WOMEN’S NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 18, 19 December 1936, Page 12

WOMEN’S NOTES.

FASHIONS. (By Aliss Alary Tallis) Fashion Notes:—ln evening gowns there is great variety. For rich, heavy materials such as faille, slipper satin, velvet, brocade, the fitted Empire style with wide skirt and back fullness is favoured. To accompany one such frock in black faille, Lucille Paray adds a charming trifle in a transparent muff of cellophane, bordered with white petals and trimmed with a cluster of gardenias to match the corsage bouquet. There is, too, the very full outstanding tunic, often cut away in front and falling fuller and lower in the back. Alolynenx favours the simple, straight line with fitting tunic, while the frock which just moulds the figure and falls to long graceful folds at the feet is far toobecoming a style to be ignored. The evening corsage is often gathered or draped high in front and down to a low peak at the back, where the skirt fullness is placed low; this “dropped back” and the higher front line is - also a feature of the new afternon frock. Evening colours include some very beautiful rich shades —AVine red with purple or smoke blue, much gold and still more black. Coloured gloves match belts, shoes or flowers, while Atainbocher features long rucked gloves in the same rich fabric as the frock. Head-dresses are many and varied. Poises of flowers, of tufts of ostrich feathers fastened on to a hand are now worn forward on the forehead : small bright-coloured flying birds are perched high on the hair. Large dahlias, chrysanthemums and mixed ' flowers are worn on the left hip or . corsage; veils float behind hats — sometimes being longer than in front; ; tulle hangs down from the point of high-peaked mediaeval affairs by Paton; some are half-veils and some even tied under the chin. BEAUTY. Housewife Hands: —Here is a firstaid tip for “housewife hands:” AA’hen you are going to embark on any really dirty dr" job, such as cleaning silver or brass,“take a tablet of soap, moisten it very slightly and rub it all over your hands until they arc _ covered with a thin film. AA’hen this dries you’ll find it has made a fine “glove” which absorbs all the grime as you go along and can he washed off in a moment when you have finished. If you are an office worker this is a hint to remember before changing a typewriter ribbon ; you'll never get those little ingrained lines of dirt if von i apply your soap beforehand. At night ! use more hand jelly, especially if your hands are dry, Even hard skins grow wonderfully soft after a week’s “glove treatment” —a liberal application ot jelly and then the slipping on of ail old pair of cotton gloves. It s difticult the first night to feel quite comfortable sleeping in gloves, but this treatment gives the hands such a new lease of beauty that it s moic than worth while. And, of course, never, unless you and your hands are on holidays, go out without gloves. It is so tempting to carry one’s gloves about instead of wearing them. but , besides being ruin to the hands the gloveless habit is an untidy one. It is significant that our two little Princesses, who go almost everywhere hatles6, are never seen out of doors without glovt'6. Don’t make the mistake of trying to wear gloves that are even a shade too small \ this i*estricts the circulation and is frequently a cause of redness. GENERAL. AVhat Shall AVe Do AYith Our Books.—There are many Jess permanent ways of dealing with boohs man slielves and bookcases, and some of them are so attractive, and strike such an original note that they tieservo consideration. A sideboard with ample space for books at each end is one. A roomy lounge, too, lias shelves for quite a number, and there are many designs of writing bureaux, combined with bookshelves, as well as cupboard tables that provide a space lor housing half-a-dozen. Books that are popular, the books we enjoy, the old, old friends that wo like to pick up at odd moments —all these should be kept near at hand, in such a way that they are easily lound, yet attractively kept together. Booktroughs, book-ends mid l>ook-ra.cks are all ideal medium and the bookrest lamp near a favourite chair should not be forgotten. The present much-used book-table is far from being a new idea. In the Fourteen Century it was in existence —a most elaborate piece of furniture, decorated with tiny slender pinnacles, following the architectural stylo of that time, and a canopied chair was used with it, but certainly the plain easily moved book-tables of to-day are more practical, and the accompanying '"•ellcushioned chairs more enticing. A word, too, on the care of our books. Aliy that have been much handled — those of the “popular novel” kindcan be cleaned witn a soft cloth w rung out of hot water. Used with a quick,

light touch, little colour ib removed, and the gloss may have brown shoe polish sparingly applied, if they are in calf, and white of egg is a good treatment for Alorocco. Books should be removed at regular periods and the dust gently knocked from them, and if you find silver-fish or bookworms running over your books, treat them immediately with a good disinfectant. HINTS. Bronze should never be washed unless absolutely necessary. Bronze ornaments should be dusted, and occasionally the surface gently wiped with a *clotli dipped in linseed oil. Afterwards, warm and polish with a chamois leather. Tan shoes that are too light may be made darker by rubbing them with a woollen rag dipped in amnonia. Repeat once or twice, before giving them a final polish. Stains On Alackintoshes.—A great idea for cleaning stains from maclnntoshoos is to rub them with a raw potato. Potato will also remove marks from skirts or coats, if not of a very delicate colour.

New Pegs.—Before using new pegs, boil them for half an hour. They will never split, and will last twice as long. . Transfers.—To remove an unwanted transfer from embroidery linen, wash in milk, rubbing well. Cleaning Carrots.—AVhen cleaning carrots which are to be grated, do not cut off the entire top. but lonvo an inch or more of the stems. Thus the whole carrot may bo used without scraping the thumb and finger as the last piece is grated.