LADIES COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8288, 21 June 1890, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES COLUMN.

FASHIONABLE HAIRDRESSING. Notwithstanding the fact that the Parisian ladies, who generally set the fashion for us, are constantly trying to introduce the catogan style of hairdressing, we adhere rigidly to the small, close effect which Englishwomen prefer, because massing the hair at the back of the head gives it a bulky appearance which is not desirable. That fringes are steadily disappearing is a matter for congratulation, and as our sketches show, nothing more than what serves to form a light flu.Ty edging to the forehead is now permitted to escape. If sufficient hair for this purpose does not. form a natural fringe, then a little is cut in front and at each side, and slightly curled by artificial means. Our first sketch shows a favourite way of arranging the hair with ordinary attire. It is brushed up at the back, with a few coils softly arranged on top of the head in a very becoming manner. To copy this, first collect the front hair or fringe, and pin in a small twist ; theii'part a tress straight across the crown, and form a small rouleau above the fringe. Next take the back hair, all together if thin, or divided in two parts if thick, and turn this up to the crown, where it should be firmly fastened. The sides should be well brushed back from the

ears, and taken up together with the back hair. The ends are then arranged in little coils and pinned on top of the head, verging inwards the back. There should not be less than three of these little coils, and if hair is plentiful as many as seven or eight may be arranged. In our second illustration the coils are arranged like the figure eight, and are raised up so as to look light and fluffy. The coil

to the front of the head (representing the upper half of the figure) should be larger than tho other, winch diminishes towards the back. In the third diagram there is a tiny fringe, above which the hair is waved anil turned up over a small pad. The back hair is divided down the centre and .the right Mile twisted over to the left, a long narrow

comb being placed in the division. The ends are then rolled to make several little coils, which are pinned close to the head. In the present stylo of hairdressing the front hair requires to be waved or crimped in some manner, and there are all sorts of pins and waving presses sold now which are a great improvement on the longs and irons, which born and shrivel the hair. These latter appliances consist chiefly of pins, which may be used cold, and aro consequently not rib all injurious to the hair. Leader.

PROFESSIONAL BEAUTIFIERS. Professional beautifiers (writes Miss Mantalini) are on the increase. Although civilisation is rather behind savagedom in this respect, — using whiting and rouge only, and not having got as far as streaking its face with yellow-ochre—the difference is only one of degree. The beautifier to w horn I refer has started in London after some experience in Paris, whero the "art" is at its prima .She has three degrees of " beautifying" a face, which means that she lays on the preparations in five different thicknesses. [ thought 1 would try it myself. It was quickly done. First the face is sponged with hot water and dried. Then something out of a bottle was carefully applied and allowed to dry, and over this a layer of another mixture was rubbed on. This gives a smooth and white appearance to the skin. The cheeks were artistically rouged, the eyebrows pencilled, and a dark line made under the eyes, ami the artist declared enthusiastically that "I was a beautiful make-up." I had my forehead enamelled, too, just for an experiment. A sort of whiting in solution is applied till a sufficient thickness has dried on the skin, and that is enamelling. It looks ghastly in the daylight. The makerup admitted this ; and said another drawback to enamelling was that the wearer mus'n't laugh or it would crack. " Indeed," she said, " ladies of fashion don't smile much, for laughter is destructive to certain sorts of make up ; enamelling is only for evening. It's too plain for sunlight." I felt very stuffy with all these washes and paints on my face, and was glad to get them off, though the maker-up assured mo* that everything was purely vegetable. "Miss Maud," he said, "I have come in this evening to ask you a question, and I have brought a ring with me. Now, before you try it on, I want to tell you that if you feel inclined to bo a sister to me I will have to take it back, as my father objects to my sisters wearing such large diamonds." And Maud said she would keep the ring. Women still continue to advance tinder the banner of their "rights," and men's clothes. In the novel "Premier and the Painter" one of the lady characters wishes she were a man, so that "sometimes she might thrust her hands into her trousers pockets and give a long, low whistle." In Berlin recently a merchant discovered that one of his cashiers was a charming young widow in disguise; and tho Austrian Countess Sarolta Vay was so carried away by the delusion of the costume she had donned that she acted as bridegroom at a wedding ceremony. The proposal that originated recently amongst several ladies well known in society, to erect a statue to the Princess of Wale's, is said to be meeting with a generally favourable reception. The suggestion is that a statue of Her Royal Highness, in her robes as " Doctor of Music," should be placed as a companion to that of the Prince of Wales in the hall Royal College of Music. Ardent swain (to the object of his affections, who is about to start on a visit to a well-known watering-place) : " Anna, my sweet, will you remain true to me all the time you are away taking tho waters?" Anna (who is sweet seventeen) : " Why. Edgar, you silly old boy, as if that would make any difference ! Don't you know the Carlsbad waters act on the liver and not on the heart