LADIES' COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10223, 29 August 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

FASHION GOSSIP.

Nothing (a Daily News' gossip assures us) is fresher or prettier than a well-hung skirt of white or cream colour, in serge, canvas, or alpaca, with the relief of one of these smart little coatees and porhaps tho lower portion of the sleeve as well. The combination can be infinitely varied. In some the skirt is blue, with many rows of white woollen braid, and the deep sailor collar is also blue, with similar trimming. Others have white skirts with bands of bluo for trimming, and yolks of blue with belts to match. In the more elaborate there is a front panel of white satin embroidered in (fold braid in lines that meet and form a series of points in the centre. Long sashes of whito satin ribbon fall over the blue serge skirt at either side of this, and the bodice has a vest of embroidery to match the panel on the skirt. Lord Meath, in the Nineteenth Century, describes Englishwomen as attending fashionable resorts on the Continent in mountaineering costume, but this is certainly the exception rather than tho rule. Great care is exercised in tho choice of travelling dress, and already, in view of tho general flight from town after tho marriage of Princess Maud, there is much preparation for this purposo, Homespuns, light of texture and of tint so undecided that they show the dust but little, are made up into coat and skirt without a scrap of trimming of any kind. The coat is smart enough, but chiefly by reason of its good cut. Tho shape is usually an open one, leaving four or fivo inches of shirt, blouse, or 1 front' visible from chin to neck.

Whether for travelling or for ordinary outdoor wear, the skirts of dresses are cut quite to clear the ground at the back and sides even more than in front, where it must just touch the shoe if ic is to be in harmony with the fashion.

At the entertainment given at the Polo Club in Paris, a few evenings ago, overy woman appeared to have made up her mind to look her best, and the result was a remarkable exhibition of delightful toilettes. One of the prettiest there, worn by a dark-eyed, dairlc-haired ' Am6rici)ine,' who owns one of the prettiest figures imaginable, had (says a correspondent of the Daily Telegraph) a white satin gown a godet*, the corsage of satin, also cut low, and trimmed with a deep collar of beautiful old lace, forming berthe. Drawn up to the nock, beneath a collar band of white satin, was a Marguerite ' guimpe' of finelyspotted point d'esprit. net. The hat worn with this gown, and in direct and pleasing contrast, was of black satin straw in Punchinello shape, boldly raised in front above the forehead, with a big bow of black velvet affixed by a large jewelled ornament of turquoises and pearls in Eastern design. Rising high above the bow, and in the- middle distance, so to speak, were two rich black ostrich tips, overcuriing, one to the right, one to the left, and supporting between them an equally high black osprey. The full sleeves of satin terminated at the elbow, and were met by long white suede gloves. ( White suede shoes were also worn ; while a beautiful necklace of numerous and tightly-fitting rows of pearls completed the elegant attire.

GLEANINGS. The highest salary paid to a governess is probably that received by .Miss Etta Hughes, English governess to the young Princess of the Asturias, a relative of the late Queen of Spain. Miss Hughes receives £1000 a year. The first lady lawyer in Berlin has opened her office in the Unter den Linden. It is Frau Emile Kempin, Doctor at Law, and formerly private lecturer in English and American law at the University of Zurich. Frau Kempin has also belonged to the New York University, mid practised in that city. In Lady Louisa Tighe and Lady Sophia Cecil there are still two survivors of the famous ball given by the Duchess of Richmond at Brussels on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. In 1815 these ladies, then girls of twelve and six respectively, were present at this famous ball.

One of the prettiest compliments upon record (says a society paper) was paid to tho Princess of Wales during her recent visit to Hatfield. A little child who was staying in the house was told that she would presently see the Princess of Wales. In due course Her Royal Highness entered the room. After an interval of a few minutes the child, having looked hard at her, turned and said: 1 Mamma, I've seen the young Princess, but where is the Princess of Wales ?' No courtier could have prepared a prettier compliment than this.

The story is being constantly told in Russia of the answer given to the Emperor when His Majesty proposed to his future wife ' Tlis Emperor, my father, has commanded me to make you the offer of my hand and heart,' was the witch's quaint war of putting it. ' And ray grandmother, the Queen,' replied the lady, ' has commanded me to accept tho offer of your hand; your heart I will take myself.' It is said, and on good authority, that the Emperor is passionately devoted to his wife, and that she is equally fond of him. Certainly she is a woman calculated to make any amiable man happy. Madame Sarah Bernhardt is credited with the intention of celebrating the thousandth performance of' La Dame aux Camelias' in Paris by reverting, for that occasion only, to the fashions which ruled when the play was first produced some forty years back. The ladies will loom large on the sight in the huge crinolines and wide flounces of the day, whilst the gentlemen will wear peg too trousers, high collars, and wide neckerchiefs. Modern Paris will be prono to laugh at the fashions of the 'fifties.' What tho divine Sarah will look like in a coalscuttle bonnet and an encyclopedic crinoline can only be imagined. The practice of a woman changing her name 011 marriage originated from a Roman custom, and came into use after the Roman occupation. Some persons think that the custom originated from the Scriptural teachings that husband and wife are one. This was the rulo of law so far back as Bracton, and it was decided in that case of ' Bon v. Smith,' in tli£ reign of Elizabeth, that a woman by marriage loses'her former name, and legally receives the namo of her husband. The custom, however, is not universal. Id Spain and Portugal married women do not take the name of their husbands, but continue to be known by their own.

An amusing incident lately occurred in the Mediterranean on board one of Her Majesty's ships. The commander is a very particular man about the rain's dinner-time. Directly eight bells strike, whatever they are doing, the men have to knock off and go below. The commander's wife was on board, and, being rather stout, whenever she went ashore a whip and chair were rigged from the yardarm to get her off and on board. One day she came off about two minutes to twelve (eight bells). The chair was put over the side, the lady hoisted half way up, when the quarter-master struck eight bells. The Admiral ordered and the boatswain piped ' Belay !' The lady was left one hour in the chair while the men dinod!

Many royalties share the popular craze for collecting autographs. The German Emperor in particular is an enthusiastic collector, and his album of finest vellum, bound in the ioiporial colours of black and scarlet, and filled with the most coveted autographs in the world, is nob the least valuable of His Imperial Majesty's possessions. Princess Maud of Wales has an even daintier book, in which the pages are covered with quotations wise and witty written by many royalties, and not a few celebrities. 'Carmen Sylvu,' Queen of Roumania, has a passion for inditing verses (generally her own) above her Autograph, while the Dowager Empress of Russia is fond of a quaint little motto which appears very frequently in the albums of intimate friends. It runs thus ' Little things on little wings, bring little souls to heaven.' A most original marriage ceremony took place at Harwich lately. Tho curate of the church recoivod a visit from tho bridegroom, who apologised for asking him to perform the ceremony instead of the vicar of tho parish. 'The fact is, you are a keen wheelman, lam told.' ' Yes,' Said the curate (a muscular Christian), much amused; 'I don't know how I should get on without my bicycle.' ' Well, that is why I came to you. To tell the truth, we want to have some fun out of tho wedding, and we mean to havo a cycle one.' Accordingly tin tho appointed day the wedding-party, consisting of bride and bridegroom and about thirty guests, rode down to the church, attired in regulation cycling costumes—bhs bride in a neat tailor-made gown, the bridegroom and groomsman in kiiicliovbocliew and cap,