WOMEN’S WINDOW.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16112, 28 April 1923, Page 6

WOMEN’S WINDOW.

NEW RULES FOR DEBUTANTES.

The Daily Mail is authorised to state that while the regulations governing the dress to bo worn by debutantes and others at this year’s Courts remain substantially the same as those of last year, there is one outstanding modification. This permits all girls, whether they have been previously presented or not, to wear dresses and gloves of whatever color they wish. This constitutes a departure from a long-standing precedent, which made pure white compulsory for girls, though colors and black were permitted for older women. The carrying of bouquets and fans has also been made optional.

USES OF GLYCERINE. During the war, when glycerine was a forbidden luxury, women grumbled dreadfully because they could not get it. Now that it is procurable our appreciation has dwindled. Apart from the toilet, glycerine has many household uses, for instance, in the laundry. When washing blankets and allwool fabrics, glycerine is a boon because of its softening qualities. The only change to bo made in the regular way of washing is to add two tabiespoonsful of pure glycerine to a small tub of water before immersing the soiled articles. Also, try two tablespoonsful in the boilers when boiling clothes. The effect is most gratifying. Glycerine, the housewife should remember, softens scrubbing water and makes the tables and floors white. The effect on the hands, too, is softening. When children’s shoes are hardened by being wet, dry them and apply a little glycerine. The leather will absorb every particle and become quite soft. One tablespoonful of glycerine lo each pound of fruit used in making jelly or preserves will prevent a sugary coat from forming on top. When acid fruit is stewed put in a little glycerine. In fact, any fruit requiring sugar is improved by glycerine.

GIRLS OF 1523 AND 1923.

It is sometimes profitable to noto the changes of the years. The young girl in 1823 had her hair dono in strange and fantastic manner. On tho slightest provocation her head was decked with feathers —with flowers —with heavy plaits—with curls —with ribbons. Her dress was high to the throat. Her sleeves high to her ears. Her waist was pinched and tortured. She was weighed down with thick and starched petticoats (says a writer in tho Westminster Gazette).

The young girl of 1923 wears her hair flat—or curled and bobbed. Her throat and arms aro free of cumbersome covering. She wears clinging frocks, and has a supple, loose, waistline.

Miss 1823 lived continuously under her mother's eyes. She did embroidery and needlework. She made preserves, and knitted. Her only “sport” was a walk taken with the members of her family. Miss 1923 is not, generally speaking, fond of needlework, in fact, does not care for sitting still —it bores her. .She wants to bo “on tho go” all the time. You,don’t find her, like the heroine of a former age, warbling a romance at the piano. She says —and very .rightly—‘ ‘ the gramophone docs it much better than I,” or she argues —very rightly again—“ There aro excellent concerts to-day within tho purse and tho reach of everyone.” You will —more often than not —find her in the fresh air, with a racquet or a golf stick. It has taken 100 years of evolution to accomplish such decided changes, and they are all for tho better. Today young girls aro given a chance in life like their brothers —no longer aro they required to stay at home and mope —doing nothing, or doing for others without a recognised position or pay.

THE NEW ROSETTE TRIMMINGS,

Rosettes have become the most popular trimming in Paris, especially for millinery purposes. The most noticed of all the new hat shapes is a model which looks more like a liugo candle-oxtinguisher than a respectable head-covering. It is in felt or fmo pedal or other variety of soft, crushablo straw; it envelops the shape of the head and fits down well on to it, so that tho eyes of the wearer are almost hidden from view by means of a narrow, drooping brim. At the back a huge rosette rises in triumph, and constitutes the only trimming of this amusing little hat, with the exception, perhaps, of a jewelled pin stuck diagonally through the crown in front. Another trimming may be achieved by the new veil fad, which consists of a narrow strip of veiling drawn tightly round the crown of the hat with just enough of the edge dropping over the brim to reach to below the eyes. Rosettes of one color or elso a mixture of one color and black arc tho most popular. A charming combination of dark brown and some light tortoiseshell will bo seen trimming a brown felt hat. i

As to the shape of tho rosette, anything that has once been ribbon and has been twisted into curves and loops and sharp peaks may consider itself a losotto.

THE NEW CHINTZES AND CRE-

TONNES.

Some of the new chintzes and cretonnes (says a London paper) display very novel landscape designs, forest and woodland scones taking tho placo of tho Japancso and Chinese landscapes that havo been favored during the last two or three seasons.

One very charming design depicts fir trees and bracken, carried out cither in autumn or spring coloring; while another shows a background of gorse set off by low-growing shrubs. " Fruit is also'being used by many designers. Large designs of naturallooking apples and pears cover some highly attractive cretonnes. Tho predominance of dark brown and black background cretonnes indicates a feeling for economy, which is beginning to be apparent in all furnishing fabrics, since the price of cleaning has to be taken into serious consideration.

"DRESSY" INDOOR FROCKS. Thero is a new kind of shimmering satin that has a water wave through it, called ‘‘satin triumphant," which is delightful for making up into indoor reception gowns. In powder or peacock blue relieved with touches of grey or silver, or with these tints spun or embroidered into it, it looks most effective.

A charming indoor dress designed by Lolong shows plain and quite straight lines, which havo a suggestion of ‘‘squareness" about them; the sleeves arc not long and rather tight-fitting, moulding tho arm down to the wrist; the front of tho bodice folds over to tho left side, and tho skirt folds over with a pleat in the same way. The trimming is charming, being made of (rails of fruit, run up in a clever way out of ribbon. Tho trail starts on the left shoulder in front, goes right across tho waist and hangs down tho right side in double strands.

Another becoming indoor frock I saw recently had a wing-like drapery that fell from the loft shoulder at the back, and, after it had passed below tho waist, dropped in draped folds to the hem of the skirt, giving this latter a rather ragged and uneven look. The drapery just escaped the floor by an inch, whereas the skirt on the right side did not reach much below the ankles.—London Daily Chronicle.

THE CRAZE FOR CRYSTALS. Tho clear transparency of facetted crystal (says the London Daily Mail) has cast its fascination upon us, and if we would be smart this season and follow the mode, nothing will do but that wo must display earrings, pendants, and necklaces of colorless crystal.

With black this is the most effective of all non-precious stones, and there is a great voguo for white with crystal ornaments. Many of tho heavy necklaces now worn are composed of cut crystal beads, divided by smaller oiies of jet or black onyx, strung on black silk cord. A necklace entirely of crystal is usually mado with a knot of tho black or colored silk between each bead, and finished with a silken tassel. The color of the silk on which they are threaded is of importance, in view of the transparency of the beads. Earrings composed of ono or two large facetted crystal beads, or long pear-shaped drops, aro worn with a necklace.

Pendants are quite large, oval or heart-shaped, and fall liko a huge dewdrop from a black cord or narrow ribbon. Exquisite cameos and plaques, cut out in rock-crystal, are to be seen in the possession of smart women with great artistic taste, while some beautiful hair combs are ornamented with crystal. THE MERITS OF CRYSTAL.

The present craze for crystal is a revival of a fashion hundreds of years old. Rock-crystal was much valued as a decorative stono by tho Romans, who especially appreciated its coldness to the touch.

In olden times crystal was much used for amulets and talismans, for it w'as believed to possess many wonderful qualities beneficial to the wearer. It is said to act as a preventive of wasting and infectious diseases, and to indicate tho presence of poison by clouding or breaking. For this reason goblets made of crystal wero much prized by those who had cause to fear that their wine might be poisoned. Tho finest crystal comes from the Alps of Dauphine, parts of the Unitod States, India and Japan, where it is called “Jewel of Perfection.” Beautiful English crystal is found especially at Tintagcl and other places in Cornwall, and at Snowdon, in Wales. It is often referred to as “Cornish diamond. ’ ’

MODERN WOMAN’S DRESS. Following on tho rocent condemnation by Dr. O’Farrell, Roman Catholic Bishop of Bathurst, of tho present fashions of low-necked dresses and short sleeves worn by women, leading Melbourne churchmen have been invited to express opinions. Thoso who ventured opinions agreed, with few exceptions, that while, in some cases, scanty dresses wero to bo deplored, girls as a rule, knew how to dress with becoming modesty, and that it was only in occasional instances that the laws of propriety wero broken. One prominent divine contended that if there was no harm in wearing low-cut dresses at balls and parties, as had been the case for many years past, there was no harm in wearing them on tho streets. , «

LADY D. MANNERS OBSTRUCTS TRAFFIC. LONDON, March 7.—Lady Diana Manners —daughter of the Duke of Rutland, has acquired many reputations “London’s most beautiful woman, dictator of fashions, ballroom oueeu, movio actress, horsewoman and journalist,” but her latest claim to fame is being chronicled by London Police Court reporters. For simply parking her car in the busy streets, Lady Diana is going to Police Court about as regularly as Babe Ruth did for driving his car too fast. To-day she paid her sixth fine for obstructing the traffic. Sho defended herself with the plea that “it is not everyone who can afford a chauffeur,” but it cost her 10 dollars.

IT IS QUITE CERTAIN— That knitted dresses and suits will be as much in favor during tho coming season as they wore last year. Flowers will bo tho most popular of all trimmings for our summer millinery. . That tailored suits will not bo exaggerated in length, but just to the ankle.

That tho coats of three-piece costumes null hang in straight aud fairly full linos, but no longer than the hips. —London paper.

BIGGER HATS FOR MEN. Men's headwear will be larger this spring, writes a Daily Chronicle correspondent. Instead of squat shapes, the manufacturers have prepared Ilomburgs and velours with wider brims and deeper crowns. • This fashion has been imported from the United States. Many young men aro adopting tho American habit of denting the crown of the hat at the sides as well as on top. ; There is a wide choico of colors, but most men will prefer the light grey soft felt known as tho Prince of Wales bat, which has been so popular during the past two years. Those who like something distinctive may prefer a new shade known as plum blue.

THE PLATFORM IN MODERN DECORATION.

From France comes the idea of bringing into prominence one piece ol furniture in a room by raising it on a platform standing five to eight inches above the floor. One illustration shows the effect of a bod treated in this manner. Frequently a couch or a sideboard is so raised. When the floor of the room is covered with a carpet, the platform is carpeted in a similar style;

if tho floor is stained and polished tho platform is treated in tho same way. THE COLOR TO CHOOSE.

There is an idea, very general among women, that black is an ageing color, blit this is far from the case, says a writer in the Daily Chronicle. Naturally, with black as with every other shade, a great deal depends upon individual coloring, but a fair woman, provided her complexion is not sallow, looks considerably younger _ in black than she would in somo bright color. The material chosen should not, of course, be very thick and heavy, as heavy black materials are very sombrelooking, and therefore far from youthful in appearance. With very few exceptions, blue is tlio most flattering color any woman can wear, and unless she is unfortunate enough to have chosen the wrong shade a woman will always look younger in a bluo gown than in one of any other color. Very fair women, with ash-blonde hair, should choose the pale shades of blue, light tones of puxo and grey blues, wliilo those with dark or golden brown hair can adopt the deeper shades, royal and the lighter tones of navy blue. Without exception green, especially in its brighter shades, is the most ageing color any woman can wear, aud the only typo to whom it is really becoming is the auburn-haired. All shades of yollow add to one’s years—especially the deeper tones _ of orango and flame. Palo tones of pink arc not only becoming, but very youthful, especially under artificial light. Brown, which is often considered dull and drab, is, if the right tone is obtained, rather inclined to look youthful; but when deciding on the exact shade the lights in the hair should bo taken into consideration. A russetbrown gown worn by a woman with similar tones in her hair is wonderfully youthful-looking. Beforo deciding on a color it is, a good plan to drape a piece of the material round the head and notice whether it makes eyes look brighter and brings out their color. If it does, you may safely wear it, knowing that you will be looking younger and prettier than usual; but if it appears to rob the eyes of their brilliancy discard it, no matter how pretty it may be or how well it may look on someone pise. ______