CONFIDENCES TO BELINDA

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 13

CONFIDENCES TO BELINDA

My Dear —- I have wandered into tho land of fashion this morning, and found enchanment therein. It was tho Economic's establishment that caught my faricy, and an hour amongst thefripperies seemed but' a few minutes. Belinda, you will let me describe the dainty frocks and blouses', will you not? For you, too, revel in things that aro beautiful. Liko 'myself, you are, a woman, arid still bubbling with youth's delights. Listen, then, about a handful of blouses that' delighted me amongst the many. ; . You would join me in "my enthusiasm over a soft whits net. It had shoulder straps of tho net iilletwith deep jfolds of louissinc silk. _ Following down the little ' pointed chemisette of. fine narrow valenciennes comes a breadth of soft satin, about three inches in width, on .which is hand-painted a spray of blue periwinkles and foliage—vastly becoming and the. latest mode. Side_ by side was an ecru not, much the same in design, with tho addition-of those infinitesimal silk buttons which add, such a smart touch, to a. garment. A taffetas silk in whito was most charming. Cross-over pieces .formed of the silk and net camo- from shoulder-to waist, the centre fold of net being hemstitched to the silk folds; and down each .fold, was a row of large French knots in white silk. , _ There was also a dull mulberry, shadow silk shirt-blouse, which was truly effective. I was much taken with the smartness • of these shirt-blouses. One in grey and white striped taffetas had dark blue silk buttons in a close row down the front pleat. The whito lawn,'with sido pieces of coarse guipure lace, was beautiful, tne box pleat in front having a most delightful finish in a tiny goffered frill. 1 thought you might ask Mama to choose something for, you when she arrives back in town—just give her tho description of any-' thing I explain to you. I believe, though, tlio silk taffetas would bo sweet on you, and would go with the crepe " skirt you bought last month. You station, folk have such jolly times amongst yourselves that you must feel awfully susceptable to tho fashions, for oven in tho back' country you aro well turned out for dinner and evenings. I dipped into, the oostume department, and had a hurried halfhour of leisure. Oh, my dear, my dear! I make mental pictures of what I should. look liko in the brown Eton and Sicilian, with its simple touch of military braid, and gold galoon embroideries. You kiiow tho shade of brown which is,such a delight to behold? Something hetweon tho chestnut and the sheen of a pheasant's wing. Tho small gold buttons made mo blink (I always did love gold buttons!). Then. I espied~a_ mauve muslin, with its intricacies of. lace insertion and tucks, and my eyes became fixed upon its sweetness 1 Oh, tho very cunning little way it seomed to have, and tho fascination of tho delicacy of .colouring! How simple and girlish muslins are —quite the daintiest of anything, surely. Then there nestled in its box a pink muslin—of a. shrimp tone,'and there was a wistfulness about it which made mo triste—it-'tempted mo, and I nearly fellbut, Belinda, it is nearly the end of the month,and my. purse is slender; and papa is adamant, so' alas 1 Now don't'become excited, but you would simply oxclaim over the theatre coats. I may truly say 1 have never seen anything so perfect in colour and design. Just imagine-yourself in a three-quarter kimono cloth,-' Very soft, and of a most tender shado of: vieux rose!. From the flat oriental collar are" two pieces of silk of the selfsame tono;-having the effect of a tie, the ends being drawn into long gold cords and r tassels —tho sides hanging gracefully in points. • It was valued at five guineas, and was utterly charming. Another in a faint smoke-blue cloth, had tho collar and cuffs of dull black silk, with ! jewelled embroideries. From the collar straight over the shoulder, and continuing down to tho. erid of the large kimono sleeve) was black silk braid. Most unusual wore tho sides. They wero open and fastened by heavy bluo cords and. large blue and black buttons. I was puzzled as to which of the two I liked the best. A very handsome three-quarter sac coat of black silk taffetas was enveloped in rich guipure lace, the collar • having- _. ; a dainty ruftlo of satin and chiffon. This , is suitable, of course, for an elderly lady. I grew inquisitive'' amongst the linens— mauves, greens, blues, pinks, and. creams, every colour, all so dclicato. . You say in your recent . letter that Dorothy Fane wore a saxe blue voile at tha Nortons' garden party last week. Tho nows was stale. I had seen an account of the affair in the Hawke's Bay social notes. I might whisper that this was ono of tho gowns I described in a previous epistle, and I hoard indirectly that she was tho best-gowncll guest! I caught a glimpso of a mulberry-toned silk voilo whilst on my Economic exploration. I grew charmed. It is a perplexing shado to describe, but I was awaro of the peculiar charm. Shoulder straps wero tormed of satin ribbon in a brighter shado (you know how satin lights up a thing, arid when mingled with _ a _ dim material the sheen and glimmer is intensified). Lace of the same colour was introduced across tho front of the bodico,' which was but slightly pouched. The skirt, full and very graceful, had three rows of tho satin bands running around just above tho hem. This gown is displayed in tho window, and is about tho prottiest I havo yet seen in any of tho stores. Do send me word to pick you out a few gowns and gow-gaws, you'd set tho other .girls' hearts a-fire! Suppose you will sigh, and toll mo tho prico or wool has been low this last season, and that your pere is grumpy! Alas and alack, but; ha isn't broke! Belinda, I am pledged for a bridge party to-morro\v evening. Think how splendid

tho white chiffon I purchased during ' th« recent sale will.look. And mine hostess has - 1 confided oyer a cup of tea, that she is wearing the black taffetas I admired and • described, which was shown at the Economia'-.: a week or so ago. :t '--x • By the way, you also mentioned in your ; ' last something about sending for the pala green voile pinafore frock I spoke about. My dear, you are too late, it is gone, arid ■ some other girl will look sweet.-• Suffer! Give my love to the kiddies—wouldn't . they liko the toy-land? Im'a- : gino your rooms'with their purchases 1 Toy« land , and the Tower, of Babel 1 ' To-morrow is Dominion Day, and five hun« dred kiddies to arrive by the train to-night, to join in the great procession. For to-night, ; au revoir! GEM. ' > (Please tell Mama • that papa is becoming lively—only three days to her home-coming : —tho darling!) '