LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9991, 30 November 1895, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

FASHIONS IN MILLINERY. As the constant topio of discourse on fashion isof the brightness of the colours being worn, we are naturally diverted to this when we begin to speak of the millinery of the season. If colours are varied in hue and arrangement in dress their featuro is concentrated here, and as heterogenous are they in collection as a flower garden robed in its spring attire. Indeed, looking over the headgear of a fashionable crowd you might' well be persuaded, with little of illusion, that ib is Earterres of flower* of the most brilliant ues to be cultivated upon which you gaze. And certainly we havo never worn shapes or styles of trimming in which more license was allowed, flats are larger, and broad garnitures aro quite invariable. An instance of a specimen hat is of shot bronzo and holiotrope straw; on each side and drooping ovor the brim are black feathers, and shorter ones so to the top, a tinted osprey to match giving a centre height. In front of the plumes again are sequintrimmed wings of black < net, branching j from each side of three citron-coloured loops in the centre. At tho back are more of these citron loops. A floral-trimmed hat is of brown nutmeg straw, the crown and a great part of the brim at one sido being covered with purple-centred yellow pansies, with high-standing buds; on the other aro crimson poppies, with a large bow of white ribbon brocadod in the colours of the hat and green, placed towards the back. A third is of black lace, with white chiffon puffs mingled with large blue silk cornflowers, golden wheat ears and green grasses, and tinted lace falling over the brim. Loops of chiffon often cover the stiff brims of straw hats and accordion-pleated net also, this latter in wired zigzag curves standing above the brim; perhaps a group of feathers springs up in the centre, or flowers instead of these, when, of course, ib is natural that such should find a place benoath, resting Upon the hair. Tho beautiful ribbons that we have are a sufficiently tempting miaou d'e/re for tho largo bow garniture, that is applied to both largo and small hats, sometimes alone and often together with wings, flowers, or foliage. These ribbons are shot, striped, and brocaded' in many exquisite tints. Pompadour ribbons leave little to be desired in their designs. Of courso, height as well as breadth is aimed at in the millinery, for which the large flowers with strong wired stems are made to sorve very effectively. Scarfs and loops of lace in black and white on hats and toquos gleam with jowelled pins. Lace makes pretty wings, with gold and silver threads outlining it. Toques divide favours equally with the largo lint--, and radiate with glittering buckles of pasto and gems, and coverings of sequins. A good stylo of toque ha 3 a bow of silk in front, caughb to the shape with a largo buckle in tho centre, tho loops springing out round and full at either side. Just at the back of tho loops are wings of white lace finishing with little groups of flowers, and between the space is filled in with the same flowers. Loops of ribbon rest on tho hair. Bonnets and toques differ little in character, the bonnets boing preferred stringless. But whilst toques are made of straw and substantial material, the bonnets are confections of silk, laco, chiffon, embroidory, and jet, with flowers and aigrettes. Flowers for millinery ,this season aro quite distinctive from anything we have had before. They are vory largo, and hydrangeas, enormous pansies, poppies, cornflowers, broad grasses, and foliage are favourite. WOMEN AND MODERN ILLUSTRATION. Woman is the summum bonum and tho nine qm on of tho art of the modern illustrator. The clever ones do her adequate justice, and show her to us in satisfactory poses and correct; costumes, although wo tire of their weekly or monthly iteration of tho samo subjoct with a nev/ joko or dialogue as its only excuse for existenco. Everywhere in tho field of periodical publication nowadays woman is the one great subject for illustration—prima donnas and ballet-dancers, actresses amd society heiresses, queens, and famous adventuresses, business women and society women who are philanthropic, women who can cook and women who love outdoor sports, women politicians, and women who conduct out-of thc-way industries, and so on through an interminable chapter. Tho portrait of the "up-to-date" girl, in one phase or another of her many-sided, multi-fadded lifo, meets the eye on magazine poster, menu-card, calendar, advertising pamphlet, and railroad guide. As a sure attention-riveter the advertisement artist long age employed her smiling f»co and well-gowned figure, daintily slippered, and with a more or less lavish exposure of neck and shoulders, so that the advertising pages of tho magazine on your table show this wonderful nineteenth cantury girl appealing to you in favour of a new brand of ready-made soup, the only piano that always keeps in tune, an absolutely puro baking powder, the latest improved bicycle, or a sure cure for superfluous flesh.—Lippincott's Magazine.

DEFINITION OF A LADY.

FALSE ECONOMY.

WEDDING DRESSES.

A lady is a woman who is honourable, truthful, refined; who regards the comfort of others first; who nerer forgets how important little courtesies are to the happiness of life; who is loyal to her friends, and never betrays a trust; who scorns to think a mean thought, or speak a mean word, or perform a mean act; who revcronces age, protects weakness, and maintains her own womanly self-respect. In European countries the title is generally confined to women who belong to the nobility and gentry. In the United States it justly belongs to every woman, young or old, rich or poor, beautiful or plain, who possesses the qualifications we have named, and the term should not be made meaningless by indiscriminate or unthinking use.

There is nothing in which tho average man and woman exercises greater false economy than that of time. Thoy think to save it by crowding into an hour the thoughts that should occupy three; and as to duties—why, if planning could perform them, the whole week, from Monday morning to Saturday night, would finish up 011 the first day. The true economist plans for to-morrow, allowing a reasonable time for each duty, with a little margin for emergencies, and then allows the matter to rat. The false economist likowise plans for to-morrow, but each half-hour is crowded up to the last minute, and threefourths of to-day is full of anxiety lest something will bo left undone. To-morrow arrives to find the worker half unfitted, through the worry of tha day before, for such work as could have been easily performed. So there is a sonso of defeat added to the anxiety for the next day. Thus the worry accumulates, until nervous prostration lays its victim low. Then the rest, which should have been takon daily and hourly, is all taken in ono long atrotch, perhaps of weeks, perhaps of months. Nature will not be gainsaid, and those who will do their work at one time must do all their resting at ono time. This is just, aud | will equalise the balauco.

It seems a carious thing that there should be suoh a sameness about weddings. They are very pretty functions, but far too much alike. Except on some few occasions whon the bridal train has been entirely composed of children, and some novel notion has been hit upon and successfully carried out, there is a great monotony about wedding dress. It is always more or less pretty, but, with the exception of ringing the changes in fashion and in light tones of colour, a description ot one bridal train would equally serve for thab of another. If the bride is a girl well known in the hunting field, how charming a well-thought-out pink wedding would be. Suppose her to bo artistic, a period wedding all done consistently would be delightful. If in autumn or winter, dresses in accordance with the season for tho bridesmaids wotild bo pretty and practical too. There might bo dozens of variations on wedding dress which would be a distinct relief after six bridesmaids, wearing dresses of pale pink, cream colour, pale blue, or yellow, as is now all we learn even if we read conscientiously through the wedding pages of a fashionable ladies' paper.