IN FASHION'S REALM.

Southland Times, Issue 19264, 30 January 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

IN FASHION'S REALM.

Up-to-date Notes on What to Wear. The accusation is frequently made that •women now-a-days dress beyond their position: Speaking generally they certainly do not, and speaking by comparison with other days they rather under dress. Allowing for the many penal laws which existed in regard to dress in England in the bad old days, it must not be forgotten that class -distinctions were so sharply defined that, while one class might indulge in any extravagance, another might not, live decently, t let alone provide themselves with respectable raiment. But the penalty affected the home more than it did attire, and hence those people who were prevented from cutting a dash at home did so abroad. And this provides the sweet proof that women do not dress above their position, as the mere advance of domestic comfort, necessitating as it does such a large expenditure, would effectually prevent it. In the bad old days referred to, money, except with the upper classes, went pretty well on personal gratification, but now the greater part of the income must go on the home, whioh quite disproves the argument we so frequently hear. And then, what is "position ?' ' : Mpney^ only, bir birth or education ? In all probability eaoh interprets it to suit an individual case, forgetting that in the demo- j cratising process there are no longer distino- j tions except in regard to facilities — at least not in Austtalia. . » • • More and more masculine attire becomes Bombre ; more and more feminine attire gay. In jewellery, the inclination is for the man to wear less daily, — ringless fingers, pinless tie, plain watch and chain, which seems to apologise for its presence; the woman, meanwhile, is adorned from neck to waist, and preoious stones glitter in her ears and flash from her fingers. Similarly with clothes 1 To quote a vulgarism, there are " no frills "on masculine garments, but a corresponding abundance on feminine, art devoting itself to one sex and lavi-bing all that is possible to make it beautiful. And it is right that it should be so, the practice growing out of a general recognition tnat the ornamented woman oranaments the home and ornamented homes reflect the refinement of the nation. In a word, we have come to realise that a people mav be judged by tbe finery of their women, —the Red Indian who makes bis wife work while he smokes at home and dreams of the happy hunting ground, and the white; Australian" who adorns his wife with nice and pretty things and sees that the cage is as fair as the bird by noting how the appreciative one beautifies and refines it. An ill-dressed woman is not a fair reflection of a pretty home ; but a pretty home is invariably the result of a well-dressed woman. • '■'*•- # The pretty, evening blouse which is illustrated develops in silk combined with crepe de chine or silver thread Brussels net. It is an exquisite jbalerp suggestion, the charm of which is the fastening— the two sides coming together as though wrapped around the body and fastening with a handsome bow.

Of oourse the Ifosftrtion plays an important . part, and ybu" will notice it is graduated in keeping with the general design. The fringe of lace then assists the appearance and under it is a pleated silk blouse effect. Equally nioe are the sleeves— the insertion being employed above the elbow and the lace below. A blouse of this character with extended sleeves and tucked front is equally suitable for the af ternoonT ■- * • • This is an age of scents, pronounced as the age of Elizabeth, but of course of more refinement. For the coarse scent is vulgar— as vulgar as anything else that is strong or staring enoujfh to excite special notice. The correct thing is the subtle scent, and the woman who is wise will, when once she makes up her mind on an extract, Btick to it. Then, say'she adopts violet— let the odor of violeto peira-ate everything, her clothing, her handkerchief, her gloves, her linen, her stationery, her room. But there should be nothing pronounced, merely the suggestion, ihe kind of thing. that is said to have hung round the vase which the poet said you could shatter without evaporating it. For this purpose you can't do better than keep yourself supplied with those delightful sachet powders— truly an excellent innovation and not so'popular as it should be. The sachet powder is really, a choice combination of ground roots sweetened with the extract desired and enclosed in a pretty envelope which protects the powder while it lets off the aroma. Three or four suoh sachets used among one's linen will give to- all a delightful fragrance and prove a most desirable auxiliary of dress. • *' * lam showing you an admirable costume lor the present season— a transparent, glossy linen, the kind that is beautiful when new and infinitely more so when done up. As you will see the artist has studied her material as muoh as possible — hence the pretty conception oi tabs on bodice, sleeves

and skirt. Intended for the same throughout, it is yet possiblo to have two materials, one for thei' 'underlying' ' parts and one for the tabbed parts. The Oriental laee whioh trims both Dodice and skirt is employed to give the design effect, the only other contrast being In the belt wWoh;6hould, I think, be dark. Aa for fh-bhitbhs they niay be plain, but I think I should prefer 'crystal, silver OV jilt, ■■=-:-^:s;.-:v.".~>--,v.

The evolution of the pocket handkerchief is odd and interesting •%, There was a time when it was an unmentionable thing — an article to be kept out of sight and referred to only in a whisper. In polite conversation it was carefully avoided, and as to ono being caught using a handkerchief, it meant social ostracism. This state of things obtained up to the time of the first Napoleon, when the Empress Josephine brought it forward for a personal reason. The only defect in her beauty was an irregularity of the teeth, and to hide this she used a delicate little handkerchief, which from time to time she raiseto her. lips. Thus she was enabled to laugh occasionally. Seeing that it was a case of either laughter going out or handkerchiefs coming into fashion, the court ladies adopted the pretty piece of cambric and lace, and it quickly came into favour with all classes. In England the evolution of the article whioh is now so openly displayed by women waa equally slow. There was a time when it was forbidden to mention it on the stage or to make use of it even in the most tearful situation, while the people in the gallery and pit shed their tears into their laps. Even when it was mentioned for the first time in one of Shakespeare's plays it was received with hisses and general indignation by the audience. Little by little, however, the prejudice gave way, and a time came when the handkerchief could be flourished in broad daylight. Now it has fallen into a kind of refined manipulation, and from its style and management it is even possible to estimate the wealth and breeding of its owner. * • • The associate illustration speaks for itself, as pictures, by the way, should generally do. It shows a charmingly pretty new evening style suitable for making up, say, in cream lace over butteroup silk or satin. The broad

band of velvet may be black or colored nnd I did see such a garment where a bow of the same was attached to the sleeve just where it commences to spread. Medallion lace on the band gives it an elegant finish and of course provides one of the prettiest features of the garment. * • • i The women of Venice kept their harr nice with a sun brim, and this has recently been I popularised through its use by the women of America. The greatest tonic the hair can have is the sun, which nature provides in conjunction with cleanliness to rejuvenate everything. If one's hair is given plenty of sun it will unfailingly show an improvement and gain both in strength and glossiness. But how to give it the most sun in the shortest space of time is solved only by the Venetian sun brim. These brim, in the old world are made for the purpose, but you can just as easily make your own, for the whole object is gained by taking a hat with a large straw brim and cutting the crown and sides away. Having washed the head the hair is fairly well dried, and then lifted up and the brim placed over it. The latter fits on the head in the ordinary way, but over the brim the hair falls loosely, a veritable cataract, and in this condition the owner sits in the sun till the hair has drunk in its share of light and warmth. lam showing you another child's frook, this time for a little girl of anything from six to ten. It is best made of a washing material, in which case commend me to transparent linen, the most beautiful fabric of the kind evolved. The yoked skirt is a

pleasing concession to fashion and helps the bodice considerably with its pronounced shoulder cape and scalloped pieces m front. A silk front and fancy pearl buttons complete as dainty a child's frock as you could wish to have. • * * The Chine silk of to-day differs from that of a few seasons ago, chiefly by reason of its greater softness. It has practically no rustle. One of the latest chine silks has an ombr6 spot on a ground of armure and louisine, and is further decorated with femllage broohe. It has a shot effect, and is produced in several colors. Another new chinsilk shows a blurred design of checks, one square being of louisine and the other 01 natte, both on an armure ground ; ana a third novelty in fancy silks has a pretty little check in self colors, one small cheat being of plain louisine and the next of drawn Bilk, and so on. * * * Aproposof fashion andsuperstition, I annex the following from an English paper and wonder if it has any application here :— -Ibat many women habitually wear amulets to bring good luck is well-known to the attendants at fashionable Turkish baths, to whom patrons turn over their valuables before taking a dip. According to <these authorities, the belief in charms is widespread. Stones and bits of metal stamped with quaint markings, strips of sheepskin or leather bearing a couplet or the symbol of a heavenly body, are deposited along with money and keys and other valuables, to say nothing of rabbits' feet, four-leafed clover, and other witcheries in one guise or another. Some sorts of charms are worn openly, but dozens of charms are worn secretly, unsuspected till -.ah accident betrays their presence. The use of charms and amulets has been stimulated lately by the fad for consulting fortune tellers and clairvoyants. Social Duties.— Be punctual. Keep your promises. Neglect none of the little courtesies. Don't stand off with an uninterested, don't-care expression on your face. Learn to say the right things to the right people. Govern your voice, :and usage is the onlj thing that will mako that possible. ' ■ - . 'y- ...■■:'■ ; .7 ■■'■