HOME TOPICS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 8 March 1912, Page 3

HOME TOPICS.

J,ITTLE HELPS IN CARING FOR THE WARDROBE. The .wardrobe that is properly cared for, brushed, mended, and folded, will not only last as long again as the one that is allowed to take its own way to the rag'bag, but will give the wearer an air of being well-groomed, even though the garments have- not cost the maximum amount of money. To begin with, ready-made garments should never be worn until they have (been carefuily looked! lover. /i>uttc«ns hooks and eyes, should be securely fastened with a few extra stitches ; buttonholes that are too large or too small should be made right; all thread ends should be fastened and snipped off; earns, hems, etc., should be looked over. 2nd where the machin? has skipped stitches the needle must be used : wherever raw edges appear they must be made neat and trim with ne-.di e and fine thread. Whatever method, of fastening sk.rt and shirt waist together you atfict, it shoi»'d be attended to before wearing ■tven once, for thert is nothing that looks so slovenly as a waist and skirt parting company in the back. A man once told a girl he asked to marry him that he was first attracted to her by her neat and trim appearance on shipboard. —Your skirt and waist were never divorced and your shoes were tve-ver run over." Speaking of shoe?, take the advice of an experienced woman who declared that frequent visits to the shoemaker —and the dentist —had done more to turn her j out a well-groomed' woman than anyother thing. , One should have trees for every pa:r j of boots and shoes, if possible; if not, i do the next best thing and stuff them out with paper when not in use. Standing in a row on a low shelf in the closet 5s the best way to keep them in shape ; if this be not"convenient keep them in shoe boxes, awav from the dust. Do not Iceep tfiMri in stoe bags that hang on a door or wall, as this crumples the soft leather. Nevt-r pot away a pair of shoes without brushing off the dust and dirt. Unless you have been walking in the mud von will only need a soft felt rubber to keep them clean. In brushing be sure to remove the dust that gathers between the bottoms and on the tongue cf Jaced shoes. It is well not to wear the same nair of shoes day after day if it can be avoided; both feet and shoes need a change and Test. Beaded and embroidered dancing slippers should be kept in boxes, with a piece of tissue pap£r between so the beads.trtll not Tub the leather or satin, and that the canvas may not b e soiled. "White 'canvas, k:d or bucksk n shoes must be-cleaned every wearing w:th one of th<r many preparations sold for the purpose. Do not think you may as well gefc them soiled a little moie. Th.'s is a mistake; a very dirty shoe never looks so good a though the cleaning be .ever so thorough! Keep a supply of laces and buttons on ■ hand, for you may need them any moment. If patent buttons are put on when the boots are new they will nearly always last aa long as the shoes. For iilack boots be sure to find c blackine that will not injure th;- leather, and with the very best it is well to have them occasionally blackened by a professional cleaner, as men's shoes are blacked.

Bonnets and hats require special care ; one or>two soft brashes are needed and should be used every time the hat is worn. If yon have not a hat trunk a special box is needed for each hat. If a hat has been worn in damp weather the crown should be fitted with tissue paper to keep the shape, and it should not be put away until dry. If there ■ are feather trimmings it is well to hold the hat before the fire or over the heater to bring back the curl. fnr3 and feather boas should be well shaken before putting awav.. and. it damp, t dried thoroughly, or they will smell musty. . Coats'and heavier shirt waists should have eadh one a hanger to keep the shape; there are hangers that have a place for the akirt as well as the coat. The skirt to a tailored ?uit shou'd not be worn in the house any more than is

absolutely necessary, for it- soon gets "kneed" and otherwise out cf shape, giving the wearer a very slovenly appearance. If frequent visits to the tailor for pressing are not convenient it can bo done at home with a bit of extra trouble. Be careful to clean all the spots with naphtha, ammonia, or other cleaning fluid, then press on the wrong side witn a damp cloth and very hot iron, using the iron until the cloth is quite dry. If there are plaits they must be well baited and pressed on th e wrong side. Stockings and dress shields should be changed and washtd daily. Glovis 6hou.d be kept in a Ion", narrow box, so they may lie at length and not be rolled. In "mending them be very careful to usethread or silk of the exact shade ; a glove outfit includes all fashionable shades, < Wash white ones before they become too I soiled and they will keep th-ir colour better. j Veils need a great deal of care. Po t not fold them flat, but lay them loore in . drawer or box. and if damn stretch j them over a pillow to dry. This w;l: keep them unwrinkled and preserve the ( stiffness. Some girls use a flat piece cf . cardboard and wind their veils on that. | others roll them loosely together. No ' matter how you do it, keep them flat, straight, and in shape. Before sending clothes to the laundry j look them over carefully and darn every i broKen thread, for :f you do not you will find a hole of considerable size when it comes back to you. Missing buttons, hooks and eves, tapes, etc.. are better done when the clothes are clean. It is well to have all your underwear marked, even though you may live at home and your waning is not sent out. Even when" visiting stockings and hand kerchiefs have a way of bc-ing exchanged, and the best way of claiming lost articles is to have the same mark on every garment. There are woven coloured inltia's of various sizes which can be sewed on in inconspicuous places and serve admirably as a means of identification.