WOMAN’S WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 18533, 16 January 1924, Page 3

WOMAN’S WORLD

[Hr VIVA 4

Reports o! sodal functions will be welcomed for this column. Viva will also answer all reasonable questions relating to the coekery, 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 P“^ ic r TL c ® answered. Questions should be concisely put and the writers nom do plume clearly written.

ENGLISH FASHIONS.

THEATRICAL SUGGESTIONS. Recent theatrical productions have not only given insight into the autumn drosses, but even hint at what may be expected next year (says an English correspondent). At Drury Lane the sporting melodrama ‘Good Luck’ was expressly “dressed” to foreshadow Ascot fashions eight months hence. If Mr Reville is right, ankle-length frocks following the straight lino will be general next summer, though occasionally some daring woman will be allowed to test the effect of a spreading skirt. Gold lace and silver and other metallic fabrics will be common, as will painted fabrics. That delightful actress, Miss Ellis Jeffreys, who is playing tho paid of a sporting duchess at Drury Lano, wore the prettiest of these drosses. One of her gowns was of Persian red, decorated with embroidery and worn with a long beaver-trimmed coat to maid:. Miss Jeffreys suggested the possibility of a coming crazo for metallic materials by carrying a parasol with chameleon-shot taffetas edged with silver and gold, and having a prettily-painted handle. Only less remarkable than the stage dresses at Old Dmry were tho frocks in the front of tho house during tho first night. Indeed, first nights tore perhaps the most popular social functions of the Little Season.

The production of ‘Hassan’ by Elroy Flecker attracted a remarkable audience, os did tho production of ‘Catherine,’ with music by Tschaikowsky, at tho Gaiety Theatre. Both plays afforded opportunities for rvonderful dress effects, the gorgeous Eastern effects of ‘ Hassan ’ vying with the Russian coronation scene at Peter tlie Great's Court. Catherine was played by Miss Jose Collins, an actress, dancer, and singer, who can hold her own with any woman on the light opera stage today. It took twelve girls a month to bow tho 60,000 diamonds, set in silver thread upon white satin, on to Catherine’s coronation robe. The effect of tho bodiamonded robe, with Its train syds long in raspberry-colored velvet and ermine, was remarkable.

Another expert discusses three-piece ideas, and says: One of the newest threepiece notions is the long-bodiced coat frock with the übiquitous knife-pleated skirt and a hipcoat of velvet. In black, mole, or tete-de-negre this can be a most successful scheme, and with it is usually worn the little high-crowned hat quaintly reminiscent of the Dircctoire bonnet. This is a millinery note, however, that is limited to the small and regular featured type. The alternative and more universally acceptable chapeau is the new Breton sailor, with a simple ribbon band and side bow. Very smart and businesslike sports suits of quiet tweed mixtures vie with the attractions of the knitted coat and skirt. The tweed costume is made with a noticeably short coat adorned with tan leather buttons and leather hip pockets, Norfolk-belted and pleated, and with a tan kid piping edging the collar and cuffs. The skirt, widely and elaborately pleated, is a joy to walk in. A little pull-on hat of snedo or soft undressed leather shows a long, stiff quill sharply outstanding from the underbrim at the right-hand side.

GIRDLES OF ANTIQUITY. In Rome a man without a girdle stamped himself thereby as a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow, while it was the girdle which made a vital distinction between matron and maid. Roman girls wore girdles of white wool, curiously knotted, as emblem of their girlhood, and the unknotting of the bride’s girdle by the bridegroom was an important part of the marriage ceremony. As a matron she. did not wear a girdle at all, and it was left for the adornment of the men.

When the Master of the Cavalry rode abroad ho attracted the eyes of all the ladies by his superb girdle of scarlet leather, heavily embroidered, and fastened by a gold buckle. The buckle was in itself a symbol. “If be he angry he knows how to turn his girdle.” It was a foolish woman, indeed, who entered into words with a man whose temper was signified openly by his girdle hind-before.

France, which has always loved symbolism, lias written round the girdle a history of its own. When I’ordre de chevalier was conferred upon a gentleman ho was girt with a snow-white girdle as an emblem of the “ white conduct” he must always practise, and when tho widow of Philip I, Duke of Burgundy, renounced her succession she did it by laying her girdle upon her dead duke’s tomb. Charles VI. even issued an edict to forbid courtesans from wearing girdles that carried any ornaments either of gold or embroidery, but when it was found that tho law could not be enforced a way out of the difficulty was discovered by Ihe virtuous relinquishing their girdles altogether. They had their reward in a proverb: "Bonne renomraeo vaut mleux pue ceinturo doree.”

Bernhardt, w'ho did nothing by halves, wore no fewer than eight girdles when she played her part of Theodora. “ I have just maddened myself thinking how eight girdles could be worn,” wrote BurneJones. It wouldn’t bo fair to call a necklace a girdle, or a garter. Eight girdles •—however do they come ? But I have tho greatest confidence in her. I dream of those eight girdles round that twig of tho oriental willow.”

STARVED FACES. “ Now your face,” said the celebrated beauty specialist decidedly, " is a starved one. More than two-thirds of the faces one sees are half starved, you know.” “ But I eat a lot,” I assured her, looking in the glass. The reflection I saw there certainly looked anything but starved. The beauty specialist merely dabbed another layer of skin food on my face. " I’m not talking about eating,” she said. ** Tho food you swallow doesn’t feed your skin. The skin needs feeding as much as the body, and food is what it very seldom gets. It gets_ powder and paint and all sorts of cosmetics—but cosmetics are not food. And what food it does get is generally snatched away before it has time to be of any benefit. _ “ How many times do you rub in skin food during the day V she demanded. “ Once,’-’ I said meekly, " I always put some on at night.” _ “ And how long do you leave it on ?” “ Oh, about five minutes.” Tho beauty specialist had covered my face in cream that must have been half an inch thick.

“ Find a greasy skin food/’ she said, “ and cover your face with it at least twice a day. When you go to bed wash your face first with a baby soap and tepid water (never use hot water on your face). Then dry it gently and rub in as much skin food as you like. Leave it on all night. Very little grease will come off if you rub it carefully in. Talking of rubbing, of course, you must rub with a rotary movement. “In the morning rub in some more, cream. Leave this on till you’ve had your bath and your face has been washed. Then wipe it off and wash your face in the coldest water you can get. And when you wash it during the day, remember Ice water must be cold. “ If your akin is very neglected, very Iry and lined, you must manage to rub t some skin food in the middle o! the ay. Lines are caused by the dryness of ha skin j they go when the skin becomes lolst. Thai is vnij women who live in tie East often age «o early. The hot, ry climate ruipa their complexions simply jr drying then ng.’.’—ilelbonme

HAIR BRUSHES. Perfectly dean brushes and combs aro the mark of tho woman who takes a pride in her hair. It is, however, very difficult lor town dwellers to keep their brushes as spotless as they would like, without constant fussing, and really the only way to do it is to have two brushes and two combs m constant nsc. In ibis way, as soon as one pair gets dirty, yon can always have a clean parr ready to replace them. , , • , Brushes should bo washed in strong soda water or in water in which a few drops of ammonia have been dissolved. Dip tho bristles np and down in tho hot water until the brush looks dean, but don’t let the water touch the hack or handle. Rinse in cold water— this will stiffen tho bristles —and wipe the back of the brush in case any drops remain on it. Put to dry in the sun if possible, or, failing that, at a good distance from the fire. An old nail brush is very useful for cleaning combs after they have been wetted." These can be washed in soapy water or in soda water, and should bo dried with an old rag. Clothes brushes, oven black ones, can and should be washed frequently in the same wav as described for hair brushes.

GLEAMING GLASS Bring out your colored gloss! Stored away in nearly every house on a hbh. dusty'shelf or in the lumber room, are "really beautifully colored glass jugs, bowls, and bottles. Now is tho time 'to bring them forth and let their sparkling colors be a joy to the eyo of the beholder (says a writer in tho ‘ Age’). America started tho present rage for the lately-despised colored glass, and their curio shops have dozens of customers searching for good specimens. After "all, what can be mors alluring than a glowing amber glass bowl, filled with copper and yellow flowers, for a table decoration, or a largo jug of royal blue glass on tho corner of tho mantelpiece," making the only' note of color against grey walls? Is anything moro attractive than a ruby glass tumbler to drink from, or a grass-green finger bowl? Colored glass can bo obtained' in a variety of lovely colors and in all sorts of pleasing shapes, long, slender scent bottles and circular bowls being some of the most fascinating. Collecting colored glass is a most interesting hobby, and a row of vases, mugs, and bottles from the collection placed quite indiscriminately on a sideboard or shelf makes a lovely note of color and tones with any room', no matter what the color scheme may be.

the kitchen in summer. Hot weather, with all its disadvantages, presents a problem to the housewife which she finds some difficulty in solving. Unfortunately our climate is too variable to make it worth while installing elaborate equipment for keeping the premises and the food cool, and consequently when a spell of heat arrives the kitchen premises have little or no means of coping with its disadvantages. By careful planning and the judicious use of “keep cool” equipment, however, much can be done to overcome the difficulty. In the first placje the cook should we that she is suitably clad for hot weather work. A loose hanging white overall in the place of a blouse and skirt is advisable, as the fewer bands, buttons, etc., there are to a garment the cooler it is. Shoes should bo largo enough for comfort, always remembering that the feet are inclined to swell in hot weather. It is a great mistake to wear high-heeled shoes, as they only cause sore feet. A shoo with a low” broad heel, such as nurses wear, is the most satisfactory.

For the kite-hen itself there is, of course, nothing more suggestive of coolness than white tiling, but sinre tiles are expensive the average housewife has fo make do with less costly materials. Fortunately tiled linoleum is an excellent second best, and can be freely used in the kitchen. Blue and white tiled linoleum makes a refreshing covering for the dresser shelves and larder and for the kitchen table, and is easily kept dean. As far as possible heavy pots and pans should ho pat away, and light aluminium and enam-el ones only kept in use in summer.

Tho greatest drawback in tho kitchen when the outside temperature is high is, of course, the cooking range. People must eat, even in summer, and a certain amount of cooking is therefore inevitable. But planning for several days’ meals at a time, and doing as much of tho preliminary cooking on the one occasion when a stove must be used, will save hours a day of unnecessary heat in consequence. As many cold dishes, salads, oto., as possible should be added to the menu. Apart from the actual cooking, there are various means of cooling the kitchen premises. Of these one of the most successful is the employment of some kind of rotary fan. which will keep the air in constant movement. Where electricity is available an electric fan is by no means an extravagance. ]t consumes very little current, and its portable nature makes it a general household comfort.

TABLE DECORATIONS. INGENIOUS AMERICAN WOMEN. English people are inclined to pride themselves upon tho niceties of tablesetting, and English glass and silver hold a deservedly high place. There is, however, moro variety in America, and many more methods of making a table pretty. For one thing, Americans ivi V t *i r ‘ V S r , strPss on napkins and mats. Whether these consist of white linen or face, or whether color is introduced, they are almost invariably of very fine work and material, states a writer in the Manchester Guardian.’ Color is very greatly used. Sometimes two colors of linen lawn are used in the mats which take the place of tho tablecloth to a very large extent. Blues and mauves yellows and whites are very often used together, and the oln netting a .nd ditchings have alto been revived tor tho benefit of the cloyiey, If dlug and mauvo are chosen as & color combination in the doylev, then the Americans see to it that tlio flower decorations enhance tho effect either by repeating the colors or contrasting with them. Iho pink M or tho “blue ” lunch is known as an American institution, and on paper it sounds rather school-girlish. In actual practice it is pretty. Play is also made with the food. Little dishes 01 sweets may be set bv each visitor, in which tho color scheme is also considered, but perhaps one of tho most effective elements on American dinnertable is tho salad. Salads in America are rather like pies in Cornwall. They may be made of anything anti everything. While appearance does not count for it goes a very long way, and the American salad is usually a most delectable-looking mixture of sweets and sours and fruit and vegetables. With perliap a crisp, curly lettuce leaf for a foundation, a succulent piece of pear is found combined with a thick blob of cream cheese, upon which again, for the sake of the color, a red crystallised cherry is set. Put all round the table on a little plate by itself, ibis salad makes a most effective decoration, and when flowers are scarce

—and they aro ruinously expensive in America—the salad does much to help the general coloring. At public luncheons, oven crinkly paper is used for color effects, little dishes of salted almonds having a little jacket of yellow paper which matches tho chrysanthemums.

WHEN PACKING. It is not a had idea to collect all the things ono imagines ono will want, then to start packing the things that are absolutely necessary. As collection dwindles the “ rnost-likely-to-be-needed ” can bd selected from the remaining garments.

Some women pack for a holiday as if they were going to a desert island; they fill the trunk with everything likely to be needed in case of emergency, but as a matter of fact, unless one is going where shops aro scarce, most things aro very easily obtained at the seaside or country. The best way to pack boots and shoes is to place them separately in the legs of old stockings, first cutting off the feet, A good way fo pack a hat to prevent it crushing is to cover the crown with a light cardboard box that will just take it, and to cover the brim with soft articles that will lie perfectly flat. . The more tightly a trunk is packed the less likely are clothes to be crushed, but there should bo no overcrowding. A trunk should close for locking without the family having to sit on it before the key will turn.

COLORED DISHES. Few of ns who dine out at two guineas a time realise tho amount of care and forethought the chef gives to the colors of the various items in a menu (observes a ‘Daily Chronicle ’ writer).

No chef with a temperament (our own culinary correspondent assures us) would think of serving white fish and white sauce immediately after a white cream soup. His soul would rebel against such dissonance—quite apart from tho fact that a cream soup and a cream sauce should never follow each other in quick succession.

Colors, taste, and garniture alike must be employed to excite'the jaded appetite. A dish may be perfectly delicious in itself, but if it fails to make an appeal to the diner it may never bo submitted to the final test.

Where colors are concerned nothing is so effective as contrast. The very appearance of a ‘‘Creme Vichy” or a “Creme de Tomate ” will be enough to stimulate the average palate; and if this is followed by a little “Cab 11 laud Mourner” the impression made by the former is intensified rather than spoilt. In the matter of entrees the skilful chef is never at a loss to serve a course at once appetising and artistically attractive. If it be a “ Filet de Boeuf Nicoise,” the beautifully-braised filet, flanked on either side with a garniture of red tomatoes—cut diamond shape and cooked in butter—noisette potatoes, and French beans, should satisfy the most fastidious taste. Similarly sweets, jellies, puddings, bavavoise, friandises, gateaux afford unlimited scope to the original thinker who only in the gravest emergency would fall back upon ‘‘Peche Melba.”

The world’s Pearly King, who claims a coster pedigree, boasts 52,000 buttons on one suit, 2,000 being on his tall hat alone, and 500 each on stick and gloves. The value represented is considerable, and his buttons are insured for £4OO.

According to fashion reports from Paris, the chic Parisicnne is wearing trousers for outdoor sports and in the homo. The latest models for drawing room wear are of crepe de chine, have a crease down the centre, and permanent turn-ups at the ankles.