Ladies' Column.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 653, 9 December 1908, Page 2

Ladies' Column.

FASHION AND THINGS... FEMININE. By Miss Ida Meller. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. A PRETTY WEDDING DRESS. This is usually a busy month in matrimonial spheres, many weddings being hurried on; wherefore numbers of prospective brides are now engaged with affairs of the wedding trousseau,

and a few suggestions for the bridal outfit may not.be out of place at the moment. Wedding dresses are follow-

ihg'the fashion most approved for gowns and other evening wear just how, ih showing modified Empire and semi-princess effects —vogues which house-presses. The pet fashion df today iC'jthe r iskirt cut as|.high as the bust-line ahd falling straight in front, ' while ihdicatibns of the >.*aist-curves j are yielded by the side seams, aadj|the back fits the figure.easily. This i»ceful skirt is a lavbunte one for, fcndal gowns and takes part in the weddingdress illustrated, which is of ivory white satin and very simply made. The' \ skirt, it will be seen, is absolutely plain, and it is met at the bust by a slightly draped bolero, cut low in the neck and finished with a crossed berthe of white net, embroidered with silver - thread, white bugles and pearls, and mounted on satin, two buttons,/ and tassels of crystals and silver decora- '« ting the tips. /The long, rucked sleeves of satin are typical of what is considered by many the; prejttiest sleieve of the: hour, and the vest is of fine lace, while the Jrain is guipure, s .A slight variation of,,the scheme mignt be made by having -the;' - vest and sleeves of ivory-white chiffon, and the • train might be of puffed clUffon, and;, bands of wide lace insertion. ,

A GOING-AWAY HAT,

For the going-away toilette, pale , blue cloth or white serge may be suggested, the Jatter made up with- a < braided skirt and long coat, trimmed ; with silk braid and arranged; with re- >, vers and collar faced with white moire; while the blue costume mijfht be made with a pleated skirt and short v coat, the fronts resting on a waistcoat : ! "of white cloth or moir % finihsed wtih fine braid; Or the honeymoon dress ; might be of the\ new leather-coloured v *-' cloth—a light, bright shade, of .brown. •< j —made with a plain skirt and one the fashionable cut-away coats, slightly trimmed with brown silk braid. It a long travelling coat is comtemplated, blanket serge may be suggested, m a. deep shade of cream. This matenal is warm and light-weight, and excellent for the purpose of travelling coats s and motor coats. '■■-), f The going-away hat of the Spring ' bride will, so far as colour is concern-

Ed, be governed, of course, by the'':toilette. Most of'the new.hats are up- ; "'' turned across the front or follow on t the outlines of-the popular ''cloche" ifip hat. -|The Upturned, front/is, however, newer than the saucer brim. The hafc illustrated' offers a 'suggestion for, the /, brifle, the original hat being of Leg- \,..\ horn straw with a full Grown of chine silk and brim lined'.with the same, a ■-. bouquet of full-blown rosesj with foliage, and touches pf atoss-green, vel-vet-ribbon >trimming the hat. If the costume be of leatherrcoloured materi " \ ial, a Leghorn straw hat would agree \ with it Very well; or the hat might be ' of soft straw, matching the dress, and trimmed with roses and leaves in pale dead-brown. Coloured ,j quills ring the/changes .with jflqral ~" ;,■ trimmings and ribbons ( and these are much used in toques for, the Spring.

i A WRITING BLOCK. V The convenience of,,a writing block is not only felt by/ invalids, hut also by others who like to performtthei r correspondence in a cosy chair by the -;■ fireside or, when the weather is fine, in ; the garden or on a verandah. A;'Writ-. - ing block can be easily made, and a 1capital thing for a foundation is: one of the flat boards on which dresslengths are rolled in drapers' shops. This should be covered with baize, stretched tight across the board,.and , fixed at the back with gilt-headed pins, or glued on. ■_ ■;■ , ~- ' .-_' ( , •'. The writing board sketched k rials a. ■ £;■■.„ pocket for writing'paper and envelopes on the left, a small pocket for nibs and

'"■ ■: '•■■ ". ' '■.■..! i ----- ' .■':■ :^'^v,--^'-r>. : . postage stamps ori the righ't; and a few elastic straps through which are run a pen-knife, pen, pencil,- and, paper-knife, a flap being added at the . top which contains most of the articles named. This flap folds over, of course, when the block is not in use. The large pocket on the left-must be made complete in itself, and is only stitched'or tacked to the board along the left edee, so that it can be turned, ; outwards (to the left) when the. board , is in use, and will not take up any " room on the "block itself, which: thus, offers plenty of space for tkejautspretri:. ing of the blotter. The pocket should • be hinged, as it were, anftift^Si might . be arranged with a 6r ; !' f braid, with which and upper flap tnigfit b|gspu#d : r-also ' the;■•small ■ :/- space should be left on the board for the necessary the back of the block shoutd :*M lieatty * covered with material. The qf writing on a couch or: in brd is; tendered much more easy/ and comfortable by" the aid of a firm: wock of wood.