LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10085, 21 March 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

DRESS AND FASHION.

At a recent Cinderella dance a charming dress of spotted muslin called forth much admiration by reason of its sweet simplicity. The soft, whito muslin was spotted hero and there with small dots of yellow Bilk. The plain skirt fell in full graceful folds, and the full low-bodice was drapod with a delightful fichu of soft yellow surah. The fichu was tied in a loose knot in tho contre of bodice; and tho soltly frilled sash ends were drawn gracefully round to tho back of waist, where they formod a bow, and fell with long ends to the foot of the skirt. The muslin sleeves were gathered to form three | graduated puffs from shoulder to elbow, j and there thoy terminated with a frill of tho muslin. Yellow stockings, gloves, and shoes completed the pretty effect of this dainty costume. A great doal of lace, spangled gauze, chiffon, white silk muslin (ichus edged with butter-colourod laco, lace and not collars embroiderod with sequins, and combinations of laca, fur, and artificial flowers, are used for tho adornment of evening drcssoi. For day wear, jabots of yellow laco are worn with silk or velvet fronts, also with fur boas. Unlit-coloured striped silks, with large balloon olbow-sleevos of satin in some contrasting shade, form special feature of ladies' ovoning attire, Other conspicuous novelties are to bo seen in tlio bright-coloured sequin belts, and tho broad Empire elastic waistbands, which are made to fasten in front with fancy narrow buckles of the same width as the belting.

A stylish visiting gown of bluo-grey cloth is made with a full skirl, which is trimmed down either side of the front width with bands of Chinchilla fur. The fitting bodice has the fashionable fluted basque and large drooping sleeves, that fit from elbow to wrist, where a band of fur finishes them off. The side fronts of bodices have bands of fur that correspond with and meet the fur on the skirt. The basquo terminates at the side, just beyond the fur trimming on the skirt. Tho full front is made of blue satin, and across the chest it has a trimming composed of two bands of white satin ribbon, which is edged ou oither side with narrow jet. The collar and waistband are made of fur. Each has, in the centre of back, tie outstanding conventional bow of satin, the colour of which matches tho full vest.

The belt bodice, which terminates at the waist, is slowly but surely fading out of fashion. its oxit makes entrance for the basque bodice. And this bodice claims the admiration of all women who can boast an average number of inches in height whether they bo slender or inclined to stoutness, while it is a fashion particularly favourable to tho extremely tall woman. The ba-'que is frequently cut in points, and always very full, so that it stands out with sotnewut exaggerated dimensions. Further, it should always bo cut away from the front, as if it meets there it is apt to give the figure an unduly round appearance; whilst its length should be short, never descending below the hips.

WHAT BECOMES OF COLLEGE WOMEN. SOME AMERICAN EXPERIENCES.

Dr. C, F. Timing summarise in the North American Review for November the result of some interesting investigations which have been rmulo as to tho future of the college women of tho United States. He says : — About fifty-five percent, of tho womangraduates of our colleges marry. Twenty per cent, of all women who become of a marriageable age do not marry, and it is apparent that about forty por cent, ol college women, who Imro become of a marriageable age, havo not married. The question, therefore, is what work aro tho unmarried women doing? Are they doing a work of value sufficient to justify tho time and money spoilt in securing an education ? Are they doing a work of the highest educational or ethical or civil value? The number of woman who enter public employments is increasing, and these employments are usually inconsistent with tin: life of a wife and mother. Wo therefore shall find an increasing proportion of the distinguished women, who aro college graduates, unmarried.

FAME. I have recently had an examination mado of " Appleton" to discover tho nature of the early training and also the character of the employment of the persons thorein nana"!. Tho work contains between fifteen thousand and sixteen thousand name*, of which only 633 are names of women. Of these 033 women 320 are authors ; seventy-three aro singers or actresses; ninety one aro sculptors or painters; sixty-eight are e locators ; twentyone may be called philanthropists; fourteen are missionaries; thirteen doctors ; twentyeight may be described as having their places in this article because of heroic deeds. There aro also three who are desciibecl as engaging in business, one is nursing, and one is following the profession of law. Of these 633 persons only nineteen have had a college training ; of the 320 women who mo named as authors, only nine are college women ; of tho ninety-one artists only one ; of the actresses also one ; of the educators seven ; of the missionaries one only is college bred. It is evident that the college woman has not become famous. From the great field of literaturo tho college woman has been absent as a creator for the last twenty years. The number of books, of every sort, written by college women is very fow. MA Rill AUK. The effect of marriage upon tho winning of distinction is not so great as first thought would lead one to believe, for of the (533 women named in " Applet,oil's Cyclopedia,' ono-half aro married and one-half are unmarried.

The American colloge has given us great scholars, great philanthropists, great ad uiinistrators, great, teachers. It has given us Frances E. Willard and Lucy Stono. It has not given us great writers. It has given us no great novelist. It has given one or two, and only one or two, essayists. But all exceptions aside, it is certainly true that the graduates of the colleges for women have not made that contribution to literature that they have made to scholarship, or to teaching, or to administration.

GOOD RESOLUTIONS. Woman has the following "good resolutions" for 189(5 : — By a Wifo: Even when I have been proved right, I will not say " I told yon so." I will not make him selfish and absurd by servilely waiting on him. I will not make the house top hot (or too cold) for his bachelor friends. While ready to take sympathetic interest in his correspondence and business affairs, I will never show curiosity about them. By a Husband: 1 will not go to sleep after dinner unless she does so' first, I will never advise her to do anything " like Mrs. Somebody Else." I ill not dole out) money to her as a favour, and moreover oblige her to ask for it first. 1 will not insist on putting my fingers into tho smallor domestic pies. By an Engaged Girl: I will not speak of my fiancc as "ho" tout court. 1 will not tell my friends that I am " sure they will like him when they know him." I wiil not ostentatiously play with and display tho engagement ring. I will not consider myself privileged to bo a nuisanco to the whole rest of the world.

HOW TO WEAR A VEIL. See a Frenchwoman come into a restaurant ; no matter how tight her corsage is, she raises first ono I,and and thou tho other, and by a fow deft touches her veil is off. Whon she wants it on again, she gots it back in place in the same magical way. On the contrary, an English or American woman, under the circumstances, has to drop all interest in the conversation in order to wrestle with her veil, and perhaps even has to have assistance before she

accomplishes hor purpose. To wear a voil rightly is an art, but no degree of art can render one of these bordered atrocities becoming, and women will continue to buy them because they aro something now. " How do you liko that?" askod a woman, as a young girl entered tho train wearing a black mottled-looking veil with hor sailor hat. " A great mistake," decided a judge of veils after one glance. " That kind of veil makes a woman's face look blistered, or else it has the appearance of being worn to hide pimples or blotohos. A girl aS young as that, ought not to wear a veil at all, or, if she likes the feeling of privacy which a veil givesand I always fool a kind of protection when I have ray veil on— her select some soft, plain mesh, not all flourished over like that."