MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 March 1932, Page 3

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

ITEMS OF INTEREST

(Notes Ey

Marjorie)

VELVET. A FASHIONABLE FABRIC. Not for many years has velvet been so much employed as at present, when it takes pride of place in all the autumn fashion displays now being shown in Sydney. The velvet evening wrap and bridge coat have always been indispensable items of the wardrobe, but beyond that velvet has been neglected as a general dress fabric. Now it is to enjoy a tremendous vogue, especially for formal wear, while for sports and informal occasions, it. will also make its appearance in smart, trim-fitting suits and coats of corduroy. The manufacturers have concentrated their efforts on producing some beautiful velvet fabrics with which to meet the new demand. Among them are transparent velvet, which looks so well in black and white evening gowns; ring velvet, the plain chiffon velvet, which will appear this season in a delightfully soft and supple weave: new dull-surfaced velvet, to supply the matt effect so much in demand in smart, gowns; and corduroy velvets in many thicknesses of ribbing. The Second Empire influence is responsible for the great revival of velvets. Black velvet adorned with lace will be one of the most popular fashions for bridge, dinner and afternoon gowns, and will reflect the best of the Second Empire period. All kinds of lace, from real, fine ecru and point laces, to the heavy Irish crochet, which looks so well on black, will be used. Plain black, transparent velvets will form some of the smartest evening gowns, which will be accompanied by wraps and jackets of the same fabric. Coloured, velvets will predominate among evening fashions, the beautiful new shades introduced foi’ the autumn and winter season providing a large range of tunings. Dull-surfaced velvets will be chosen for afternoon and house frocks. Velvet ribbons will be the favourite form of trimming, and will appear as single bows of large proportions, or in a series of small bows, trimming both the skirt and the bodice of the< frock. Millinery is another field which will be invaded by velvets, and many of the new season’s models are formed of this fashionable fabric. LONDON’S WEAVERS. Loom, spinning wheel, distaff and warping mill are still to be found in London being plied by women weavers and spinners who make beautiful tissues for the trains of debutantes making their first how, homely linens, tapestries and cloth of gold for the decoration of cathedrals and public buildings. To this band of weavers come enthusiasts. of all ages to learn the secrets of the craft. It takes about three months to learn the general technique for all ordinary work, such as homespuns and dress silks, and a student is then fit to set up- as a weaver on her own account.

It is a business in which there is plenty of scope, especially in country towns, and it has a particular appeal for the girl who is keen on hard work and does not want to leave her country home. After three months’ training, she will need to spend from £3O to £4O on a loom and other implements, and this sum will allow for materials for making up the first batch of goods to let jpeople see the kind of work she does.

During the first few months, while sho visits the local tailors, whom she will probably find excellent customers, and the local residents are finding her shop, she will gradually be recovering her initial expenses. After six months, however, accounts should begin to show a comfortable profit. Vegetable dyeing will be among the subjects she is taught, and in this branch a good sense of colour is invaluable.

Two friends working together—the one an artist and the other a good business woman- —-form a profitable combination in this kind of work, _for the tailor who sends you an order for so many yards oi’ material to be delivered at a given time does not wapt to be kept waiting; and the artiste girl is often rather shy in trying to sell her own products. After a while it is possible to do more elaborate work such as tapestries for architects. Altogether a

practical and attractive job for a girl with plenty of enterprise and a little capital.

“BEAUTY CHEF.” FASCINATING “COOKERY.” One of the most fascinating branches of cookery in the world that is practised by a certain London woman known as a “beauty chef," states an exchange. Actually, she is a highly skilled chemist, and her calling is the concoction of certain famous complexion remedies. She grows all the ingredients on her own farm. Masses of flowers—red cabbage roses, white roses, sw r eet peas, marigolds, lilies, elderflowers and peach blossoms—are the fragrant contents of her saucepans. The chef’s “store-cupboard” is filled with little sacks of dried flowers, neatly labelled and deliciously scented. For an under-powder cream, as a basis for light make-up, the petals of marigolds are taken from their muslin bag, after which they are boiled, 2Slb at a time, in a huge cauldron. Three other “cookery” processes are then gone through before the cream is ready for cooling and putting into jars. A rejuvenating lotion, which is devised for the use of women whose skin is acquiring that faded and passe appearance is made from the juice of peaches. A particularly fragrant odour arises from this beauty “kitchen” when a rose petal lotion for fair skins is in course of preparation. White roses are usually employed for making this emollient cream, which is also intended as a basis for make-up. When pink or red roses are used the preparation has a different colour, which several experiments have failed to eradicate.

Meadowsweet and marigold balm form the basis of another recipe which has to be cooked at a. special temperature t’o be of the right consistency. When this is in course of preparation the “chef” has to watch very carefully lest the ingredients lose the thick, creamy, quality which makes for success. This makes a cream for keeping the skin smooth and white. It rubs up into a strong lather when applied to the skin, but after a. gentle massage tlie lather disappears, leaving the surface white and smooth.

Rows of glass retorts replace the saucepans for the making of a flower perfume and deodoriser which has been evolved for spraying the woodwork of a room and for perfuming wardrobes and chests of drawers. A special spray is sold for applying this perfume, which remains permanent in any kind of wood.

WORK FOR GIRLS. SCARCITY OF WEAVERS. While the Lancashire cotton trade is at present in a state of ferment over the more looms per weaver difficulty, the Yorkshire woollen and worsted trade is faced with a problem quite opposite in character. Ihe difficulty in Yorkshire is a scarcity of weavers, following the trade revival —a problem of more weavers for looms. . . , £ In the woollen trade, with very tew exceptions, one weaver tends only one loom. During the long depression in trade, a large number of girl weavers left the trade and found other occupations, and now do not show any disposition to return to it. The demand for weavers is, as a consequence, much greater than the supply. Since the improvement in the trade set in the numbers on the unemployed register in Bradford alone, the centre for the industry, have been reduced by nearly 20,000, or moie than half, and now lots of machinery are standing for want of operatives, and manufeturers are having to turn good orders away. A similar shortage exists in regarci to burlers and members of a class of workers —girls—who regard (themselves as the aristocracy of the wool trade. BRITISH SCENTS. LONDON, January 27. British scents are in course of preparation. A well-known beauty specialist who has flower farms all over England told me the other day that she is making perfumes from mignonette, orchids, thyme, rosemary, and mint. • The tariff imposed on French perfumes has given English specialists a chance, which they are losing no time in making the most of. A firm of famous Bond Street per-