Dresses Of Nineteenth Century

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 15 April 1939, Page 12

Dresses Of Nineteenth Century

Lavender Fashionable

\ SHORT time ago I went to an exhibition of historical dresses, the actual garments worn by women in the middle of the nineteenth century, writes the Daily News’ London correspondent. The thing that struck me most about them, apart from the width of the skirts, was the extreme smallness of the bodices. Mute witness, I decided, to the lack of exercise from which women and girls suffered in Victorian days.

No modern athletic young women could hope to make the bodice of any one of the frocks come within inches of meeting round her nicely developed form, and I doubt whether she could fasten the little neckband without choking. The tiny nipped-in waist would certainly make her swoon, in the true Victorian manner, through the pain of trying to crush a healthy 25 inches or so into a belt measuring about 18.

Ancl yet, looking at the dresses, I thought some of them might have been the products of a modem designer, provided he had substituted for the small bodice - top which still fitted neatly but allowed for 1939 proportions.

The white embroidered net wedding dress, worn by a blushing bride in 1855, could easily and fashionably be reproducted for a bride of 1939. The full skirt is composed of two deep flounces of the lace, and the little bodice is covered by just such a coatee as a bride might wear to-day, almost hip-length at the back and rounded off towards the front.

I thought, too, that the bride’s mother could wear almost a replica of the dress another mother wore in 1857. It is made of lavender brocatelle. a version of our brocade, but I think Madame 1939 would probably dispense with the lavender silk fringe adorning the bodice, although fringe is coming back into fashion, and would do without the white lawn puffs showing beneath the three-quarters length bell sleeves of the frock. Otherwise. with the measurements of the top brought up to modern requirements, and the waist-line made humanely comfort-

able, the dress comes into the modern picture, with its full, spreading skirt.

Lavender is becoming a fashionable shade again, especially for crinoline style evening gowns. The Queen favours it for her full-skirted frocks, and several young matrons and girls have worn it at parties this season. It seems right, homehow, for the quaint styles, with strapless bodices, berthes. Victorian . osies of mixed flowers, and all the rest of it. Also it is as suitable for a young girl as for her mother, or her grandmother if it comes to that, for it emphasises the bloom of a youthful

complexion and equal!- acts as the perfect set-off for silvery-white hair. 1 think the designers will quickly realise the importance of the delicate tint if they continue to make full-skirted dance dresses.

Fashion writers may or may lot flatter themselves that the millinrrr have listened to their pleas for hats that will stay on the head without the help of chenille nets, bands of ribbon, elastic and what not. In any case, the last millinery show I saw suggested lha' they had abandoned at least some of their rather crazy ideas. You can have a glorified beret that really grips the head at the back, while showing all the hair you want to show at one side. A little round turban shape is equally obliging, and for “grand” occasions you can have a picturesque hat that plays up to all your good features. [out. Spread each with sultanas, brown I.sugar, and cinnamon. Roll up lengthwise and twist 2 together to form into a circle. Place on greased bakmg dish with cup or tin in the centre. Repeat with other 2 pieces. Allow to rise. Glaze Bake in moderate oven three-quarters hour. Makes two cakes. Rhubarb and Raisin Marmalade. Wash one quart rhubarb and cut into small pieces. Do not skin. Put into an enamel-lined preserving pan. cover with two cups sugar, quarter cup water. Place over a slow fire for five minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, add one cup of seeded

At a luncheon party a few days ago I noticed that several smart women were wearing black hats trimmed with brightly coloured ostrich feathers. The hats sat comfortably on the heads, and left the high, nodding business to the feathers. One was trimmed with graceful 1 blue plumes, another with bright green, another with dull pink, and a fourth with wine colour. In each case the colour repeated that of the dress, the suit, or the blouse worn with a black or neutral tinted costume.

Lest we become too smug about cur hats, there are various amusing diversions. Schiaparelli provides some with her small replicas of Napoleonic headgear trimmed with locks of hair, and with her tricornes, some of whicn have a peak in front representing a mask There are other amusements, such as a mask tipped over the front of the head in place of a hat, and a “Spanish Don” model perched at a dashing angle. The lips of the mask, by the way. may be coloured red. especially when the background is black.

One hat looks, in profile, rather like an upside-down saucepan with a bent handle. The pan sits on the head and the brim, which appears in front only, curves up almost as high as the top of the crown. The hat, in mulberry straw, is worn with a pale duck-egg blue dress, which has tiny turned back revers at the round neck, imitation diamond shaped pockets high on the bodice, a slightly gored skirt, and a mulberry coloured belt matching the gloves. Another mulberry item is a light wool-

land chopped raisins. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick—about 45 minutes. Be sure to remove the scum as it rises. Fill clean, dry jars. When cold, cover and store in a cool, dark place. Apple Cake. Two breakfast cups of flour. ’• breakfast cup of milk, 1 breakfast cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 2 eggs. ai\d lib apples. Peel and slice the apples, sift the flour and baking powder, beat the eggs, add sugar, and beat again; then add flour and milk alternately. Lastly, add melted butter. Pour the mixture into two greased sandwich tins, and put

len suit in the fruit colour. With it goes a blouse in the same shade, worn over the skirt, fastening from neck to hern with gold filligree buttons, and embroidered on the yoke, back and front, with yellow, mulberry and sage green Harlequin diamonds. The costume material covers a mask shape which tips well over the face—and this is the hat you are offered with the ensemble.

a thick layer of apples on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake for half an hour in a brisk oven. When cooked, place one cake on top of the othci, dust with sugar mixed with cinnamon and serve hot. Marrow and Salmon. Make a rich white sauce and s***oi* w ith salt and pepper. A'dfl one teaspoon of lemon juice, one teaspoon pC anchovy and one small tin salmon. MVflknd stuff a prepared marrow with migAc. Cu*i marrow with butter, then roR ft breadcrumbs. Bake about three-gArter* of an hour and serve with masfipfl'A'ol.aUn s.