LEAVES FROM A FRENCHWOMAN'S DIARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 10

LEAVES FROM A FRENCHWOMAN'S DIARY

(By Coliine Eouff) In the Bois last week, I saw an ensemble so smart that I had to make a( noto of itf A not too tall, not too slim woman,was wearing a redingote, shaped at the natural waistline inst'sufficiently to make the skirt Have nicely. A -PICTURE IN NAVY AND WHITE The coat was of fine, dark navy face cloth, and the small stand-up collar ;was of white ermine. (You note : I say "white'ermine." '■. In -time past this would not have been necossary, but now half the ermine is pale beige, while quite a lot of it is dyed grey and.even black).; Well, this was -white?. And the

littlo fan collar stood up round, the nape of the neck, while a tiny point was let in like a yoke On tlie'biick of'the coat and finished by a small bow of the fur. This is a novel note: : ; flat fur has been ■ inlet in points for some months now, but the/' finishing bow is quite new ! On .the cuffs were small true-lovers knots of ermine, but there was no more fur trimming. As you see, it. was a suit • for really mild jays. When the coat was opened, I saw that- it was .worn over a frock of navy blue satin printed with white dots of various sizes, none very large. The bodice was made witli a bloused effect at the waist and belted by soft white kid. The skirt was flared,' mounted in. points on a! small yoke, and was the regulation five inches below the knee. The cbat was lined throughout with the spotted satin. But I particularly admired the shoes of dark navy kid. cut out in small spots to show white kid, thus matching the satin frock exactly. " The rather large flat sac matched the shoes, and very dark navy kid gloves completed the picture. No, not quite! I have forgotten the draped beret of the same kind of clofh as the coat, with a sapphire and diamond brooch in the folds. J % NAVY IS CHIC When I saw this navy blue lady, I wndered if she had chosen .this colour for the whole of her wardrobe. Of course, the idea of one colour scheme throughout is not so fashionable as it was. That was a lovely time for women when the same shoes, stockings, gloves and bags, not ip mention hats, umbrellas and jewellery, did for every dress and suit wo had ! But navy blue is so chic again that I thought this smart, woman might possibly possess a charming evening gown of dark navy blue faille. The slim bodice. I thought, would have a very deep V decolletage at back and front, filled in a little with flesh pinlc ninon, and net. The skirt would smooth itself-down ovor the hips, whence it would fall to the heels in very full go-' dots inlet in the invisible manner which is the way of godets just now. At the point of the V at the back would be a glorious velvet rose of deep petunia colour, and at the front V-ppint a Utile old-world posy of small bud flowers in the same material and colour. The slices would surely be of petunia crepe de chine with heels of navy velvet. . THE PABISIENNE'S SHOES All shoes match the frowns now. unless yon choose gold or silver broche instead. These are always pretty and bright, but T am afraid they are not so c!m<\ There is a vogue for plain while satin slippers with verv lovely jewelled buckles, which have the advantage of < being detachable, so that it is possible i to weni' them on other shoes. Another very useful shoe that can b<? worn with practically any gown, except

a dark one, is made of cafe an lait moire. With a diamond or coloured stone buckle it looks charming, and has the advantage of making the feet appear very . small. The pointed shoo never was very much in favour with French women, who pre•fcrred flue round short foe. Now toes I are really stubby, especially in the day time, when black sealskin, blue, very dark green, and very dark red kid shoes are the favourites. GOOD HEALTH BY SIMPLE MEANS (By H. C. Aylen) Quite recently I heard of a girl who tried to remove something from her car with a hairpin. The result was disastrous for she had to undergo an operation! Ears are delicate tilings to deal with and, as a rule, should be left entirely to Nature—and the doctor ! When a doctor is not at hand, the old-fashioned salt bag remedy does wonders for simple earache if the patient lies in bed and keeps quiet.. Salt bags should be made of flannel and filled with common cooking salt. Place them between two fireproof plates in 'the oven aJid, when thoroughly heated' through, place one against the ear. Cov- -«• the pillow with a- shawl, or some other woollen article, so that head as well as ear may be kept warm. * , BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU WASH Be careful when you -wash, and still more careful when you swim, to see that no water gets into your ears. A great deal of ear trouble among children in schools has been traced to swimming bath water remaining in the ears. Swimming cans are now designed to obviate this. The ears, of course, should be carefully dried with a linen towel after bathiiig, since salt sea water is particularly injurious to the delicate mechanism inside them. NO COTTON WOOL Children and even grown-ups often go about with bits of cotton wool in their ears. This should not be. The ear was not meant to be constantly protected in this way, besides which the fluff from the wool may collect inside and give trouble. Do not use a rubber sponge with which to -wash the ears, for bits of this are apt to loosen and get inside. A wash cloth is best, and a .soft linen towel for drying. Noises in the ear should be attended to by a doctor at once, as they may be associated with deafness. DO YOU . . . .? Have to make sure, almost every time you go out. that you haven't a ladder in your stockings? Have to watch your face every half hour of the day to see that it has sufficient powder? Have to make certain that your knees are not unduly exposed e»cy time you sit down ? ■. Haye to watch the calendar with anxious eyes when another New Year appears? , - Have to attempt t$ look shocked every time someone swears in your hearing? Have continually to read that you have no right to bo working for your living? Have to look in a glass every time you put oii yolft- hat? Have to lug about a young suitcase everywhere you go? Have to watch the changing fashions as a mother hen watches her chicks? Have to watch to see that you do nothing that can possibly lower your dignity, from leaping on to a moving car to crossing your legs? Have to hesitate before lighting a cigarette for fear of what people might sav or, worse'still, how they might look? Do you have to do these things? If not, you arc a man, my son, and you can thank your lucky stars you're not a girl. "STILL LIFE" COMPOSITIONS UNUSUAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH MAKE FOR BEAUTY (By Mary Lovat) Althugh we. often stand entranced before the "still life" compositions of the Old Masters we seldom endeavour to develop similar arrangements as means ' to decorative ends. We have only to go to the Old Dutch <

painters to realise how delightfully effective may be a dish of Delft pottery, grouped with a. pewter tankard and a strip of old damask. And plenty of our modern artists are shewing us like possibilities in connection with up-to-date products. One is fond of painting an assembly of cottage pottery coinuined with' everyday objects: another paints Staffordshire figures, while still another groups together little figurines, china models of animals, amber beads, and so forth, to decorative ends.

We miss obvious opportunities when we fail to make use of such odd items among our possessions. A string of coral or jade beads, when not being worn, will look exquisite on an occasional table beside a lustre vase and a blue Bristol, bowl ! Bits of old lava and agate jewellery will suddenly assume a really ornamental quality when posed, with little ivory carvings, against an old-fashioned fan or a. scrap of embroidery which forms an admirable back-

- ; ground. 1 1 Pewter never looks lovelier than | when seen beside a piece of green lj Wedgwood and, perhaps, a shagreen . i box. If there should be a row of ivory i ' beads or a cornelian necklace anywhere i\ around, try tho effect of banging this - from the rim of the pewtei bowl or i mug. _ Silver candlesticks usually rath- ; of uninteresting, become far more intriguing in the companv of a bit of orange glass and a length of purple brocade. 1 two simple recipes cream oFonion soup i ' Pool six onions, and slice them fine]v. -Melt an ounce of butler in a stew [ pan, and fry the onions until they are . brown. t Now, very slowly, sprinkle in about . two ounces of flour, stirring all tho time. Heat three pints of milk to boilingpoint, and add to the onions and Hour with pepper and salt to taste. , Simmer gently for about an hour, and , serve with small pieces of toast. i WHOLEMEAL SCONES i Sif# together half a pound of white tour, two teaspoonsful of baking powi 1 der and a good pinch of salt, , Mix in j half a pound of wholemeal flour, rub in a quarter of a pound of lard, add milk 1 and water, to make a soft dough. Roll out, cut into rounds, and bake in a [ hot oven. Serve hot if possible