Chat From Paris

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 70, 19 September 1936, Page 19

Chat From Paris

SPRING ADVANCES

. Even when spring has made her entry, with a little gust and a flourish, suits' are among the essential things. The discreeter women who know their Paris have even retained firm hold on their woollies. I saw one last week on a day when the lovely brand-new sunhght was cut by a little wind,, and its cosiness made me envious. Not a bit of fashion interest was forfeited in the brief—three inches below the waist —and carefully fitted, double-breasted jacket. It was carried out in an unusual colour scheme that seemed to be perfect seasonally—lime green, with slim skirt, buttons, and broad leather belt of black. The collar was the collar of a small boy's "reefer" —and I fancy i£ was double and stiffened, for it stood up jauntily, about the neck in just that way. Black tiny hat of crumpled felt, loose crown pulled forward in a' tilt over the eyes, and a simple very harrow line of knitted ."ribbon" in the lime green, looped in the front again and again, rosette-wise. Knit-wear can always be right apparently,' if one is careful to remember the small, but so • important, fashion detail such as "directoire skirts and no Jtiip seams, square wood buttons, wood buckles, gauntlets, and the bright cravat." CONCERNING STREET SUITS. A street suit that took all my attention on the Boulevard was daringly attractive. : But though the colour note was in this case indisputably right the charm lay also in its originality. The frock was in Venetian red wool crepe, loose three-quarter, Chinese-cut sleeves with the outer edges slit up -an inch or two to reveal a sleeve lining of "mustard" goid. The skirt was cut with front seam and .pleat and had two front pockets, neat and set rather high. The bodice buttoned with innumerable small round buttons right to the neck and was cut to curve naturally over to resemble a Peter Pan collar. But the attraction lay in the small waist-long jerkin—cut in mustard'gold suede, banded in at the waist, and secured with a large button. The square neck was rather high in pinafore fashion and buttoned' on either side. This unusual scheme, both of cut and colour, was conspicuous even in a •street of smart women and had its own distinct, air of comfort and youthfulness. The new grey that has so much of yellow in its mixing would be a delightful; alternative for Venetian red—and would still make subtle contrast with the mustard. It is amazing how black lingers this year. It is as though it were too successful, too useful, too, perhaps, to relinquish. But it is, of course, manipulated for the spring demands. The dash of colour that must always accompany it is .clear and violent—lacquer red, sheer emerald, and the bright new orange-pink that has found its-way everywhere of late. Cravat, belt, bag, gloves—somewhere you will find'the essential sheer colour that is fashion's homage to the spring. NEW NECK "DECORS."

Narrow "material" ribbons are worn about the throat and looped in front with many loops—or a brief scarf, looped once but securely and with pointed ends flying. One of the most attractive neck arrangements I have seen was the invention of one of our smart women who insist on being individualists as well. , It was a largespreading flower, with dinted petals like the under one of the pansy, cut in' bright felt. Though' the many

By Margaret Manet.

petals diminished in size they were not towards the centre but higher, so that the "fulness," as it were, came almost against the throat. The idea is admirable worn with the highishcut tailored suit, or. would be equally interesting giving the colour to an otherwise . dimly-tinted frock. ', So much, can be done, so, by the woman with the knack to copy or be experimental. Neck bows —that must at all costs be stiff—have been cut from all the glossy-surfaced things,

even to patent leather. ' Similar adventures have been carried out on hats that demand their "forward" decoration, but the fashion note is "glossy on flat, or dull," A narrow tie of white patent leather on a "shapeless" hat of dull but rich black felt M very effective by way of rejuvenation, especially if assisted by a short fringe of crisply-lacquered veil. SIMPLER SHOES. Nothing frivolous has Happened yet about shoes, though sandals were too successful last year not'to extend the vogue into another. Until then we are content with the compromise of the simple Court with the not too elegant heel. EASTERN TUNICS. The Eastern influence is still everywhere apparent in the near-three-quarter tunics that give' such distinction to the not-quite-new frock. They are made in the stiff materials now, of

pique and linen, and are worn flaring crisply out in straight lines over slim dark skirts. Here again black and white leads the way—black frock under skirt, black hat and broad belt clipping in the already shaped waist of a tunic, patterned perhaps largely in black and white with a. diverting spot of colour thrown in for gaiety. For this is necessary the little upright Chinese collar and the fully-gathered, slightly high-puffed sleeve shape'd quickly to a long slim wrist. Never at any .time a- pocket. The tunic >thf t fashion has .adopted is for ; elegance onlyl..■'',. '?'' n .;,. '■'. ,'''.■.■"■' .■, ''.'■■."'.';..

TRY SOME OF THESE

Nut Scones.—Cream together two and a half ounces of butter and three ounces of castor sugar; add a beaten egg, and continue beating until light and creamy. Sift, together six ounces of plain I .flour, a, good pinch of salt, and half, a : teaspoonful of . cinnamon, and gradually work in with the butter and sugar. Dissolve half a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda.in, a little boiling watery and/beat quickly in with the rest of the ingredients. Then stir in three' ounces of chopped walnuts;' one ounce of .blanched chopped almonds, and four ounces of roughly, chopped sultanas. The mixture should be stiff, but if too stiff,: add just a little milk. Put,in small rough heaps on a greased oven sheet.and bake for about fifteen minutes in a fairly hot oven.

Almond Gingerbread—Add a pinch of salt to half a pound of plain, flour and sift into a bowl.' RubVin four ounces of butter and sprinkle in; a tablespoohful of ground ginger, a dessertspoonful of mixed spice, and three ounces of castor sugar. Warm-a breakfastcupful of golden syrup and beat three eggs with it, add to the butter and flour and beat well. Blanch and split three ounces of almonds and add to the mixture. Lastly, dissolve a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of . soda in. three tablespoonfuls of warm milk, add quickly to the mixture, and mix thoroughly. Pour at once into a shallow tin lined with greased paper (a meat tin will do excellently) and bake in a moderate oven for thirty to forty minutes.

Lettuce Soup—Lettuce leaves which are not good enough for a salad should be used for making soup. Take the equivalent in leaves of two large lettuces and boil them in salted water till they are tender. Then pass them through a fine sieve and put the puree into a'pan, adding sufficient milk to make the quantity of soup required. Bring it to the boil and season-with pepper and salt. Then take the pan oft the fire and stir in the yolk of an egg beaten up with a tablespoonful of cream, but do not let the "soup boil after the egg has been added or it will curdle.

Greentree Layer Cake.—Cream together half a cupful of butter and one and a quarter cupfuls of sugar. Then beat in two eggs alternately with two cupfuls of flour, using a little milk if necessary and adding a teaspoonful of baking powder with the last spoonful of flour. Flavour with a few drops of vanilla essence and pour the sponge mixture into a prepared tin. Bake in a moderate oven till well risen and nicely browned. "When cold, cut across into'three and sandwich the layers together with the following filling. Cream thoroughly six tablespoonfuls of butter and add gradually three cupfuls of sieved icing sugar and eight tablespoonfuls of cocoa. Spread thickly between the layers and also put a thin layer on the top. With a rosepipe icing up and down the sides of the cake to represent the bark of a tree and cover the top with chopped pistachio nuts.