ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2507, 9 April 1902, Page 63

ILLUSTRATED FASHIONS.

Dear Emmeline,— Evening toilettes and the various accessories which go to complete them occupy a good deal of our spare time and thoughts just at present. There are so many social functions to which we are invited that a change in our gowns is a necessity. The girl who goes out a good deal and who has to consider ways and means in her desire to combine pleasure with economy will, if wise, invest in one really good well-made ball dress every season. This may at first seem a piece of extravagance, but it is far from being so in reality, as it is utter folly to depend on one dress for constant wear. A new toilette (which should bs reserved for special occasions) backed up by last year's gown, which has been generally overhauled and renovated, will help a girl through the season in quite a creditable fashion. It should be carefully borne in mind that when any details of an evening toilette become in the slightest degree crushed or soiled fresh ones must be immediately substituted, as the whole effect of a pretty dress will be spoiled by damaged flowers or torn lace. Equally important is the mending of the slightest tear in the skirt or its trimmings, and, as we rarely return from a dance

•without some smaller or greater disaster, it is essential that the dress is carefully looked over the next morning and the repairs effected then and there. These hints will be found invaluable if put into practice by the girl who wishes to look always smart and whose circumstances do not pemut nf the luxury of having a maid. Our gowns nowadays are made up of such diaphanous, fairy-like fabrics that it always seems ai though it were impossible they could e\er be worn without ruining them altogether during the first five minutes. But they arc more durable than they look. The pretty toilette illustrated has sleeves and an overdress of the tinsel which is one of the season's greatest novelties. This wonderful material shimmers like silver and yet thciv is nothing garish about it, and when placed over white satin, as in this instance, it givos the gown a wonderful moonlight effect. Sometimes a mother o' pearl appearance is produced by the skilful introduction of faint colourings. The silvery sheen of this beautiful tissue reminds one a little of the gorgeous toilettes of the pantomime artiste*, and requires, therefore, tasteful adjustment to obviate any theatrical effect, which is decidedly objectionable in private life. Lace in every tone is much in evidence, and one rarely encounters a really chic toilette which does not have at least a chou or knot of lace somewhere in its construction. Motifs of lace appliqued on to eilk, satin, or velvet are very much u«e r l, while whole gowns of lace are still very fashionable. It is always a s-ensible plan to cover a last year's gown with a lace or net overdress, in the la=t instance the net being, of course, embroidered with beads, sequins, or lace applique. There is a great deal of beautiful hand embroidery n-ed. and this fact ought to give many a reduced

g?ni?cwoinau the oppoitunity of niakuia; a comfortable addition to her {.lender income by etnbroidering in natural colouis the wreaths of beautiful flowers worked on satin or silk used for fanciful waistcoats, blouse trimmings, or on both evening or tea gowns. Thfe dainty blouse depicted is of soft white China silk with a yoke, cuffs, and the box Ijleat down the front embroidered with wreaths of pink roses with their buds and foliage. A transparent collar of laoe finishes the throat, a pink velvet rose being arranged at one eide in the manner of a chou. The effect of this blouse is charming, and I would advise any would-be imuatoi to embroider the flowers herself during any leisure time, as the expense would be thereby mucli reduced. To buy silk or satin adorned with flowers worked by hand would be found to cost a considerable sum, and one can t>o *»sil>- Laxe the silk, atamnwl jariik a tyajislsi.

pattern of suitable flowers if not sufficiently endowed with artistic skill to sketch an original design one's self. It is by these little ecomomes that a clever girl can appear dressed to advantage at comparatively little expense. Evening wraps this season are delightfully cosy garments, the delicate and dainty cape of satin and chiffon being less in vogue, comfort being the chief consideration — a reformation indeed in the realms of dress. The luxurious coat sketched is of ruby velvet, lined with quilted white satin and with a

deep Kible collar. The sleeve* are bordered with Fable, and are exceedingly wide at the wrist-. This is, without doubt, the coit of the season whatever colour or material it may happen to be expressed in, well-fitting at the shou'ders and \ery full lound the feet, with ioo-e siee/es at the wrist. — Yours truly, COQUETTE.

CARROT SOUP. Slsvv fomc beef boi.es oi knuckle of veal with li'o beet in a httle \.atc uiMi one onion vi.d ii yev c or six carioit. V.'h^n the °tieiigth is extracted from the meat, »trai.i it, a.id putting the carrots liiio the stock, let it stand till r.exD day , then takp off the fr.t. After making the soup and cairots hot, pulp them through a colisinder; add tins pulp with a little salt, pc-ppcr, and cayenne to the soup ; give it a boil, and just before seiving add a htt'e cream. PRESERVED QUINCES. Pare, core; and quarter tho fruit. Boil in clear water until tender but not bioken. Take out the fiuifc carefully and throw away the water. Make a syrup by taking Jib of sugar in each poui.d of fruit, ard one pint of water to every 3lb of sugar. When the syrup is boiling hot put in the fiuit, and let it cook as slowly as possible ior an hour or mere if the fiuit does not break. It should then bs a bright red coloui, and the s viup slioi'ld he jellyhke. Put into glass jars and co\ er tight'yPILAFF OF CHICKEN. Cut a chicken in joints. Put m a pan with water to cover, put on hd, and bring to the boil. W-osh and add 2oz of rice, and a little sait. Lot all simmer slowly till the bird is tender, probably three-quarters of an hour. Pile chicken and rice on a hot dish, season the broth, and pour a little on the dish. Pour o\ ci all half v pint of hot tomato sauce. THICK LETTUCE SOUP. Melt 2oz of bultc-r in a saucepan ; add to it two onions cut m slices, :i htlle bunch ol thyme, parsley, and a Ijhv 1 i>f, ai d 2!b of well-va=hed aud dr'-d lettuce K-uve-, pulled liito veiv .-msll pieiX«. .Sunnier for 15 .ninutes with tho hd on. Next, add three pints of milk or \>lnte stock and 2oz of giouncl l ice or cornflour, mixed with a iitile cod ruilk. Simmer fo> three-quarters of vr\ hour, skimming it well. Rub it through a wire or hair sieve. Put it back to get hot. Then add two raw yolks of c-ggs to each quart of the mixture, the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and, if too thick, a little milk. Let the soup thicken, but not boil, or it will curdle. Serve small pieces of br<.ad fned in boiling fat. CLARET JELLY. One pint of claret, two gills of water, oi.e gill of lemon juice, of leaf gelatuie, one inch of cinnamon, two cioves>, the thinly pared rind oT"o T " half a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of red-currant jelly. Put all the ingredients into a pan, bring them s'ovviy to the boil, and smimei for five minutes. Then stiain the contents into a. mould, and leave it to set. Befoie turning the jeily out, dip the mould into tepid water. APPLE SNOWBALLS Boil two teacupiuls of rice unti! nearly done, '•tiaiii it oft, pare and core 2Ub oi apples without dividing them. Put a little sugar .aid a clove into ench apple. Put the rice round them, and tie up each apple separate!} ii 1 a cloth. Boil until the apples are tender, then take them up, reiL.ce tne cloth, and serve with cr^am. AUNT KATE'S PUDDING. Chop Jib svet finely, mix v. ith \\h flour, Mb golden syiup, the peel of a lemon minced, and a few fine strips o'l candied lemon peel. Add thiee tablespconfuls of cream, the peel of the lemon, and two well-beaten egg?. Beat mixture v. ell, put in a buttered basin, tie down, and boil for three hours oi steam for four and a-lialf hours bAUCES FOR SL'ET PUDDINGS. As suet puddings are ricii in fat, melted butter sauces are haidly suitable a<- an accompaniment, being too nch. Fruit, wine, custard, and anowroot sauce , are .nuch more appropriate. Any sort of clr^ar fruit syrup, either from tinned iruils oi Ironi cooking fresh fruit, makes a good relish to a boiled pudding. To make arrowroot sauce mix two teasponfuls of arrowroot to a p^ste with cold water, add half a pint of water, pour into v saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Sweeten to taste, add some flavouring jelly or fruit syrup of a pretty colour, and brin" to tho boil once more before sending to ts.b!c. BIRDS' NESTS A SAVOURY RECIPE. Boil six eggs for 12 nunutes, remove the shells, dip in floui, and thinly cover* with &iiu£2&e-}a&»W. iJAJii u\u jv*& max ifiU ia

breadcrumbs, fry them. When a nice brown colour take up with slice, drain on paper, cut in halves, arrange the cut side upwards on a chsh, and gai-msli with tufts of parslcv. Are nice served with tomato sauce. QUINCE JELLY. Boil unwl t-ender and the fruit is retkiced to a pulp, strain off the clear juice, and to eacn pint allow lib of sugar. Boil altogether for about three-quarters of an hour, remove all the scum a= it rises, and when the jelly appears firm v. hen a little is poured on a plate it is dor.c. CHICKEN AND TOMATO SANDWICHES. Two tabiespoonfuls oi mayonaise -nixed through a large cupful of chopped cold chicken is used to spread upo.a evenly-cut slices oT ttimly buttered bread. With a sharp knife cut thin slices from ripe, firm tomatoes, and lay one nnor. each sandwich, and join thf bread together by light pressure. Trim neatly, and wrap in a napkin jntil required. AN EGG FOR AN INVALID. Beat ti'o >ok and white separately u"iil extreme!}' !ij:ht Acid a pinch of salt, pcur n.to a cup, v. h.ch s.'t in a saucepan of hot water, stilling constantly till scalded, bui not cooked. Wl>eii thi-5 is do--." s!oi.-!y the egg just thickcLs slight 1 }„ but piiffs up until the cup is almost filled with the creamy custard. Set it in the oven a moment, and serve at once. BLACKBERRY CORDIAL. Tc 31b ripe blackberries add lib white sugar; let them stand 12 hours. Then pi ess ont tho juice and strain it. Add ore-third of good spirits : to every quart add one teaspoonful f'.ne'y-powdered allspice. It is at once fit for use.