For the Ladies.

Evening Star, Issue 6915, 30 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

For the Ladies.

Mr Augustus Harris has written to Alfred Thompson, who is now permanently located in New York, to design a “ beauty procession ” for his next pantomime. It is said that over 300 people will take part in the procession, in which every celebrated beauty, from Helen of Troy to Mrs Langtry, will be represented. An English gentleman recently received a novel bouquet from a lady admirer. Vegetables only were used in its production, as follows Carrots in two shapes (long and short), radishes the same, Brussels sprouts, varigated Scotch kale and the broad-leaved Hatavian variety, parsley being used instead of the usual fern frond seen in ordinary bouquets. The whole, including the holder, measured fifteen inches in diameter, and was mounted in the usual w y with wires. It is probable (says ‘ The World ’) that the bridesmaids of the Princess Beatrice will be her nieces—the daughters of the Prince of Wales and of the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Princess Irene of Hesse. The wedding is to take place at Osborne during the Queen’s summer residence, either the week before Goodwood or early in August, and the happy pair will accompany Her Majesty to Balmoral after their honeymoon, which is to be passed in the Isle of Wight —probably at Quarr Abbey, near Ryde, the seat of Lady Cochrane, whose daughter is to be appointed lady-in-waiting to the Princess.

Lord Carnarvon, although favorable to the object, has declined to introduce the Women’s Suffrage Bill in the House of Lords.

Any lady may dye her soiled gloves without difficulty and at a very trifling cost by the following recipes For black : First brush the gloves with alcohol; when dry brush them again with a decoction of logwood ; when this is dry repeat the logwood wash, and after ten or fifteen minutes dip them into a weak solution of green vitriol. If the color be not yet black a little fustic may be added to the logwood. The gloves should be thoroughly rubbed with a mixture of pure olive-oil and French chalk as they begin to dry, to give them a smooth, soft, and glossy appearance ; they should then be wrapped in flannel and placed under a heavy weight. Should there be any holes in the gloves they must he carefully mended before commencing the dyeing process ; and the tops also should be sewn up to prevent any of the dye getting on the inside. Gloves can be dyed brown by using a decoction of fustic alum and Brazil wood ; this should be applied in the same manner as the foregoing. A decoction of sumac and a very weak solution of green vitriol produce grey, greenishgrey being obtained by the addition of logwood and fustic to the sumac. Fancy shades can be produced by using the unaline colors in solution; they can be simply applied with a sponge. Thus soiled gloves may be made as good as new. “Silver Pen” writes to the ‘Auckland Herald “ Lustra painting is the latest craze amongst the Californian ladies. It is painting on velvet or plush with bronze. Of this also I could send a specimen, witli materials, which are simply bronze powders put on with a particular kind of liquid. I don’t suppose it is to be had in Auckland, being an American invention. The painting on plush with these bright substances is most exquisite in effect. A large firescreen, with plush centre, and putting ornamentations on the top, makes a splendid addition to a drawing-room. Almost everyone makes her own vases now-a-days, and most beautiful they are. Cornices, pictureframes, etc,, in pottery, and mantle drapes, lambrequiuc, table scarfs, etc., in lustra painting go far to furnish a room in the most elegant manner. Painting on felt with oil colors is also a very rich and not expensive fashion. In this you simply draw the pattern, and paint with oil color, brightening it up witii brocade, a new glistening substance, in all colors—very beautiful indeed. Fish-scale embroidery is another new design. The fish-scales are washed and dried, and cut out in patterns of leaves and flowers, then sewed on velvet with thick silk or gold thread. The effect is lovely, and not expensive at all.” The Melbourne correspondent of an Invercargill contemporary writes : —“ln order to relieve the gentle chronic dulness that as a rule pervades in a certain metropolitan scholastic establishment sacred to a leading religious body, whose chief pride is in the inflexibility of their standards of belief and the straiglitlaccdness of their moral code, the young lady boarders a short time ago improvised a fancy dress ball. For days beforehand preparations were made, costumes improvised, and a store of creature comforts laid in, in order that the programme of ‘ ball and supper ’ might be carried out in its integrity. At the very ‘ witching hour of night’ when, etc., etc. (see Shakespeare) the fair inmates of the establishment donned their costumes and tripped it merrily to the sounds of the pianoforte, at the conclusion of their terpsichorean exorcise adjourning for refreshment after the orthodox and approved fashion ; the while the principal, little dreaming of “ the high life below stairs ” being carried on under his very nose, lay serenely enjoying the sleep of the just. Indeed, if Rumor be not the lying jade she is generally reported to be, he is, at the present moment, profoundly ignorant of the little game that has (and not for the first time either) been played under his roof. The dances took place to the sounds of a Collard and Collard,”

Thu Royal University of Ireland, which conferred an honorary degree in music on the Princess of Wales, has been the first examining body to admit ladies to that honor. Last October, Miss Charlotte Taylor became the first Bachelor of Music in the three kingdoms. On the same day she took also her 8.A., which is compulsory. Miss Taylor’s exercise was a cantata on verses from the STth Psalm. Forty friends sang tho vocal parts, and Miss Taylor accompanied on tho organ, no orchestra being available. Sir Robert Stewart, who claimed the young lady as a pupil, wielded the baton, and the performance was an entire success. So eagerly have the advantages of a university degree been seized by Irish ladies that last October no less than eighty-one matriculated, not one who presented herself failing to pass the examinations. LONDON FASHIONS. Whether it ha that many families arc in mourning, or that Lenten dress is more than usually adopted, certain it is that black is very generally worn both by day and night. In the morning it is in neat cloth or serge tailor-made costumes; in the afternoon in cashmere, velvet, or broche; and in the evening in tulle, lace, and brocades of all kinds, profusely trimmed with beaded embroideries, lace, clusters of feathers, and velvet flowers. The departures from black are dark reds, greens, and a new shade of dark brown, A handsome material, with broad alternate stripes of canvas and velvet, is beginning to be«used for skirts, with the jdain material draped over it, and velvet cull's and waistcoats. When used for smart toilettes, a narrow’ gold braid, plain or in rings, is sometimes arranged up each side of the velvet lines, and the bonnet is trimmed to match. In two shades of brown, in red and dark gendarme blue, and in rich green, these costumes look remarkably w’ell. These stiped materials will be fashionable this season. The delicate pale green, with a yellowish tinge, entitled “ Chartreuse,” Is a new color, which will probably find more favor than its rival, apple green. Feathers and grasses, ribbons, and even straw for hats and bonnets are prepared in the former shade, so that later on, when hot summer requires a cool color, we may expect to see it in its beauty. Pink, so dear to many hearts and so becoming to fresh young beauty, will be worn, but m a different shade than we have hitherto seen it. Navy blue will be os popular os last season, either plain or with a variety of red, white, or grey designs over it, and the smart little mantelettes that have been, and still are, so popular in plush, will be made of the dress material, and trimmed with woollen lace of the same color. Also short, tightfitting jackets, with a chain-stitched design in the same colored silk all over them, sleeves and all.

Satin is not so passed out of fashion but what it will lie worn, but faille, gross rain, and poult de soie are more decidedly in vogue. Brocade has been brought out with some new features; the patterns are arranged to present the appearance of embroidery in the weaving. Bars, stirrups, coral, and geometric patterns of many kinds are scattered on a silk ground. Yeloutine is a distinctive novelty of the season. It is as soft as bcngaline and Sicilicnnc, only of a firmer make, more glossy, with the sheen of satin. Armures still are d la mode, particularly masootte, os it is called, with a satin-like effect, not unlike satin de Lyon, with ribs. Cashmere Parisienne is another variety. Most of the most beautiful specimens of these new silks have been dyed at Coventry and woven at Manchester. Some of the more fashionable colors are leather, stone, or, as it is now called, caf6 au lait, b6ge, bright violet or petunia, salmon pink, bronze, and olive, yellow shades, from canary to old-gold, Indian sky, lichen, moss, myrtle, mahogany, navy blue, and all shades of brown. Large stripes—indeed, stripes of all kinds —are worn, and will continue to be much the fashion ; but these stripes are used for the skirts of dresses, the plain material to match for the bodice ana drapery, Ti.e stripes are of distinctive color, often satin on a plain ground. Fris6 brocade, the pattern well covering the fabric, is used for bodices and drapery with plain skirts. This frisd brocade, the pattern upstanding like terry, is one of the handsomest fabrics of the day. The ground and design match mostly in tone, and silk and satin grounds prevail. This will be extensively used for presentation and wedding gowns. The public may accept this new veloutine witli confidence. When made up it will neither pull at the elbows or shoulders, nor will it rustle. It is, in fact, a double silk—■ a silk on a silk. The combinations of color in stripes to wear with it are particularly happy, such as huge and myrtle-green, dark grey on silver grey, bronze and moss, slate and red, drab and brown, light brown and red, and black and red, myrtle and tabac, the tone of tol acco. Failles with shot grounds arc made up with striped velvets, thrown on the same grounds ; the stripes are mostly fancy ones, two or three tones mixed. There is a decided disposition to blend very varied colorings, but the changes arc all rung on the soft-ribbed silks and faille. Veloutine bard is a double-ribbed silk, which is made up to great advantage with velvet; for velvet, even in hot weather, will continue to be worn all the year. Geometric patterns are far more worn than floral, and many small ones in two or three colors arc woven on light silk grounds, and made up with the plain material.