Ladies' Column.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 246, 5 August 1876, Page 3

Ladies' Column.

One of the difficulties of the day is to find employment for languid ladies over-laden with leisure. Some work flowers in crewel worsteds ; some make scratchy pen-drawings, miscalled etchings ; some etch in good earnest, and bravely spot their dresses with aqua fortis and stopping-out varnish ; many paint in oil ; most ! dabble in water-color ; some sketch from nature, more from chromolithographs after Robotham ; some engrave on wood, others carve it ; some make cunning fret-work with little saws ; some illuminate with gold and colors from their own designs ; but many more buy their outlines with directions where to daub the colors and gold. And it must be admitted that though the rank and file of the sex is painfully liable to be led astray by designing tradesmen with " materials" to sell, and deplorably afraid of judging for itself in matters of taste, the average excellence of feminine productions has greatly risen of late years. Its Berlin woolwoi-k and its cotchet were always frankly horrible and ugly; but some of the recent embroidery is quite charming. The field of employment, too, is expanding. We observe that The Queen has opened its columns to the irrepressible Dr. Hunter, late of the Madras School of Art, who has kinkly undertaken to teach the ladies of England the art of modelling on clay, as he curiously expresses it. There are few things in the whole range of science and art that the ci-devant sm-geon-major of the Madras Army would not undertake to teach ; but sculptors are inaccessible as a class, and it seems just a little preposterous that an amateur should be allowed to take a place which could only be satisfactorily filled by a trained expert. Since England is said to be learning so much from India, perhaps they are but now discovering the great fact, long known to us, that your amateur is your only artist. — Pioneer. Exhibition of Costumes.—An exhibition of a very novel and interesting character will be held at the Alexandra Palace, under distinguished patronage, immediately after Easter. Prizes of considerable value will be awarded by the Alexandra Palace Company, and a committee appointed to carry out the exhibition, for the best designs in ladies' costumes, the decisions being based upon the originality, elegance, and economy of the dresses displayed. Several hundred varieties, including morning, evening, ball, and bridal costumes i will be included in this competitive exhibition,

and valuable opportunities of comparison will thus be afforded to costumiers and others, whereby it may be hoped that greater economy and elegance in dress may be attained than is afforded by the extravagant eccentricities which too frequently characterise the fashions of the present day. As buyers from all parts of the country visit London at the abovementioned period, this exhibition will afford them facilities for inspection hitherto unprecedented. That it will attract an immense concourse of ladies cannot be doubted, inasmuch as the attractions of the shops and showrooms of Regent Street and the West End will, for the time being, be transferred to Muswcll Hill.

Lace Making in Venice.—A recent number of the Cornelia, a paper published in the interests of women, and edited by Madame Cirnino, contains a most interesting article on the revival of the lace manufacture in Venice, which in the last few years has assumed considerable importance all over Italy. It is now taught in the public schools in Rome, and I suppose in other cities as well, and to an expert eye there seems but little difference between the veritable antique laces and that manufactured by the deft little fingers of these children. The lace making of Venice has an ancient and a modern history. The former is well known, and specimens of that date, costing several hundred dollars per metre, adorn the dresses of many wealthy ladies ; the modern history is, however, less familial*. The Venetian laces are of two kinds—those made with a needle, and those made on a cushion, or cylinder, with bobbins. The former are incomparably more precious and costly than the latter, and there is the same difference between them that there is between a steel engraving and one on wood—that is between the elevated and difficult art, and the industrial one which serves the ordinay uses of every day life—and consequently the price of the former varies between twenty and thirty times that of the latter ; this naturally occasions a great diversity in the number of those employed in the manufactory of Venice, the two branches of this industry, the former being about 100, and the rest of the 1200 workers using the bobbins. Venice has again become the country of laces of every description, and the work is every day assuming larger proportions.—Cincinnati Gazette. GENERAL REMARKS ON THE FASHIONS. Polonaises are certainly more popular than ever—not the puffed-out style of former days, but all are draped low on the skirt. They are of cashmere and some of silk, and black silk still holds its own for summer wear. Down the front they are partially or wholly closed ; if the latter, there is a cascade of lace and ribbons to conceal the opening. Some—indeed many—are buttoned down the back, and also half way down, where the buttons terminate with a broad bow and ends ; others have a broad back breadth, the sides are caught up, and underneath are tied back, the breadth flowing loosely down to the train, and draping itself. Some have two rows of buttons on the polonaise. This style can only be worn where there is no tablier. Materials : Grenadine and barege will be the principal thin fabrics worn, and in creamcolor or black. Numberless are the new names for old fabrics. Black grenadines have threads of cream-color in them, or satin stripes of the same tint ; these are trimmed with e"cru lace. A very soft fine woollen fabric is made called "spring cloth," but drapers give the name drap d'ete" to all soft twilled material, cashmere and French merino excepted. While it is the fashion to so closely drape the figure, it is but common sense to choose very soft fabrics. Silks will drape in folds, and remain in place, and never were silks more worn ; for the street these are chiefly black. However popular black silks were last summer, they are, with cashmere, still more so this season. Jackets, by new name termed casaques, are nearly all short in the back and long in front ; this style takes off the thickness of the figure at the waist. The cross-over and mantelet are very popular ; they are made in cashmere and in silk. Eeru-cashmere mantelettes are shown by the principal modistes, and are trimmed with lace*br fringe. The mantelet is pointed in the back and fastens in the fx*ont ; it is not so deep as the waist at the back, and the trimming narrows at the waist in front, thus giving shapeliness to form. The end are pointed^; the square ends gave a thickness where it is undesirable. Trimmings.—Braids lin. wide, and very narrow metallic braids, lace, and passementerie (gimp) ; the latter is seen only occasionally. Batiste and cambric dresses have trimmings of silk of the same tint ; thus the dull and bright hues harmonise very well. Silk is also used as a trimming on barege and grenadines. These have alternate frills and flounces of each material, or the frills of the material if the dress is bound with silk. Batiste and barege dresses are also trimmed with dcru lace and fringe. Dresses are worn trained, but they are easily looped with hooks and loops (not eyes), or the train is thrown across the arm, and this mode is preferable when long walks are not contemplated. For throwing the train across the arm the train must be lined as a trained petticoat, otherwise necessarily it would sweep the ground. A trained dress of soft material or of silk will not fall well if without lining or trained petticoat. Sleeves have all of them a trimming of one or more ruches, or finished by a pleating of silk which shows just beyond the bottom of the sleeve. Parasols—Club-stick handles so long popular are not fashionable, and parasols of black silk lined with white or black will hold their own during the summer. These are for the most part untrimmed but Will be trimmed with e"cru and black lace later. The handles are plain smooth sticks, with a knot of tortoiseshell, or cornelian, or onyx. Rough handles are utterly destructive of gloves. Neckties are still made of silk, with creamcolored lace, but the prettiest we have seen

was made in close imitation of Delhi-work. The lace is the Valenciennes, not about 2in.wide, and is worked over the pattern with cream or white Decca silk. Floss silk answers nearly as well, but the Decca is rather closer twisted, and not so liable to fray. The lace is then put on, not attached to, the edge of a black, blue, or scarlet scarf necktie. The cream net neckties, with the cream lace, are generally worn, and are becoming, }:>rovided no blue ribbon is placed near one ; then it gives a tinge of green to the complexion. Collars are worn very high on the neck, and turned down at the corners ; but as these change with every caprice, nothing reliable can be written of them. — Treasury of Fashion-. RECIPES. Hair "Wash.—Try half an ounce of borax to a quart of water for a hair wash ; apply very gently with a sponge on alternate days ; apply a little glycerine dissolved in soft water. Black Calicoes should be washed with the contents of a beef gall put into one pail of warm water. This will set the color. Stiffen with a weak solution of brown glue. This manner of washing is nice for navy-blue dresses. Whitewashing.—Take a lump of lime and slack in with, boiling water ; cover it duiing the pi-ocess ; strain it and add a little salt dissolved in warm water, half a pound of Spanish whiting, two ounces of glue. This is good for ceilings, walls, wood, brick or stone. Ointment fob Pimples.—Purified lard, one ounce ; citron ointment, one and a half ounces ; almond oil (finest), one-half ounce. Mix all well together, and scent with oil of- berganiot. Apply at night on going to bed ; if applied also during the day the relief will be more speedy. Chocolate Droi>s are made in the same way as cream candy, only do not boil more than ten or fifteen minutes, as you do not want it hard ; turn into an earthen dish and stir up quickly with a stiff spoon ; as soon as white, ball up with your hands and drop into the chocolate (which has been prepared by being melted in an earthen dish, but be careful not to burn it). Roll around with a fork and take out; lay on a buttered plate and set to cool. Cure for Corns.—Take a lemon and roll it until it is soft ; cut a thick slice and bind it on the corn on retiring at night. In the morning, if the corn is white and disintegrated, pull it out with your finger nails—never cut a corn. Sometimes several apiDlications of the lemon slices will be necessary, but the corns are bound to succumb, and you can dance the next night if you like. After you remove the corns wear shoes that fit and are not too stiff in the soles. Cream Candy.—One pound of white sugar, one cup of cold water, and one tablespoonful of vinegar ; boil in a tin pan for twenty minutes, or until it will be brittle when dropped in cold water. Do not stir when boiling. When done pour on buttered plates and set to cool ; when cool enough to handle take off and pull until it is as white as you want it ; cut into sticks and set in a cool place. You dan flavor with anything you choose by dropping on a few drops of extract after it is turned on the buttered plates. To Wash Lace.—Cover a common quart bottle with linen, then wrap your lace around the bottle, being careful to keep the pearl or edge out smooth. You may put on several layers of lace. Then cover the whole with another piece of Enen sewed on tightly so aa to keep the lace smooth. Wash the bottle and its coverings, in suds, rubbing with the palm of the hand, then boil with the other clothes on washing day ; blue, arrd stiffen with thin starch, tie a string around the neck of the bottle and hang up to dry. When quite dry, rip off the outside linen and your lace will be found clean and smooth. To Prevent Dandruff.—This is a natural secretion, but becomes a cutaneous complaint by neglect. Take an ounce borax, a piece of unslaked lime the size of a chesnut, and a tablespoonful of ammonia ; put them into a quart bottle and fill it with boiled water or pump water. After twelve hours apply this wash to the scalp. Ladies can apply it best with a sponge. Rinse with tepid water. After a few applications the scales will disappear, the hair will become soft and brilliant, and young hair will be seen to start out. Dandruff should be cured gradually, so as not to produce sick headache or dizziness by its sudden suppression.