness, but in spite of the bril--1 liant sunshine we have had day after day, cold winds have been very' prevalent, which made one wonder what to wear. Warmer clothing was obviously the right thing, 1-ut the clothes one has been wearing all the winter did not show up very well in the sun. So they had to be cleaned and sponged if one did not want to go about looking very shabby. SMARTENING UP WINTER WEAR. Ammonia is, of course, the best thing to clean tweed' coats and skirts with, but pure ammonia should never be used. It is too strong, for one thing, for if not properly diluted it would most likely ruin the color of the costume. Then, too, it is very expensive. But a good recipe for a cleaning medium is three drachms of soft soap and six drachms of borax, dissolved in two and a-half pints of water, andi with a pint of strong ammonia added. When bottled, do not use a cork, but an india-rubber plug. Even this mixture is a little too strong, and sonic water should be added when it is used for tweeds or cloth. It is excellent for cleaning metal surfaces, however, in its full strength, ilann.pl being employed.