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Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 48, 27 February 1911, Page 9

Women In Print.

Things done well, and with care, exempt themselves from fear, —Shakespeare.

Their Excdlencies Lord and Lady 1 Islington, with Miss Stapleton-Cot/tion, j arrived from the South, on Sunday. JNliss Amy Castles, who arrives on Wednesday "from Nelson, is to be given a reception at tie Grand Hotel on Friday ev-ening. The hostesses are Mesdames R- M'Kenzie, D. j\L Findlay, F. Dyer, Robert Loughnan, Knox G-ihner, and A. E. Donne. Miss Margaret Simpson left this morning to join a party for the "climb of Mount Ruapehu. Mr. and Miss Wilson, of Bulls, are of the number. Mrs. Harry Gor© -went with Mr. Gore to Auckland this morning. Mrs. M'Gavin has returned to Wellington. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward are back from their southern trip. Dr. and Mrs. Truby King (Dunedin) and Dr. and Mrs. Baar (Nelson) loft to-day for Auckland and the conference. The Misses. Coleridge have returned from Nelson, and are staying at Balmoral. Dr. and Mrs. Hassell left on Thursday for Auckland, where the doctor attends the Medical Conference. The' Misses Hassell, of Oamaru, are staying in the doctor's house at Porirua. Mrs. Morice arrived in Wellington yesterday by the s.s. Maori, and is staying with her mother, Mrs. Seddon. She intends returning South at the end of the week. Mr. T. Seddon, M.P., will accompany her. Quite a numoer of dauntless spirits, in spite of the outrageous wdather conditions, attended the Highland bazaar on Saturday, and were rewarded by a brigjht, ga<y evening. The dreary Skating Rink was transformed into a picturesque 'scene, with prettily-decorated staflls, flags, and foliage, and tie tartan and ba-gpipes added the finishing touches.. The Hon. T. Mackenzie opened the bazaar, and then a varied aid interesting programme with a decidedly Scottish flavour was enjoyed, Mr. H. Percival Clark's Orchestra, Mr. Duncan's Orchestra, and Mr. J. G. Turner's String Band all giving items. Neither did the boisterous weather daunt the enthusiasm of the Girl Peace Scouts on Saturday, for many were present to enjoy the entertainment in the -schoolroom "of Kent-terrace Church, given bj the members of the council, and specially arranged by Mrs. Macarthy., Mrs. Kane, and Mrs. Elliott. Tfhe girls looked neat and w orkw omanlike in their belted kharki and their jaunty cavalier hats. At present, owing to the real tint of cloth running short, there is a dhersity in colour, "but all were trim, and obedient to their motto: "Always ready !" It is excellent training and discipline, and the bright eyes and cheeks and high spirits bear eloquent witness to its worth. The programme was interesting, some items by the girls themselves being enthusiastically received, notably a sweetly-sung storysong without accompaniment. Miss Har-dinge-Maltby and Miss Amy Kane delighted the girls with a clever little play. Mrs. Quick presided. Apologies were received from Lady Ward, Mrs. D. Nathan,, and Mrs. o' Sullivan. Tea — deftly served by the girls — was much enjoyed. Before leaving, hearty cheers were given for their hostesses and entertainers. Just as a detEshment" of the Scouts were putting on their waterproofs, there were smothered shrieks. A rat had caused confusion in their ranks and routed the corps. More terrified than the girls, it vanished before the excitement subsided;. As yet the Girl Peace Scout movement is young, and probably the girls have not been instructed in the correct demeanour required when a rat appears. A quiet wedding took place at St. Mai'k's Church on Saturday, when Mr. M. L. Wilkins, of the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company's staff, was ma-rried to -Miss Teoney Gray, daughter of the; late Mr. George Gray, of Wellington. The Rev. A. M. Johnson officiated. The newest evening head-dresses include the bunch of curls, setting a little out, or rather off the head at the back — a, swathing of ribbon passed at the side through a jewelled buckle being arranged above the revived Stuart fringe. The general effect at once is v delightfully unstudied, and' particularly youthful and picturesque. And a departure that will cause amazement to our country cousins who have not been in town lateiy is the theatre cap. It is rather reminiscent of a bathing cap, of wide-mesh net, caught at the summit by -v dainty decor, afcive device, worked in sequins or mock jewels. At first designed for matinee wear, it has now, in a lighter and more artistic guise-, become an evening adornment. The Western Mail writes : — Mrc. Gertrude Taylor, of San Francisco, one of the great experts in dress, delivered a lecture on "figures" to a thousand nr more of her sex, who had crowded in at her invitation to learn things. Mrs. Taylor had a figure of the Venus rle Milo on the platform, and accepted her as the perfection of feminine beauty. Then she had a dozen living model!*, and demonstrated with them by showing ' what is right and what is wrong in the way of corsetieriiig. Here are some of her words : — "We take the Venus de Milo for our model, and we fashion you accordingly. See how broad her ohest is — how strong and supple her waist. Notice that her hips are narrower than her shoulders. Fa** is a sin against health, and no one can deny that it is also a sia against beauty. Mrs. Taylor went on to say that women did not have to starve, or diet, or conform to the straight up-and-down lines that have the cachet of the prevailing fashion. It all depended simply on scientific corseting. This is to be written of existing and coming modes — they take no thought of the imperfect figure — all being modelled on the assumption that the- female form is divine, and never anything else. No longer may a queen set an ugly fashion to cover up some personal disadvantage, as the democracy says — "please yourself for your own wardrobe, and we shall please ourselves." And yet we haA r e much to be grateful for to Queen Alexandra and the present Queen in this way, both of whom were blessed witu superb figures, and an exquisite ta3te in dress. Steadily is England becoming the Count centre of the world's fashions, Queen Mary being able to lead in this way without the restriction of a superior's _ opposing style. Queen Alexandra led_ in a cramped way because of Queen Victoria, the veneration ior whom was such that she was able to modify stylishnees, even without desiring this. We get a notable instance of it in the shawl, many of which she received from India as a prince's tubute, and one of which she persisted in wearing for a long time, with the result she fastened on to the nation a very unpretty style without intending to. But those days have gone, and fashion now is decreed by artiets, with

I the result if you haven't a perfect figure 1 you must suiter. This, then, bringb me to tho point of exercise and carriage. The athletic girl wins all along til* line, and she who stoops or walks badly must pay the price. Heads up, my sisters, if you want to maintain the right contour viewed from the side; study your eteps and the way your use your feet, if you want to maintain a good carriage * viewed ifom the side, front, of back. One of the most important things to observe is the right placing of each foot, as if you turn your toes cut more than you should it is just as bad as turning them in. Once upon a time every lady careful of her dress wore an apron in the ai'ter- • noon -whan she presided over the tea tray. Her choice of a material lay between satin and muslin, and most often the former was selected ac it was more of protection than the thinner rival, and perhaps the head of the bouse and her daughters wero in former times more economical in their dress £San they are now —certainly they had ftwer clothes than does the fashionable woman to-day. After many years withoub existence, the fancy apron is coming in again, and the hostess and her daughters <year a fanciful protector on afternoons at home. The orthodox name is the j tea-pinofore, and the correct material ' seems usually to be mousseline-de-soie, so that it would not be much protection in 'case of an accident with the tea or , the cream. It is certainly an extremely dainty addition to the frock, and the shape is often suggestive of a tunic for it is carried well round the figure. One of white silk muslin, cut in one piece with deep decolletage, showed the corsage underneath braces of Point de Venice, keeping the apron in position; a band of fine Oriental embroidery outlined it, and a piece of this was placed vertically over the side seam under the arm. The colour of the dress is always important, as it shows through the gossamer apron. Now that the sailor collar is well liked on blouses and i coats and dresses, place for it has been found on the apron, this square piece stretching across the back of • the shoulders as a continuation of the lace braces. Many of the tea-pinafores have no bib, the braces starting from the waist and being carried over the shoulder. Much scope, of course, exists for clever fingers to ring changes in shape and in trimming j and in these days when so much use is made of embroidery, sprays of flowers worked in silk, with petals of fine lace, look extremely dainty and original, and changes can be rung with insertions and incrustations of real lace; straps across the figure attached to the braces are stylish and as a fabric, washing silk makes up especially well. Very considerable interest is being manifested in the coining All-British Shopping Week- for London, to take place during the Coronation season (writes our London correspondent). Arrpngementa are in the Lands of the Union Jack Industries League, and the idea is that all shops shall nhow nothing or offer for sale nothing that is not oi" British manufacture. New Zealand's High Commissioner 'has roiiisenled to become a patron of^ihe sfJieme, and it is interesting to noto that the Royal Family has, ordered that the whole of the fabrics to be used by the Court at thfo Coronation are to be of British manufacture. Manufacturers as well as drapers are now thoroughly interested, in the proposal regarding the All-British Shopping Week, and many of them aio waxing quite enthusiastic. 'Meetings are being held m different centres of Great Britain, and dibcussions take plach regarding things which have been made locally m the past, but which no longer are made in this country on account of cheap foreign competition. Readiness is repressed to revive the local industry, arid other industries—such as lacc-inaking —which seemed to have become almost non-exist-ent, comparatively speaking, are taking fresh heart, and efforts are being made foi- a great exhibition during the allimportant week. All sorts of experiments are being tried for the greater periecting of tha outputs of various factories. In cases whero it has been realised that there is a certain something in foreign sillc and satin that the home products do not possets, decision has been como to to try and do something to rival, or at any rato to equal, any detail that the foreigner now seems able to produce better than we can -do in this country. Roughly apeaking, it has been found that everything necessary in the construction of p, Court gown can. at this moment be made of materials of British workmanship ; the only exception may be in the case of some of the splendid trimmings winch now come to us from abroad, but at a pinch substitutes can be found for these if the wearer; of the dress desires to be thoroughly patriotic. Brazenly unpatriotic will tnc woman be who. during that AU-BritisJi 'Week, buys clothing for herself or 4ier family that is not guaranteed to be of British make, and the same verdict will be passed if she replenishes her stock of kitchen uten&ils with the cheap imported enamel saucepans and kettles made abroad, fiom materials that soon wear through, when she can just as ' easily patronise her own country-workers and buy saucepans and kettles" made in Great Britain. Colonial made goods of all kinds will, of coui'se, be included in ■ the lists catalogued by the vendors. Ono object of the endeavour will be to show the public how much can be produced within the Empire. , ■ i . : i 1 .