WOMAN’S WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 17958, 3 May 1922, Page 9

WOMAN’S WORLD

[By VIVA.]

SEASON’S FASHIONS,

THE RENAISSANCE NOTE. While many of tho biggest dressmakers in Paris liavo yet to maico their revelations, there aro some very marked indications of what is to conic among tho others (writes tho Paris correspondent of the ‘ Manchester Guardian ’). The Renaissance note is even moto clearly defined in all but the specialised dresses, such as those for sport or amusements. Tho cape fa very much to tho fore, • especially with the thin crcpo do chine, or cropo dress. Tho waist follows tho Renaissance line, but ia more dissimulated than was last year the case. Very light stuffs and very heavy rich stuffs, reminiscent of tapestry, aro used about equally. Evening dresses trail and aro draped, particularly from tho sides, but a new feature is the plastering on them, as it were, of rather startling cxeresconscs made of ribbon, pleated into snakes and carves and twists, and of rather marked color. Tho bateau neck is no longer alone. There is tho square neck and tho Medici neck, though without a real Medici collar. Tho Beaii'ice-cum-Danto neck, which is a little rounder than tho bateau, is emphasised. AN ACADEMIC LOOK. Generally speaking, women’s clothes this year, of tho other than formal typo, very much approximate those of men in the fifteen hundreds. There is the long, loose gown with the academic sleeves, tho heavy, almost mantlc-liko gown weighted with broad, thick fur. The length of these gowns—for they are really gowns as opposed to dresses—suggests a soft leather shoo, slightly turned up at the iocs, while tho magnificent girdles only lack a pouch from which to scatter jewels nr gold as largesse. An interesting feature of some of these Renaissance gowns is tho rather close-fitting of the bodice, which is a little longer than the natural waist, or which perhaps exactly reaches tho natural waist. Tiro figure is, of course, far from any suggestion of corset, and the fit, therefore, has to he loose and easy, for all it is a fit. The bodice buttons, or fastens straight down tho middle, and is joined quite plainly to a full and swinging skirt, which is very much fuller at the bottom than at the top, and which reaches to about, boot-tops, The neck is a rather narrow rectangle, the small side being horizontal. The sleeves open fully, as might they belong to Anne Boleyii. On the, material, which is of thick-looking, heavily embroidered silk crepe—again a very mas-culine-looking stuff—aro laid broad bands of fur, round the bottom, round tho rectangular nock, and round the sleeves. The dross is very easy to put. on, excellently suited for the afternoon, and has a swing, when in movement, that is both attractive and dignified. COLORS AND STUFFS. The palest shades are used for evening dresses, and tho material ia crepe do chine with every kind of chiffon and of crepe. Pale grey ; ; are need here, as well as for afternoon dresses. To avoid insipidity which might obtain in tho clinging stuffs and the soft draperies in pale- colors, ornamentation is used which almost pulls up tho dress with a, jerk. There is almost a reversal to the Louis Quinzs stylo with their hud-on ornamentation. Stones and reed,-; and crystals, different-colored ribbon.-!. particularly those with, a touch of metal, girdles of every kind of richness and of a rather iSalome-liko shape are among tho materials which are used to produce this effect, Cropo do chino is also as much used as ever in the afternoon dresses, ami hero the color combinations are very striking. Dark blue and grey, grey and palest yellow, a red that is neither quite henna, nor quite brick, and which can be worn by fair people as; well as dark; every shade of gold and gold-drab, *nd a very becoming all-grey with metal trimming;! or embroidery which resembles old silver more than anything—these arc only a few of the very sub lin color combinations at these first early shows. Of recent years Paris has almost led tho way in sports clothes—at least for everybody except English people, and over, they have succumbed to the charming Paris jersey dress, to which there is this *Voar no exception. Jersey admits admirably of touches of bright color and of rather geometrical embroidery which recalls the Slav influence more strongly than ever. Dark blue jersey, very fine and soft, is cut like a. Russia blouse, to which, a skirt, which is fairly full, but not aggressively so, is attached. The embroidery in red, or in many colors, is stiff and square, ns is also tho general cut of tho dress. CAPES. Hats to match arc. being sold, and so are very pretty little throw-on scarfs, which give tho dress an air of great completeness. Jersey capes, rather straight!)’ gathered across tho shoulder, obviate tho need for the long coat or for tho coat which ia not. really part of tho costume. (Suita aro very plain, hut with touches of brilliant color, whether in the itself or in tho blouse with which it_is worn. Coats are short, and materials incline to a ‘rough rather than a smooth surface. Suit blouses cither have to bo very transparent indeed and made of tuo finest lawns and muslins, or, again, they follow tho Slav model, and aro made of what looks like, unbleached calico stitched in tho brightest colors. Some of tho blouses of this coarse material are among the most .effective of all, and the linking up of the color with that of the suit is very subtle indeed. _ Capes have don© much to discredit tho coat, whilo copying some of its best features. The capo this .reason has copied both tho biouso and tho coat. Discarding sleeves to maintain its cap© character, it is vet very similar to tho long winter coat of silk or velvet which was gathered in round the hips in order to gbe it the ('licet of ail elongated Russian blouse. With thin materials velvet capes are worn, as well as those of the same material. Generally there is a lining in contrasting shades, which again recalls too Renaissance note very forcibly. WOMEN’S VICTORY AND REBUFF. THE LORDS AND THE HOSPITAL. This topsy-turvy world is always generous with 'its paradoxes, but it seldom presents us with one so perfect ns the House of Lords ami the London Hospital have unknowingly combined to producethis week (says the 1 A c.slminster Gazette of a recent'date). The moment whim eeen Woman, in robes and coronet, -sweep to her right-nil place in House of Lords alsrjf secs her summarily cjeetecc from a- medical lecture room. And whereas Lady Rhondda, great though her personal abilities undoubtedly arc, inherited' her place in the national life, tho struggling voting mcdica-1 student is bravely working to win one for herself. IV c arc wholeheartedly glad that Lady Rhondda has succeeded in establishing tho claim of peeresses in their own Tight to sit in the House -of Lords on the same terms as men. She. has thus removed a- ridiculous.anomaly from our political system. Tho professions have been thrown open to women, the House of Commons has admitted- them to its midst. The responsibilities and privileges of citizenship have been given them in full. There was, therefore, not a vestige of an. argument that could bo brought forward; in defence of their exclusion from the House of Lords. Lady Rhondda has rendered! a service to society as well ns to her sex in. taking the initiative to get this absurdity removed. Nevertheless, we hope that when she meets Lord Kiiatsford in the lobby of the House of (Lords she will seize the opportunity for a few quiet but very decided words in defence of the women- medical 1 students.

Eevorts of social functions will be welcomed for this column. *' Turn” will also answer all reasonable questions relating to the home, cookery, domestic economy , and any topic of interest to her sex. But each letter or report must bear the 'writer’s name and address as a guarantee of genuineness, and questions that do not, permit of a public reply cannot he answered. Questions should be concisely put and the writer’s non de plume clearly written.

The record of women in medicine, gravely handicapped 1 as they have been, is already glorious (writes a medical correspondent of the ‘ Observer The years will not roll backwards, and if they could) the public would! bo the loser, At homo audl in India vve r.eodl many medical women. There are plenty of medical men who could readily bo spared if women took their places, Just as many present male politicians conidi similarly be spared. In the caso of motherhood ami childhood, upon which adult and racial health depend, women have a place of ever-grow-ing importance. They are doing superb service in this clinical field, to which all others are really subordinate from tho national point of view, and we cannot do without them. Many oi them are most highly qualified for tho laboratory, with their patience, conscientiousness, and cleft fingers. Most valuable work has been and is being done by medical women _ at tho Lister Institute and under the Medical Research Council. EVOLUTION OF THE SPINSTER. The ‘ Spinster of To-day and a Century Ago ’ formed the subject of a very interesting address delivered at the Women a Freedom League Offices in London by Miss Margaret Hodge, who is a councillor of Hendon. Miss Hodgo pointed cup that today spinster women are often preferred to married women for public work. But a century ago, and many years later, women had to he content with ft position of complete dependence. Miss Hodgo traced the evolution of the spinster through the literature of tho eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, from Ficldiug to Arnold Bennett. The change from tho general attitude to women which demanded that they should 1 he petite and timid, and, in fact, the Western replica of Chines© women all hut dress, eame 'uitn Sydney Smith, who urged that women should ho hotter educated and given better opportunity for healthy development. Buskin and Herbert Spencer, following, did yeoman sendee for women. it began to dawn upon people that a woman mi gilt have a life apart from uiat of gaining tho love of man. Cna.rlotte Bronte, tho apostle of freedom for women, broke against tho traditions when also showed 'us spinsters who did admirable work for the poor. In tho days of Mary Woolstonecrait failure in the marriage market meant failure in the main aim of life. M oman to-day was as conscious of the value of being an individual entity as a, man. She was less ready to merge her life in man .u hut was all the readier to devote herself and her life to a. great idea, or to some form oi public service. The. capacity for friendship among her own sex enabled her to escape worse evils than poverty and dependence, and writers a century hcnco would he able to cite, many parallels among women of the devotion of David and Jonathan. A spinster was no longer condemned to a life of loneliness and poverty and neglect because of her celibacy. Mary Cholmondelcy had recognised this fact many years ago in ‘Bed Pottage.’ PERSONAL. Tho death lias taken place at Hamilton of Mrs Catherine Von Stunner, widow of Mr F. J. Von Stunner, a former editor of the ‘ Waikato Times.’ She kid been a resident of tho district for ov’- fmSt-i: years. Tho deceased, who war- fov-My-eix years of age, is survived by three so,is and a daughter—viz., Messrs W. Vun Sfunncr (Dunedin), F. U. Von Stunner {Auckland), and K. Von Stunner (Bank of New Zealand, Hamilton), and Mrs 11. L. Gaze (Hamilton). HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. Lemon Sponge (by request). —Take two ounces of gela tine, two pints of water, four eggs (whites only), twelve ounces of loaf sugar, six lemons. Dissolve the gelatine in tho water, add the rind of two lemons and sugar. Simmer for fifteen minutes, add tho jnipe of the lemons, then strain it all. Stir it well, and when it cools and begins to stiffen stir in the well-whipped whites of the eggs. Put in a, wet mould, turn out when cold, and garnish with rough mounds of whipped cream.

Spanish Cream (by request).—Required: A quart of milk, four or fivo eggs, half a cup of sugar, ono ounce gelatine, a dessertspoonful of butter, flavoring to i-nsto. vanilla, lemon, or codec -essence, Rock the gola-tino in a cupful of water, boil the milk and dissolve the gelatine, stirring it well, and bring it nearly to the boiling point again. Cool, and add flavoring and the whites of the eggs beaten stiffly. Place in a, wet mould, and turn out when set.

Simple Shortbread.—Required: Half a pound of butler, half a pound of castor sugar, two ounces of rice flour, fourteen ounces of four, -a. pinch of salt. Cream tho butter and sugar, and -work in the flour ami rice- (lour, mix into a stilt dough. Divide and roll out- about half an inch thick, pinch tho edges with finger and thumb, and prick evenly over with a fork. Bako a light golden color, using sheets of white paper. Bake about half an hour. Apple Shape.-—Take 211) of apples, one cup of water, eight small cups of sugar, ono lemon, and half an ounce of gelatine. Peel and core Hie. apples, and boil to s, pulp with the rind, a. few cloves, and the, iuico of the lemon. Then add- tho gelatine, after it has been soaked. Mix all well together, remove the .rind and cloves, ami put- into a, wet mould, and leave to set. This pudding is much improved if frozen. CURING CHILDREN’S “ LITTLE TRICKS.” I. Children often develop “tricks,” some dependent on bad health and others arc just habits. .The latter do not require the doctor’s aid, nor yet a lot of patience. ,t Jittio dose of sarcapm has sometimes, succeeded, and “poking fun” may effect ft cure. But one lias to lie sure, of the cans* of the “trick” first. An appeal to manliness or a, taunt evil] often cure a- hoy of a silly habit, as, forp instance, when Jncky, "aged eight, peristed) in sucking his thumb.' “Oh, we can’t Mot Jncky go. They’d t-hinlc we'd brought the baby,” said a saucy eider brother. Jacky never forgot the taunt, and; ho soon ceased sucking liis thumb. Sarcasm cured where pleading .bad failed. 11. /Then there- was the- little- girl who- would, nails. She had been scolded l until mother was tired of scolding. 1 tried an appeal to vanity as a change. Instead of manicuring my nails in, the privacy of my bedroom, I took my cut-lit into tho schoolroom audi let my charge match, the operations. She became interested and made comparisons. Look at my little moona peeping up, Dora-g’, fM any. “.And don’t they shine beautifully? Oh, I like my pretty nails!” Of course, Dora began to wish that she had pretty nails, too, and that was what 1 wanted. I assured her that she, could have them, only she must begin at. once, for very soon her nails would be quite spoilt. . 'The next step was the purchase of a. dear little outfit, rand alter that she. and I had competitions. Her bad: habit was soon cured, and a good 1 one. firmly established 1 in its stead.

WOMAN AS EQUAL—OR CHATTEL? WHY THE MARRIAGE SERVICE MUST BE CHANGED. [By Edwahd Cecil, in *• Sunday Pictorial.’] The position of woman in Christian marriage, in so far as it is defined in tho mar. riago services ot the Churches, is not an enviable one. To say the least of it, it is utterly out of date. In actual fact, it is really very seldom realised. If it wore, I believe that very few modern girls and women would consent to be married in places of worship with the services now insisted upon by tho various Churches said over them. At long last some sort of attempt lias been made by the national Church to bring its marriage service into lino with modern thought and Christianity as understood by the twentieth century post-war mind, and not ns understood by tho mind of tho Middle Ages. It is not, I consider, anything but a very timid attempt, but still it is an attempt. At the marriage of Princess Mary tho service was altered from its hitherto unchanged, and, as some would have had us suppose, unalterable wording. It is truo that, the promise to obey was still retained, despite the recent courageous protest of tho chaplain of tho Chapel Royal, Savoy. The promise to obey is antiquated gibberish, belonging to tho dust and cobwebs of tho Middle Ages. No happilymarried man over dreams of insisting upon its fulfilment, and no girl or woman worth tier salt really means it. But tho exhortation to those presenting themselves to be married and to those assembled was very considerably changed. Tho second of tho three causes was amplified by a very unfortunate description of those choosing to live married lives as “those who are not called of God to remain unmarried,” seeming to imply that celibacy is a higher stage in the Christian life than married life, a view which is an outrage on tho very best in human nature. it is impossible to suppose that these alterations, timid and tentative in the extreme, are tho final word in revision of tho marriage service of tho Church of England. Tho “ causes ” want rearranging in order of importance. But it may bo urged, especially by members of tho Free Churches, that verbal alterations in tho service of the national Church do not greatly matter. From this view I dissent, Tho status of woman in Christian marriage concerns all tho Churches. What relation is woman placed in with regard to man in the married stats in Christian life? This is a tremendous question, bearing in mind the fact that the Churches still tench the subservience of woman to man, though politically, socially, and, move or less, economically equality is admitted. Can tho Churcho continue to hold their present view of marriage? Dare they recede from their position? Wo come now to the increasing popularity of the purely civil or register office marriage, partly duo, I believe, to the revulsion of feeling against tho religious conception of the subservience of woman to man. It is a great stumbling-block in the way of religious marriage. After all, say many, the register office marriage satisfies the law. Why go to church and pretend what one does not believe? Now, it really is to be hoped that people will continue to get married religiously. It is bettor in every way that marriage should start in early life as a union—-nut a bond, let alone a, cast-iron bond—which may be permanent. There is little room for idealism in the register office. Tho sanction of religion not only purifies marriage, it also strengthens marriage. That is why (he Churches would do well to revise their marriage services so that lliey should not offend those who believe in equality between the sexes in marriage. Tho old-fashioned idea, is that a woman, when she marries, becomes tho property of her husband, and that she should "obey him. This idea, is dead—outside the Churches. Is it essential to Christianity that it should remain alive in religious marriage services? Tins is a question which the ('hurclies must face and answer—and particularly the national Church. HEALTHY DRESSES, “WOOL TOO STIMULATING FOR THE I!FD-IL',H!ED.” In a lecture on ‘The Hygiene of Drees,’ at tho British institute, of Hygiene., Dr J. It Halls Dally .-aid that in quite genera! terms the modern tendency was for men to wear too much and for women to wear too little. Children, as well as tho aged, ho said, were highly susceptible to fluctuations in temperature. All garments should bo loose and light., and some had conductor of heat, each as wool, should bo worn next Hie skin. But people with livedv circuiaiions, tin so with rod 1 hair and very sensitive skin-, ( ,>\ subjects, and those with high I ,o d pie-mire, and the early grades of aita o m 'eio.ris, found wool too ’ stimulating. Many young girls habitually underclothed. That, led to lowering of resistance, which was a frequent starling point lor consumption. Tho pi-acrf-co could' not Se 100 strongly condemned' of going about ni turn sli .es and si ! k stockings in cold and n.imp v.r.ato.or. fbo sole oi a- woman's shot: Humid lit; i lirco-idxtccuihs of an inch, and, for walking in bad weather, llio sole a ho-aid never ini less than ],u good quality leather. Tho ki.lt, sometimes regarded b’v llie Lowlcinder as a chilly' garment, was jii.-.l jhe opposite, and for’ women the kilted skirt v.,i- admuable for spark and winter wear. F.SLL IN LOVE WITH PHOTOGRAPH. A seventeen •year-old sir! in Leeds (England;, Miss Audrey Fieldliour-e, who lives with her mol her at Fcatiierbank lane, i lor.dor! n, ,s 1 lie heimnc M a. roinaiu e which savors of ilm popular novelette. Miss 1-ic. dhous-e was one of the winners a few montliß ago in a beauty competition, and following the publication of her photograph sho received hundreds of letters troin a, dm irons in England, Ireland, and, America. Not a. few contained propos'd;; of marriage. One of them, “somehow subtly cliifermit ” from the rest, came from Mr A. IV. Fenton, who wrote, from London, and added as a postscript, “Burn this letter if it annoys you.” Five weeks’ confiderarion led -Miss Fieklbotasc to reply ( t;» the lelter, and a. correspondence sprang > up. 'then Mr Fenton travelled north to I liorsfoilh to visit .Miss .I'ichihmiso, and 1 following ],is visit she wont south to his 1 home to spend a. week-end. Mr Fenton is a foil of Eir Michael William Fen ton, K. and Lady Fenton, of Body Oak, Northwood, Middlesex. During Miss Ficldhouso’s stay in Middlesex Die couple became engaged, and the preparations (says the ‘Daily Chronicle ’) aio now going forward (or their marriage on. April 25. PHOTOGRAPHS IK THE HOMS. When framing a, photograph tho mount 'should never be cut in any way. Either remove it altogether or leave it as it is. If it is oneo cut, no matter how slightly, the proportions will be spoilt, and the general dumb will be displeasing. It is to obviate this ihax- no many photographers like to frame their own productions. Tho material for the frame is .also very important; and, with a very dow exceptions, the ■darker and plainer it is kite belter. Gilt frames should be need only for warm colon; and miniatures, where an added depth and warmth of tone is needed ; and fhowloro they arc not suitable for photos. Silver, on account of its brilliancy, is inclined to dtK.'i from line photograph which it frames. Photographs give a personal, individualistic touch to a room, but too many produce an, overpowering effect. ‘Surely it would be more satisfactory to have, say, half a dozen well-framed examples out at ■ q> time, and to change them periodically. By that means the housewife would never grow tired of seeing the same face staring at her day after day.