Raiment.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2279, 22 September 1899, Page 6

Raiment.

Eridai Veils

Bridal veils, no doubt, are a remnant of the Oriental custom of holding a canopy over the heads of both bride and bridegroom, and awording to the use of Sairum a fine linen cloth was laid on the heads of the bridal jmir, which was not removed until after the benediction had been pronounced. Brides of ancient Britain used the veil Dame Nature provided for them—that is tiheir long, flowing hair —and this no ina'Mer whether they were of Royal linep.'e or simple peasant birth. Only on ibis one occasion did all behold a maiden's hair in i*s glory, for after marriage it was neatly bound about the head. Russian village brides even nowadays cut off tihefr hair on reluming front the church after the marriage, and the peasants have a pretty song which purports to tie tihe lament of a bride over her goklem Irair. which she is just on the lK>int of losing. Skirts and Sleeves. There is division of opinion in the world of fashion on the burning question of full skirts and sleeves. French inodisi.es declare that tihese are to mTo:i;s,e in width, but English dressmakers are combining with their clients to reduce the weight which the fashionable woman htas had for so long ho canry. and are making skills less like in Anted sugar cones, and sleeves a trifle less balloon-like. Possibly the dresses worn in the Lyceum production of " Romeo and Juliet" will help to solve the question by making a modification »f the clinging tight-sleeved dresses of the fourteenth century fashionable. The fact that the new Juliet's beautiful dresses were designed and made by a leading court modiste in I/ondon who to a great extent, is the sartorial guide of Mayfwir and Belgnavie. makes it all the more likely that these fashions will come into vogue. Men's Evening Dress. So the " new wear" flbr men's evening dresis is to be a silk waistcoat, figured and coloured. "The Prince of Wales i writes a chronicler of such trifles! has swonn it. and the Prince of Wales has worn it." The Prince, however, has already tried to reform men's evening dress, tobrigMen it up with gilt buttons. and has failed. Nothing seems to shake the solid foundations of the swallowtail. Von may abolish the disestablish the Church, but the dress clothes style of to-day always comes up smiling from every attack made upon it.