LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9118, 28 July 1888, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

[FROM THE SYDNEY MAIL.]

With the cold weather has come a demand for furs, and boas of all lengths are worn. A blue grey shade of fur is one of the favourite tints, and this is made up in long boas with broad collarettes in the centre. This colour goes well with nearly all fashionable shades. With Madeira brown, with myrtle green, violet, orange reds, terra cotta, or amethyst, the grey fur looks well; grey is also a favourite colour for blending with bright shades. The ruby and poppy tints are to many tastes too glaring for complete costumes, but with a judicious mixture of grey can be toned so as to be suitable for all seasons and wearers. A very elegant toilette, which, by varying the material, can be adapted to winter or summer wear, is of grey and dark grass green ; the under skirt is edged by a full flounce of green, over which the skirt of grey is cut into deep-pointed Vandykes at the edge, the points reaching nearly to the edge of the green flounces ; the over skirt is cut straight, the fulness restrained by three rows of gauging at the knees, on the right side a pointed apron is draped and looped on the left hip, the back drapery is set on in full pleats, and not vandyked, the jacket bodice has a vest of green, and the coat sleeves are lined at the wrists with green and finished with a bow on' the upper half in place of a cuff. With this is worn a green bonnet with fluted front, trimmed with bows and strings of green faille. This can be made of green cashmere for the flounce, velvet for the vest and bonnet, and grey cloth ; or grey bengaline with green faille. Amethyst, though considered a trying colour as regards the complexion of the wearer, is yet very fashionable ; one of the prettiest costumes for a girl of 10 or 12 years old is a cashmere skirt of amethyst made with a full-pleated flounce half-covered with a fish-wife drapery, over this a cuirass bodice of velvet, a darker shade than the cashmere, cut round and forming a basque edged with grey fox fur, the cuirass opens V-shapeover a vest of cashmere,and is similarly bordered with fur ; broad-brimmed hat of fine grey straw lined with grey velvet, the brim turned up to the crown at the back ; a cluster of loops surmounted by feathers waving from the crown over the front forms the trimming. A very simple, yet very becoming, frock for a young lady of 18 or 19 is of striped flannel or any material of distinct colours in stripes ; the skirt is a plain round set on the waist in full gathers, the bodice short, has from just above the armhole (about an inch of shoulder seam) a revers, formed by the material being turned back and faced with the same, about three inches deep back and front and tapering nearly to a point on the shoulder. Above this, and reaching to the throat, is an under bodice of flannel or cloth, self-coloured, and match-

ing the shade of one of the stripes in the skirt, the small bishop sleeves of striped stuff have cuff's of plain material turned back, and a broad sash of the same shade is

tied round the waist, falling ia loop and long ends to the left of the waist. A lovely bridal gown is of white faille, the front and sides plain. In the centre two rows of broad white lace, thickly pearled, are sewn with the scalloped edges nearly meeting. At the lower edge a fan-shaped pleating of faille, about Sin deep, is inserted, which gives a little spring to the edge of the skirt, and is nearly covered with a cluster cf orange blossoms. On either side a panel is formed of lace, matching that in front. The bodice and court train are of satin duchesse. The coat sleeve is covered with pearled net, leaving a pointed gore of satin uncovered, and V-shaped plastrons of pearled lace cover the bodice back and front from the throat to the waist. Sprays of orange and myrtle flowers are placed on the sleeves and at the neck. The lace veil falls over the dress, and the face is left uncovered.

A guest's dress of ruby surah and velvet was much admired. The underskirt, of ruby velvet, had a pointed apron for front drapery of surah; the full bodice of surah had a pleated basque, over which was worn a broad belt of steel jet a straight collar and plastron of jetted lace ornamented the front; the sleeves of

velvet had cuffs of steel jet; a hat of steelcoloured felt, the round brim deepening much in front, had the high crown nearly hidden by ostrich feathers of the same shade.

Very pretty costumes for little girls are made with deep yokes back and front, to which the frock is set on in close pleats, drawn much closer at the waist back and front; the sleeves are small bishops with four or five tucks run the full length in the centre, and giving a corresponding appearance to that of the pleats below the yoke. The bodice is plain at the sides, the material cut away only to the waist, and the extra length pleated in with the skirt. A broad sash, fastened on each side of the pleated front, is tied in the centre of the back. The hat should be of the colour of the frock, or at least trimmed with the same shade.

A new-shaped head-wrap, very convenient for wear to theatres and concerts, is made of a soft chequered silk. The material should be nearly a yard wide. The square, cut from corner to corner into two triangular pieces, will make two wraps. The centre corner of. the three in the half piece is rounded off' and sewn into a band or

coronet of embroidered silk or velvet, stiffened with muslin. This coronet nearly encircles the head, and keeps the wrap in place. The two corners fall over the shoulders in front, the head and throat are protected ; and if a light silk is chosen, the coiffure will not suffer.

I The Maltese lace is now again fashionable. [ Probably the residence of the Duchess of Edinburgh in Malta has influenced this ; at any rate, the revival is welcome, for few varieties are more grateful to the wearer in effect cr in durability. The tan shade prevails in the present styles; handkerchiefs with white silk centres and deep borders of tan Maltese lace are amongst the prettiest novelties. D'oyleys in Maltese laceandin fine guipure are now to be had ; very pretty for dessert use, also for joining for toilet covers and the many knick-knacks of the boudoir. Fichus, too, of various sizes, are to be had in Maltese lace, cream, ecru, and black. There are also shawls which in skilful hands could be made to serve many purposes for draping, both for toilette and decorative use. The guipure squares now shown are of finer quality than those usually to be had. There are also round d'oyleys and squares with such fanciful borders that they seem almost octagonal. By a little management these and the circular ones can be united so as to form excellent patterns for covers.