WOMEN'S NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 257, 27 September 1935, Page 14

WOMEN'S NOTES.

FASHIONS. (By Miss Mary Tallis.) Evening economy.—l wonder how many of you realise what a heavensent blessing is the evening skirt and blouse. It is an idea which should appeal particularly to those of you who cannot afford to spend very much on your evening frocks. You have, perhaps chosen to spend your holiday at an hotel, or to go on a cruise, and now you are wondering just how you are going to acquire the requisite evening wardrobe, for no girl likes to appear night after night in the same frock, however lovely it may be. So, consider the evening outfit of one skirt and several “tops,” and if you adopt the idea you will be turned out for almost every evening occnsion. You may, perhaps, need one really formal dress for very special occasions, but for the ordinary dauce-and-dinner evenings of a holiday tho blouse and skirt ensemble will be quite “right.” The skirt should be carried out in a good quality satin or heavy crepein black preferably, for then you will have more scope to make variety. With such a skirt a little blouse of taffeta, patterned with gay field flowers, will go excellently, but if you prefer you could have it made in a really lovely gold and silver lame, or tissue; A lace too, would look attractive with the satin skirt. Have it of speciallv heavy make so that it is as suitable for day time wear as for the evening. This jumper could also bo worn with a shorter skirt, when you go out to tea, or a matinee. And for quieter evenings or bridge parties you could transform your skirt into a very dignified semi-evening affair by adding a long-sleeved white satin blouse. Like the lace blouse, this lias a dual purpose, for it would look smart with a navy coat and skirt ensemble. The evening skirt with intercbangable blouses is definitely one of the most economical vogues fashion has thrust upon us. BEAUTY. Strawberries for beauty.—The simplest aids to beauty are often tho mast beneficial. In bygone days, when shopbought creams and lotions were unknown, our grandmothers made their own toilet preparations, with excellent results. Even to-day, many leading beauty specialists declare that the oldfashioned strawberry pack, beloved by

our grandmothers, is quite as beneficial to 'the skin as the most expensive beauty treatment, and it costs almost nothing. Buy some of. the rather squashy-looking strawberries that are sold cheap, wash them in tepid water, place them in a small basin, and mash them well together. Then wash the face with soft warm water and a good soap, and smear the mixture over it, leaving it on for a quarter of an hour, or even longer, finally washing it off very gently and patting the skin dry with a soft towel. Do this as often as possible during the strawberry season, for the strawberry juice will cleanse and invigorate the most tired and muddylooking complexion, warding off black heads and other impurities and improving the skin in a wonderful way. Another excellent way of utilising the value of strawberries is to masli a small quantity in either rain or spring water, then strain the resulting liquid through fairly wide-meshed muslin into a bottle. Cork tightly and keep in a cool place, This strawberry water should be used frequently on the face, arms and neck, rubbing it gently, in. It will soften and bleach the skin and give it an exquisite satiny texture. The . unbecoming greasy appearance that so often mars the beauty of busy housewives in hot weather can be avoided by applying this strawberry water, leaving it on for as long as possible and then washing it off in warm water in which has been dropped half a teaspoonful of benzoin. The effect of this treatment is marvellous, and in this way a cool, fresh appearance can be maintained. r THE HOME. The velvet touch. —Everywhere I go I see velvet used in new ways. Someone clever thought of binding blankets with it, and of course it’s the perfect thing. Peachy softness on fleecy softness. And velvet’s so lovely in the cream and pastel tints favoured by blankets. Rather small, perfectly plain velvet cushions are being arranged plumply along settees and tucked into easy chairs. You can emphasise the colours of a room very subtlv with them shades that look too drab, or maybe too crude, in other stuffs are decilious in velvet. But it must bo simply treated. Euss up velvet and it looks vulgar. Another good velvet touch is the flat bind on a pleated lampshade. Ivory velvet binds (narrow at top, lin. wide round bottom edge) give an alluring soft finish to off-white glazed paper shades. In passing, if you want coollooking lampshades for summer, have those moon-white ones. Honey-coloured buckram, bound with dark brown velvet, is another idea I’ve seen and liked for the lamp which is to cast a subdued romantic light. Cords on shades can be wool silk or cotton these days. They match the shade exactly and tio

up their ends in a workmanlike knot. No beads or whatnots, just plain knots. KNITTING. Sea sandals.—Crochet these in twine in shades of blue. Pebbly beaches won’t bruise your feet this summer when you wear these smart sandals. They are extremely comfortable to wear, fitting snugly round' tho heel and anlde as they do —and also very quick and easy to make. Materials: 1 small ball twine in navy and one in pale blue: 1 steel crochet hook, size 0: 1 pair or rope-soled bathing shoes, size 4. Measurements : Instructions to fit size 4-5. Front piece: With navy twine make 36 cli. Ist row: 1 d.c. into everv cliainst., 1 ch., turn. Repeat Ist row twice. Next row: Join palo blue twine and work 2 rows as Ist row. Change to navy. Work 4 rows as Ist row. Now continue in d.c. without doing 1 ch. at the end of each row. Work 6 more rows in navy, then work 2 rows in pale blue. Work 4 rows in navy. Fasten off. Heel piece: Make 56 ch. in navy twine. Work 3 rows d.c., turning at the end of every row with 1 ch. Change to pale blue, work 2 rows in the same way. Change to navy, work 3 rows. Fasten off. Tie piece: Make 200 ch. with the two coloured twines worked together; this makes the chain double thickness. Make 2 tassels of twine, stitch to each end of chain. To make up: Cut calico tops from bathing shoes, stitch the front piece of sandal to tho toe of the sole about jin. from the end of the sole. Stitch the heel piece 2ins. from the heel of tho sole. Thread the chain through the centre of the front piece of sandal and tie in one knot. Thread through the heel piece so as to make the heel piece form a right angle to the hack of the heel. Tie round the ankle.