WOMAN'S REALM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9302, 8 March 1907, Page 2

WOMAN'S REALM.

and expensive. It is the fashion to have

aM the pillow slips and sheets trimmed with the same costly point de Venise as as the personal lingerie. In default of this lace, ieal Valenciennes is used. The hemstitched bordeTS of the sheets are edged with it, and the pillow-slips iare a billowy profusion of the same beautiful material. It is said that the manufacturers are making an immense trade by the sale of bed and table linen at extaumgant prices.

The curious fancy for beads has- by no ; means exhausted itself, for bead-worked-hand-bags and belts, which are mow more in vogue than ever, are not the only articlesfor which, they aTe used. Recently in Sydney a lady appeared wearing a theatorescoif made wholly of beads, of the long, thin bugle variety. They were threaded together im» a kind of mesh-work, which formed a glittering mass. This scarf is probably th© only one in Australia, for tne method of -threading beads ;n such a manner is almost ia lost art. This intricate farm of bead-threading was a favorite occupation at the beginning of the last cantury. Buckles for hat adonmmemt are a novelty which mign& oommejid itself as an idsa for Christmas presents. Certainly they are very much tused for the new hats now being worn .in London^ The shape of | the buckle is cut out in buckram, or fine ; statt Paris met, and' neaitdy edged with fine hat -wire. Then the .beads are sewn closely on the foundation, amd a small design can b& carried out, provided the beads are of the midget size. Necklaices for out-of-door weair are a famcy which has been slowly growing for 6ome time, and quite lately they have jumped into generail favor. The prettiest aire of mother-of pearl, • dyed to any shade, amd others are of glass, or even ohina. They axe graduated in size, asnd 1 often have a flat crystal one in between. Such necklaces are not worn tiglit round the throat, but fadd on the 'chest. As they are not expansive many girls have two or three to match their different frocks. The old-fashioned carved, jet beads, which used to be so in-

What color does flogging make a boy? — it makes him yoll-O.

dispensable yeairs ago for mourning, are

being worn again under similar circumstances, and even the> black ©namel, or jet lockete, ' with designs in pearls, me oeing regarded 1 seriously.

An Australian girl writes from Paris : — "It is considered by some of th© ultaasmart people nere that to be 'chic' just now they must De ac American or as English as possible, so the sporting craze has caught hold of some .girls, whose parents ate slightly broader-minded than those .to whom the traditions of the old' regime et£U ■cling closely- Bfat the Parisian idea of atnelitic games fox gills' as funny •enougJi. I was invited lately to a tennis party for girls only, 'a I'Angiaise,' at a very distinguished house, which is 1 oonsidieired veay up-to-date. I put on a short skirt amd a white shirt blouse, my soft white felt tennis 'hat, strapptdi my shoes to my Tacket, and set off. I found the girls I was to play with 'dTessed very differently. The snort skirt and' tihick-soled tennis boot is all tihey can bear to imitate of our simple workmanlike style. My opponent in the first set centaainiy wore a short skirt amd blouse, but" th© blouse was a mass of the finest lace and embroidery, and fitted like a glove over her closely-corseted figure, and undeocneath har skint was a swirl of lace and' silk 'a)u dessous,' which hopelessly impeded, rapid action. Her hat was pinned' on. with, a fascinating tilt, her hair was beautifully waved and curled, and, above aM, ehe wore white gloves. Never by amy accident did she disturb the poise of ncr hat or get overheated, but by a system all her own she played a fair game,, and it went to my liearfc to hit out like we used/ to do at South Yaira touTOiament. She was so pretty and dainty, and was so disconcerted when I sent a strong halfvolley from the back-line, but I had' to do my best for Melbouirme."

The* fashion so universal • just now of wearing simple washing shirt dresses is causing mo Tittle controversy between mothers and daughters, the subject matter of the argument being something of which the outside world has small knowledge, except that derived- from saeing the majority of igiiJ© cool and sinasrt in tfaear inexpensive print gowms. But mothers have a different tale to tell. True, such frocks cost comparatively nothing, for a girl who can make tar own gown can. easily acquire three of them for less than a pound. That part of the programme is therefore easily dealt witfh; but their washing and "getting up" is often am awkward business. Tb& laundry work in most 'households where the domestic help is limited is frequently a distinct trouble, for in the summer,, where there ate two ox three daughters, the ironing alone is" no smafll task. The metre wasxung of the frocks is comparatively easy, for as a rule they are not discarded because they aore dirty, but because they aire creased and crusliedi. It is tie ironing of the well-stanched garments that takes the time. Petticoats, too, form no inconsiderable item oi the contents of the sodled-Imen basket, for many" girls wear ibbree, or even four, staSly-starched petticoate at a time, so as to give their skirts that well-set-out look at the hem. And the modern killed petticoat is not ironed: in five minutes. So, with these supplementaiy additianjs to the family wash, it is no wonder that "ructions" in the domestic circle on this account are more or less frequent. Many mothers are now making A a rule that, where many washing frocks and petticoats acre worn, the ironing of such is done by the wearers themselves.

in addition <to the increase in Fairds of extravagance in the way oi personal adoxjiment, every season sees the arrival of some expensive novelty for the embellishment of the home. Just now it is house Eneai and mapery whioh is Teoeiving special attention. The love of fine linen for household use is a passion with most French women, as it is with German, and many who live quiet, unpretentious, thrifty lives possess stores oi linen and lawm, the equal oi which is not to be found in many English ihouseholds, even among the wealthy. At the commencement of each year supplies of all , kinds of mapery are acquired, and the linen cupboards are reorganised.' That is a usual event in a French household, and as regular as oar spring cleaning. It is said that some women would wear last season's nat and gown rather than not add to the stores of the linen press. House lineo in Paris thin year has become most elaborate