Gossip.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 978, 28 November 1890, Page 5

Gossip.

An aristocratio hand is thin and long, with tapering Augers and filberts-haped nails. Hand.painted wall papers are to be used extensively. Printed mousseline de laine is fashionable and is cooler than alpaca. Handkerchief toques and hats are very muoh worn with travelling and morning costumes. _ Centaur belts, formed of rows of narrow ribbon, are effectively used as decoration for the summer bodices.

An American heiress having purchased a Bavarian Count, that noble has lost his rank. 'ln purchasing noblenen, as in buying real estate, it is always best to examine the title,’ says the Chicago News.

The Queen ia a great collector of portraits of those who have distinguished themselves in her service, and has a very complete portrait gallery of her own, in whioh many of the works are photographs burnt in on metal.

Mrs D. C. Bloomer, who made herself a social martyr in a past generation by the adoption of the ‘ Bloomer ’ costume, has lately celebrated her golden wedding, in conventional raiment, at Council Bluffs, lowa.

The removal of the court from one Royal abode to another is not accomplished without great expense and trouble. Three steamers were found barely sufficient to transmit the Royal baggage, horses, and carriages from Osborne to Portsmouth; and 39 railway carriages, horseboxes, &c., were required for the farther sending on of the effects to Balmoral.

An attempt is being made by some Devonshire ladies to revive the Devonshire lace industry. Some of these ladies made two pilgrimages to Devonshire to perfect themselves in the art of pillow-laoe making, and are teaching lacemakers to copy fine old Flemish and Italian patterns. It was suggested that the extreme fineness of the Honiton lace, making its production so slow and lajjourious, and its price so high, as well as the poor patterns üßed by the lacemakers, were the cause of the decline in the demand for Devonshire lace.

The old adage says, ' Keep a thing seven years and it will come in fashion or use again.’ Nearly doable that time haa elapsed since chatelaine bags were in vogue ; but those who have still by them the ancient fittings or clasps may congratulate thomselves, for there seems every sign that they will be worn again »nd be very useful, for, with the narrow skirts of to-day, it is difficult to know where to place a pocket. These chatelaine bags are principally in grey velvet or soft leather, and the clasp and chain is oxydised ‘silver.

It is said by those at home who know that * vve are to be relieved of the eternally plain skirts, and the Louiß XV double-breasted vests with long basques are to be voted the order of onr.fasbionable autumn day. How becoming they are to slight figures and how chic, finished off with soft draperies and a jabot of chiffon in front,, of a harmonising and soft tone 1 Think of brown and maize, brown and pink, or brown and eiel. Then cream, white, yellow, or rush red will look so well in combination with the new Bhadeß. Evergreen will be called upon once again to brighten the Quaker tint, or, to speak correctly, one of the Quaker colours.’

The very newest lining for warm midseason coats is made of feathers. 4 Madge ’ thinks we shall all be like birds before long, with plumage liniDgs, feather boas, and feather trimmings to mantles. 'Lilia’says that at Biarritz the casaqne is in great vogue, worn over a plain skirt with a pleated frill round the edge. This is a very convenient form of outdoor dress, whioh we shall be glad to see baok. Shonlder-pnffs are over, bo far as out door games are ooncerned, and I do not fancy that they will linger long on evening costumes. Eongh woollens were the chic thing for morning wear, just as they are at our home watering places, with short coats to matoh, opening over the daintiest of blouses, and jnat showing at the sides an elaborate lining of rioh tartan, striped or shot silk.’