MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 July 1935, Page 9

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

ITEMS OF INTEREST

HEADDRESSES. (By Mrs C. W. Forester). It was only to be expected that with the return to feathers, flowers and beautiful jewels the headdress would appear once more. Diadems of diamonds, coloured stones, feathers and flowers, can all be seen at the formal functions. The new methods of treatment never recall the somewhat untidy and overdecorated heads of former days. The chic coiffure is short and well groomed, curled tightly to the head, in soft waves and the floral or jewelled decoration is added. The coronal-plaits have given way to the diadem ana wreath. All sorts of small blossoms are used, often to match a corsage bouquet or spray of the same. This is a particularly happy mode for the girlish coiffure, the head retains its sleek “tidy” look. Ears are revealed again, but tiny curls form a soft background, and the shape of the head is shown with the hair taken upwards to add height and a certain dignity which was missing from the old shingle. A great Paris artist .gives us wonderful ideas made in strands of lacquered hair of any colour. This constitutes a turban headdress which is much to the fore at the Paris cinemas and theatres. The return to the evening cap and variety of head-dresses has many advantages, one being a saving of time. Theatres start early, and it is helpful to tidy up one’s coiffure, and adjust one of these smart turbans, or a floral cap to balance the evening cape of chiffon or fur, as weather dictates.) The hood of Eastern sari is at its best as part of a mystic evening toilette. A striking creation was of j midnight blue chiffon placed over silver, and flecked with dark purple. The drapery mingled with hanging sleeves and deep hood which just hinted of veiled gleams of the silver complete with sandals of the same tied with dark ribbons. Here and there one sees a revival of the gold and jewelled comb from Josephine days. Hair parted in the centre, brushed back to a bunch of Empire curls held by a high blonde tortoiseshell comb encrusted with gold knobs, looked very well accompanied by long chased gold earrings. Another girl I know' wears an Empire wreath of green shining leaves with stalks of silver. This is attractive with a high waisted ball dress of green taffeta. The Empire modes lend' themselves to decorative head ornaments. A jewelled coronet sits well if supported by curls, or a separate plait. White w T ax flowers were responsible for an all-white debutante’s scheme. Her dark hair, done closely to her head, had a Greek bandeau made of closely packed petals of white lilac. The dress of white crepe had a Victorian berthe of the same flowers, and a high ceinture of the same held the pleats of a very full dancing skirt. On one wrisj. there was a bracelet of lilac.

— Real jewels in the hair, like flowers, require careful choosing and skilful adjustment. It must be remembered in these days of sleek coiffure and small, well-shaped heads that it is woefully easy to spoil the perfection of poise and line. In fact, I cannot impress sufficiently on either the girl or older woman the taste and care required, for ornamenting the hair in the evening. It is only safe in the hands of the expert.

The older woman especially seems cver-anxious to fly to a fashion that she feels adds novelty and conceals any deficiency in hairdressing. But nothing is more ageing than attempting swathed turbans or jewelled head.chesses on the wrong foundation, especially if it should overload the head in any way, which it is very easy to do.

ORCHIDS INSPIRE DRESSMAKERS NEW COLOURS AND DESIGNS. When casual reference is made to the orchid, one seems to visualise the majestic Cattleya, whose dominant shade is a wonderful mauve. But while this type may occupy pride of 1 lace, it is by no means the only variety' of this strange and interesting flower. An hour in the orchid tent at the Royal Horticultural Show last week revealed many possibilities as to the use of the orchid from the fashion point of view. Its colours and tones of colour seem to exclude one only—blue. With that single exception the orchid may be said to produce every rue and every shade-variant. Its range includes crimson, purple, pink, apricot, citron, orange, pea-green, a warmer green, buff and brown. Its harmon ions colour-combinations also inspire fascinating possibilities, all of which could be given expression in dress materials. PATTERNED FABRICS. Crepe de Chine and silk chiffons printed in orchid colourings and designs would be interesting and artistic. Sprays of the smaller type of the flower would lend themselves to new designs. What could be more lovely than a dress of chiffon displaying the graceful apricot Dendrnbitun Thwaites. with its markings of golden brown, rich as velvet Some of the quaintly mottled petal:- of other types would be, charming and youthful looking in any flowing silken material. On a background of pure satin splendid effects should be possible. The Black Prince, for instance, is an cutstanding species, its lip strongly marked with deep crimson. Experts in colour "ho occupy so important a place in the fashion work! nowadays and d< -lgners of fabrics might be inspired to look for ideas from the orchid family. Even tlte inclusion of some of the dullerhued and strangely bearded flowers would be interesting. The suggestion has been made that fresh flower, or a spray of fresh Howers, should always he worn and encourage further a growing British industry. A "onmn could always find in the orchid house some spray or buttonhole to match her dress on every occasion, or to tone beautifully. Those who like green could be supplied. for in greens the orchid is uncommon and effective (inly after intensive study can one appreciate the exquisii< beauty ol these unusual flower,, am! under island th“ fascination which they ex crcised over Mr Joseph Chamberlain — London "DMly Telegraph

! CONTINENTAL RECIPES. ! NOVEL AND DELICIOUS. I — Every housewife welcomes new recipes for novel and delicious cakes i for the afternoon tea or supper party [menu (states an overseas exchange), i Here are some that will be sure to prove as much of a novelty as a delicacy for they are culled from the recipe books of other nations. Their names may bo quite unpronounceable, but their flavour is delicious! First, two or three Austrian recipes. Tempting little golden’brown cakes that go by the name of wiener tascheri, have a paste as their foundation. For this you will need soz flour, 4oz butter, 4oz sugar, and a little finely grated lemon rind. The hard-boiled yolk of one egg and the raw yolk of another is mixed into these ingredients, and the paste is then rolled out rather thinly and cut into squares, about 3in across. Put into the middle of each square a small heap of jam, gather* the corners and pinch them together and brush with egg. Bake in a moderate oven till the cakes are a golden brown. .A kind of rusk, with a meringuelike flavour, is grazer zwieback. For this mix into five stiffly beaten egg whites, 3oz caster sugar and some vanilla flavouring, 3oz flour and loz melted butter. . Turn into a loafshaped buttered tin and bake in a moderate oven. When quite cold, cut into thin slices, sprinkle with sugar and bake in a cool oven till quite dry. And here is the famous sacher torte, richly flavoured and delicious. You must have plenty of time to spare to attempt this. Cream 2oz butter, add 2oz chocolate, previously melted, and little by little 2oz sugar, 4 egg yolks. Continue stirring for half an hour, then add 4 stiffly beaten egg whites and 2oz flour mixed with half an ounce of ground rice. Turn the mixture into a small, well-but-tered tin, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. When cold, split in half, fill with jam, and cover the top with chocolate icing.

-Swedish spice cakes are good—and quite easy to make. Work into a pastry soz flour, soz sugar, 1 tablespoon mixed peel, 1 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Beat 2 eggs with 1 gill sour cream or buttermilk, and work this carefully into the pastry, adding 2 tablespoons melted butter. Turn the mixture into two small buttered tins (or one large one), sprinkle the top with coarsely chopped almonds and bake in a moderate oven for 40 to 45 minutes. And Swedish tea cakes will be sure to find favour also. Cream Hb butter and add, one by one, 3 eggs, lib sugar, lib flour, mixed with 1 teaspoonful baking powder. Turn the mixture into a well greased large flat cake tin, sprinkle the top with 2oz coarsely chopped almonds and coarse sugar, and bake for half an hour. Serve either hot or cold, cut into squares or fancy shapes. And just by way of contrast, here is a Chinese recipe for tea cakes. Cream loz each of butter and lard, add 11b brown sugar and a pinch of carbonate of soda, dissolved in water; 1 teaspoonful of vanilla and 4oz flour. Make into balls about, the size of chestnuts, place on a buttered tin, and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. The, Hungarian drum cake, or dobos torte, to give it its national name, is far-famed, and justly so, for it is delicious. Here is the recipe. Beat well six egg yolks, stir in Goz sugar, the well-beaten egg whites, and loz flour. Spread very thinly on six to eight round tins, about lOin in diameter; bake in a cool oven, and take them off the tins while still warm. They should be hardly hicker than wafers. Meanwhile prepare a cream by beating Boz butter with Soz sugar, mixed in 4oz melted chocolate and one egg yolk. Spread this cream between the layers ot the cake. Cover the top with caramel, made of Soz sugar in the usual way. It should be hard and rather dark. Trim the sides of the cake, and cover with very thinly sliced nuts.

SCOUTS IN PARIS.

Scouts sent to Paris to discover a few early indications of what styles we may expect to see at next month s openings have brought back some news, states a London writer. Sleeves are to be exaggerated in a balloon effect, giving a top-heavy look to any woman. High-backed evening dresses, coming almost to the hairline, yet cut down in front with a complete disregard of modesty. High collars, cut. to the shape of the throat, and invisibly boned. Boned evening bodices without shoulder straps. Lampshade skirts for evening, and tube-like walking skirts. Quiltings, cordiugs, and stitchings will be much used. Big, bold patterns on satin will be in favour for evening gowns, and for daytime wear printed surah, crepe de chine, linen, and linen and wool mixtures will be popular. In the matter of colours there is going io be a determined effort to oust black from its position of first favourite. Oatmeal tones, shading U> yellow, greys verging on lavender, and bright bauds of colour on black are some of the forecasts for the new colour chart.