Ladies' Column,

Lake County Press, Issue 2300, 25 November 1909, Page 2

Ladies' Column,

FASHION AND THINGS FEMININE., By Ida Meller. (Copyright.) FASHIONS OF TO-DAY. Present fashions are very well suited both to the tall and short woman, the long, simple lines that are characteristic dress up-to-date suiting almost all types of figure. Moreover, fash-

ions are "adaptable," for, while cer:ain distinct styles prevail, it is pernittcd us to wear the waist high, medium, and even low, whichever position proves most becoming to personality. During the last season or so the high waist has led the way, the

Empire period being represented m evening-dresses, day-dresses, and coats, and for the summer have been prepared some simple and charming princess liocks in washing material, made up with short waists and long sleeves and removing all doubt as to whether the s-hort waist will linger among summer fashions. It is probable, however, that after the next season waists will be shifted low again. It is well known that the simplest fashions are often the prettiest and that a great deal of money is wasted on trimmings. Few styles are more becoming or graceful than the princess dress skilfully cut, and a model well worth copying is illustrated in this column. It could be carried out very successfully in reseda green 01 pale blue cloth or double cashmere, with a piping of black velvet or satin outlining the decolletage. The touch of black might be. repeated on either side of the front panel, and the buttons again might be black, or of the dress material. The long sleeves fit tightly, and at the neck is a vest and collar of net. A COAT OF OTTOMAN SILK. One of the smartest styles for the Spring is the coat of black Ottoman silk, to be worn over cloth skirts, either in black or any colour. This is the coat that is replacing an old favorite, namely, the black glace coat, that has proved such a good friend for the past several years. Some of the new coats are tight-fitting, others fall loosely over the waist, but most of them limit their length to above the knees. A touch of colour is introduced into the collar, through the medium of a facing of cloth or satin and an outline of sik cord, and the coats are trimmed with braid and buttons. If the collar is faced with colour, this, naturally, would tie one in regard to the skirt worn with the coat, but a black skirt would put an end to any

difficulty or. this score; The coat sketched shows one of the new models in black Ottoman silk, trimmed with braid down the front, and the collar is faced with mauve cloth. This may be taken as the latest in costumecoats, and, if well cut, such a coat would prove an ornament to a woman's wardrobe and a particularly useful possession, since it is suitable for all out-door occasions. Most women experience the need, at one time or another, of a smart-looking coat that can be worn as an occasional wrap with various skirts, and especially is this need felt in summer — when visiting exhibitions, for instance, and the evenings turn chilly. The Ottoman silk coat, in one or another of its many pretty characters, is just the thing that meets the need. A GOAL BOX. The question of economising space is one that forces itself upon many families, especially those living in small flats, where such a thing as a, box-room is rarely found. Again, the girl living in a bed-sitting-room has to consider the question very seriously, and in both cases the use of combined furniture is generally resorted to as a way out of the difficulty. The art student, too, generally finds the convenience of combined furniture in his or her studio, where, as in the bed-sitting-room, a box seat will often be found doing .duty as a receptacle for aticles of clothing, culinary apparatus, or even coals. The inhabitants of the bed-sitting-room, or of the studio is often obliged to "live I with the coals" and make a coal-eel-

lar of a large packing case, deposited in a corner of the -room, and shrouded with drapery in a way that leaves its intention unrevealed. The sketch herewith shows an undraped packing-case as used by a young art student for coals. The box, from which the sketch is made, is covered with cretonne, but for the better understanding of its construction by readers of this column, it has been illustrated without the drapery. The box is merely an ordinary packing- case, the arrangement of the sliding lid being the main feature to be observed. On each side of the lid of the box must be nailed a short drop piece of wood, about three inches deep, this enabling- the lid to slide/ A third drop-piece mav be added in front, but is not necessary if the box is pushed close up against the wall, as this, in itself will prevent the lid from being pushed too far back. To remove coals or other things from the box, slide the Hd forwards. Cover the lid with cretonne and hang a frill of the same all round.

There are 6,03 pieces in the modern high-grade locomotive. There are forty words in-the English language which are spelled the same forwards and backwards. It takes about three seconds for a message to go from one end of the Atlantic cable to the other.