ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 57

ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Dear Emmeline, — I think that this more than any other is the month of weddings. Prospective brides think that it is a good time for buying clothes for one thing, and certainly it is. But every day a trousseau is becoming less extensive, though perhaps no less costly. Some brides, and I almost think they are wise, are eschewing the regulation while patin gown, end wearing instead a white serge coat and skirt, or (in summer) a pretty muslin with a hat. White, I think, is always the nicest if the bride is still a jtirl ; of course, if »he has been married bofore it is different, and then I should advise a delicate grey or coloured gown. If a white satin gown is wished, be sure and have it good, though it may bo plain, for if you do not possess old lace, it is belter to have a rich satin aimply trimmed alone with chiffon,

than yards of second-rale lace, second-rate pearl embroidery, and multitudinous frills. Of course nothing is more charming than old lace, and the most useful way of having a white satin wedding gown made is to have a removable yoke. Then the gown is ready for tho first dinner party or ball you may bo •called upon to attend, without having to send it again to the dressmaker's to be tossed about .and altered. In my picture I have given a design to suit quite a moderate purse, and .one with only a small amount of old lace — namely, a long scarf which wo will suppose the mother or grandmother of the bride to have -given her. This dress is made en princease, like most of to-day's wedding gowns, with a fair amount of train and long plain sleeves.

These last are fixed on to the yoke, not the drees, and this yoke, which is of tuckied and gathered white mousseline-de-soie, is quite removable, being made on the thinnest lining of nainsook. The dress itself is cut quite decollete, and trimmed merely with the scarf "jof lace, held together in front by a sprig of orange blossom or the more favoured myrtle, whence it cascades down the fastening of the bodice, being caught on the hip with a diainonct ornament] and fallinjj theaoejtf ihej«et»

partially hiding the skirt fastening. Underneath, the lining of the bodice should lace. An ample tulle veil is worn, gathered together on the top of the head with orange and myrtle blossom.

Bridesmaids are a vexed question. They materially add to the cost of a wedding, but of courso they form a charming entoiirago. If bridesmaids are chosen, it is well to select some costume of the colour and style that will suit all, for often do I see an otherwise pretly red-haired maid miserably clad in pink, a- sallow brunette in pale blue, and so forth, suffering all the more in contrast because the colour suits the rest of the bevy so well. J'iack hats are enormously worn for bridesmaids, but I fail to see their universal becomingness and think they look somewhat hearpe-like with their general nodding plumes. "White gowns, with a touch of blue, are always becoming, ?lcl usually pale grey is so too. The gowns should be of a kind that will be useful afterwards for garden parties, bazaars, dances (with another bodice), and so forth. The bridesmaid's costume sketched here is of pale grey crepe-de-chine, and no material is more popular or more graceful. The skirts are made quite plainly over grey glace ; the sleeves are also plain, and the rest of the bodice is of grey silk mouseeline, in tuckts roundweys, over which comes a bolero o£ guipure, just meeting at

the top and bottom. TUo \ cry graceful fichu is of white muslin, and drops quits low over tho arms, attached at the waist, and falling in long ends to the feet. Of course this is quite detachable. The hats are of pale grey felt or chip, with grey ostrich feathers and turquoise blue rosettes of softest Liberty satin, for at a wedding you know you should have "Something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue."_ I giro you, too, the neatest little idea in the way o£ a coat, and personally I consider a coat and skirt like this perhaps the moat useful type of "going awgy" gown. This is of ma&tic-coloured covert-coating, the shape a crossed bolero, .pointed in front, tho high turned-over collar and deep revers stitched closely with silk, and several times round the edge, and buttoned with carved ivory buttons. At tho neck a dainty little jabot of lace appears, and a toque worn is of mauve chenille plait, a big bow of chiffon at the side held up by a gold buckle. I wish you to notice the collar of the coat particularly, as all the latest are made in this way, high up, before they turn down. I should complete this very simple costume with a petticoat of mauve silk, with many kilted frills, and a blouse of mauve crepe-de-chine, striped down with, guipure insertion from a small yoke of guipure at the neck. Good crepe-de-chine wears beautifully. — Yours truly, COQUETTE.

Wash Jib each of carrots, turnips, peas, tomatoos, and chop very fine, or cut up with a fine, round vegetable cutter. Boil them till tender with a pinch of salt in the water. Lay them in a little hot stock till you are ready for them. P.nt a quart of stock on to boil, and flavour it by putting in a bay leaf or two laurel leavea. Skin well and then add a teaspoonful of castor sugar, quarter one of salt, and a little pepper. Melt ljoz butter in a small saucepan, and stir one of flour into it. Put this into the stock with vegetables, and boil all up together. Then add the beaten yolks of two egg 3 mixed in a gill of boiled milk. Stir this slowly in, but do not allow it to boil after the egg is added, or it will curdle. Season to taste, and serve.

STEWED PLUMS.

One pound of plums, Jib sugar, half a pint of water. Boil the sugar and water for 10 minutes, then put in the plums, and stew gently for 20 minutes, or until they are quite tender, without being broken. Serve in a glass dish, and pour tho juice over.

AMERICAN RECIPES,

Bread Dumplings. — Soak one pint of breadcrumbs in milk. Mix with one beaten egg two teftspoonfula of baking powder and a little flour. Mix all together, adding milk and flour to make a soft dough. Drop by the spoonful into the gravy of a stew about half an hour before it is to be served. When the dumplings rise to the surface they are done.

Golden Syrup Dumplings. — One pound of flour, 6oz butter, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Make into a dough with water, form into balls, and boil for 20 minutes in water, which must be boiling when the dumplings are put in.

STRAWBERRY CORDIAL.

Mash a quantity of ripe strawberries- and let them stand several hours. Strain and add 21b white sugar to each quart of juice. Boil 15 minutes, and add one tablespoonful each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Bottle and seal while bet*

SAVOUKY EGGS FRIED. Hard-boiled eggs, a little grated ham, breadcrumbs, finely-chopped parsley, a squeeze of leuion, salt and pepper. Shell the eggs, flour them, dip in beaten egg and toss them in the seasoned brcadcrurabs. Fry a pretty brcsi'H colour in deep hot fat. Serve with a good blown gravy. CHOCOLATE BUNS. Half a pound of flour, Jib castor sugar, Jib butter, four eggs, about 2oz chocolate. Beat the butter to a cream with a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar and the eggs one by one, beating for three or four minutes after adding each egg. Stir in the flour and chocolate powder, both being first rubbed through a wire sieve. Melt a little butter and brush the inside of some fancy moulds or oueen cake tms, sift in some castor sugar, and fill about three-quarters full with the mixture. Bake in a moderate ovea for about three-quarters of an hour. CURRIED BALLS. Curried rice, cold meat, breadcrumbs, eggs and seasoning. Allow half as much of any ccld meat there may be as rice. Prepare the moat as for mince, add the rice, which should bo warm. Cover the mixture till cold, then add breadcrumbs, the yolk of an egg, pepper and salt. Flour the fingers, and mould into •little balls. Dip them into hot dripping, and then roll in browned breadcrumbs. Either fry in deep fat, or brown them in the oven. YORKSHIRE TEA CAKES. One pound of flour, half a pint of milk, one heaped teaspoonful of yeast, one egg. Beat all the ingredients together, and set the dou*h to rise. Form into round cakes, put these on a baking tin, allow to rise again till doubie i their original size, then bake in a good, moderate oven for about 20 minutes. GINGERBREAD. One pound of flour, lib treacle or golden syrup, Jib butter, 2oz sugar, loz candied peel, loz ginger, two eggs, milk, one teaspoonfui of carbonate of soda. Havo ready a greased tin. Put the treacle, butter, and sugar to melt over the fire, mix all the dry ingredients, add the treacle, etc., the eggs and a little milk if necessary. Beat all well together with a wooden spoon, pour into the tin, and bake in a moderate oven. TOMATO CHUTNEY. Partly boil §lb onions, and chop very fine; then scald 21b tomatoes, and skin and mash to a pulp, add pepper and salt to taste, aiid about half a cupful of vinegar. Mis all together and put in a saucepan with a lump of butter to prevent burning, and simmer for 20 minutes. It is ready for use when cold. POUND CAKE. One pound of butter, lib sugar, eight eggp, lib flour, lib currants, lemon peel, Mb raisins. Rub the butter to a cream, sprinkle in the sugar, then add the eggs, well beaten, then ljlb flour sifted in, then the fruit. Add one teaspoonful of baking powder to the flour, and with care. Bake three hours. KIDNEY MINCED. Some of the kidney from a cooked loin of veal or stewed beef kidney may be utilised for this dish. Mince the kidney, add half its weight of cooked ham, also minced, and heat in some of the gravy; flavour to taste. Servo on a hot dish with a potato border, or any vegetable puree. DEVILLED SARDINES. Cut some brown bread and butter into moderately thick slices, divide these into fingers, lay a sardine on each, sprinkle cayenne and mustard over, and put them in the oven for about 10 minutes to get hot. TO PRESERVE WHOLE STRAWBERRIES. Take perfectly ripe strawberries which havo been gathered in dry weather, pick and weigh them. Put them in layers on a large dish, and sprinkle finely-powdered sugar between the layers; lib sugar will be required for every lib fiuit. Let them stand all night. Next day put the whole gently into a clean preserving pan. Let it boil; shake the pan to keep the strawberries from burning, and pass a spoon round the edges, but be careful not to crush the fruit. Remove the scum as it rises, and boil the fruit gently for a quarter of an hour. Drain the juice from the berries and boil it separately for a quarter of an hour. Poui the boiling juice upon the fruit, put both again into the pan, and boil the mixture for a quarter of an hour, or till the juico will set when a little is put upon a plate. Put the preserved fruit into jars, cover in the usual way, and store in a cool place.