CLOTHES AND THE WOMAN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1934, Page 9

CLOTHES AND THE WOMAN.

AMERICAN AND ENGLISH. It doesn’t take much to start- a controversy, does' it? Especially when that controversy centres round clothes and the woman. When Mrs Tobe Coller Davis—to give her her full name—recently criticised the English girls and their alleged lack of dress sense, she started something, and when the wordy battle is over Mrs Davis will probably be wishing she hadn’t. Mrs Davis, who is fashion adviser to 100 American firms, paid a recent visit to London. In the course of an interview with a “Daily Mirror correspondent, she asserted that English girls were dowdy and were lacking in dress sense. She also said, “except a few rich women, English girls seem to have no taste.” She was" horrified at. the high prices in London. . . . “In America new drosses arc copied at once and sdld in thousands at £1 to £l/12/-.” . . . . -We are just crazy about your tweeds in America. No one can make them up like English firms and no oue can wear them like English women.” (Fashion note—Mrs Davis says dresses will be right down to the ground shortly). ... In answer to the correspondent’s question Mrs Davis said that the average American girl earned 20 dollars a week (£4 in English money). An emphatic denial to Mrs Davis’ assertions was given to the • Mirror correspondent by Mr Vai St. Cyr, the London dress designer, who said: “What Mrs Davis says might have been true a few years ago, but to-day smart clothes and other aids to smartness, such as hair-dressing, have all been brought within the reach of eveyj' girl’s pocket. At the minimum she would have three to five dollars a week to spend on clothes. Smart dresses cost five to eight dollars (£1 to £l/12/-), and they are the latest fashion. Silk stockings cost 75 cents (three shillings), shoes three dollars (twelve shillings). Thus an American girl cun buy herself a complete outfit of dress, hat, shoes and stockings on an average about once every two months, making allowance for the cost of other garments. FOOT TREATMENT Many women suffer from burning, aching feet, in hot weather. Probably the main cause Is too much standing, but much can be done by bathing, massage, and thinner footwear to improve feet that are out of condition. Wear a. clean pair of stocking every day, and for housework remember that lisle stockings are better than very thin silk. One can buy all kinds of attractive summer shoes quite cheaply, so that there is no need to wear thick, heavy shoes in warm days, as most feet swell with the hot weather, and a larger shoe will accommodate the extra bulk without restriction. Daily washing and soaking are necessary operations to tender feet during hot weather. A solution of salt and water (a handful of common salt to a gallon of water) will bring relief to foot sufferers. When feet are burning and the skin is liable to get inflamed, a few drops of permanganate of potash solution added to the water in place of the salt will soothe them. A pennyworth of permanganate of potash dissolved in a pint of boiling water makes an ideal fluid for this purpose. If the feet are in very bad condition, a gentle rubbing with olive oil after the soaking will help to make the skin soft and cool and loss liable to irritation and inflammation. Rinse stockings and socks in a solution of boracic acid and water, which acts as antispetic when feet become hot and perspiration occurs. Add a tablespoonful of boracic acid to half a gallon of water.

DRESSMAKING HINTS. Remember, when making pleats in frocks, there must always be sufficient material in the pleats to allow them to lie straight. When making gathers use a slightly thicker cotton or silk than you would use if merely sewing the garment. Two rows of gathers close together will be stronger than one. Make tiny stitches. When tacking the side seams of a frock, commence at the arm hole and work downwards. This ensures that any stretching in the seam will come at the bottom, where it can be easily rectified.

HOUSEHOLD HINTS. When mixing starch for table-cloths tdd a. teaspoonful of sugar to the hot water. This will make the ironing easier and give them a glossy finish. Where there is a suspicion of damp in rooms seldom used place a block of camphor in each corner. In a week’s time the camphor will have disappeared, and also the dampness. This simple way will answer when big fires have failed. . When washing fugi silk add a little blue and raw starch in the last rinsing water. The silk will look new every time it is washed. If a little vinegar is added to the rinsing water it will keep striped silks from fading. Tp keep white silk a. good colour use methylated spirits when washing it. Never throw away lomon peels. Three or four halves put into a hot bath will give a fresh, exhilarating feeling to the skin. A piece of lemon peel put into the jug of water will make the water beautifully soft. Dipped in powdered bath brick it. will clean your sink without any trouble. Dry the skins in the oven and use grated for flavouring. A strip of lemon peel soaked with prunes will take away the cloying sweetness that makes them disliked by many people.