WOMEN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1929, Page 14

WOMEN’S WORLD

FASHIONS AND SOCIAL NEWS.

LONDON FASHIONS ■ -• r : - ■ NOVELTIES FROM LONDON. VEILS, BELTS AND COATEES. , AN EASY-TO.-MAKE POCHETTE. ■ /(By Diana Dane.—Special to News.) London, Aug. 15. s .(Shadows of the past! In Paris, women are wearing filmy, l^ce-edged ■reils which fall all round their small . kats and berets! When anyone wishes • )o be. particularly picturesque, she flings - back the veil from her face and allows wavy cascades to fall round the sides jind over the back. Nearly every woman wears a tiny eye-veil—even she who is ■/ not bold enough to venture on the all- - round affair. Another item of interest from the • gay city; black silk stockings that look . like cobwebs are worn by the elite. • gome are spotted in white when re- • quired to accompany the Parisienne’s perennial fancy—the black and white ensemble. . I Close-fittina' -berets, of many colours and varied fabrics, are the choice of sports, girls on the links. These al- • ways repeat the shade and material of the loose sports coats or fitting sweaters ■ that are worn over pleated skirts. The latter may - be of a totally different < colour and fabric, so long as the beret ' and coat form the essential “matching set.” The yachting season undoubtedly gave a fillip to the vogue of this breeze-resisting, ■ hair-controlling e little cap. Something new in belts for gala dresses has arrived to keep us amused • until definite new fashions are created - and accepted. It looks like a series of . email palm-leaves arranged, points . downwards, round the waist, and is made of the same fabric as the frock which must, of course, be of the light and airy order. The fluted “petals” are immensely becoming, the tops coming a couple of. inches above the ■waistline and the tips reaching the hips where they create a quaint peplum effect. ’ How tall women look in the new lace gowns they have ordered to tide them over the time of waiting for new models. Black lace, most of them are,'and specilly designed to look happy at theatre, restaurant, dinner-party, or important afternoon function. A squr •• cut neck, long, a horn; -t, and a gathered skirt that , in deep points to the instep in from und to the heels at the back—there is the style f 01 ’ y°ur .“between seasons” frock! * ' Since little coatees, with or without eleeves, are still beloved for morning, afternoon and evening wear, someone had to think of a “novelty touch” to make them look different. And very charming is the idea that has emanated' from a certain famous salon. It takes the form of outlining the design of a printed crepe or satin afternoon coat in machine-stitching, using fairly thick black silk for the purpose, or else silk in a deeper shade of the chief colour in the design. For evening, the little garment in printed chiffon, georgette, mousseline or lace, has the pattern outlined by hand in gold or silver threads, or in numerous minute beads. This gives a fascinating quilted look that is very new and extremely smart. Here is an idea, then, for the clever needlewoman. Ingenue frocks for dances are often developed in a combination of pink and blue. Such a delightful “blush” shade of pink is used, and such a soft, soothing blue. There is a model in finest shell pink silk georgette as to bodice and in shimmering blue ring velvet as to ekirt, that must please the most captious demoiselle in search of beauty. The bodice is lightly touched with opalescent sequins, and the skirt flares out in godets, dipping low each side. The natural waist is marked by a softly swathed sash of the velvet which io Extended deeply and tightly over the . hips, and it is not tied in a large bow at the side. Large bows are definitely “out.” ‘ The pochette is a most important accessory these days, and there is no reason why you should not have a variety of these useful little bags to accomjxany different toilettes. For you may now obtain what is known as pochette ribbon —broad ribbon designed in definite oblongs of tapeotry patterns, three oblongs of vhich will form the modern pochette when lined with

suitable material, sewn up, and equipped with press studs for fastening. To and fro went the needle in the deft brown fingers. The white capped head was bent over a strip of pale emerald cloth, which was being worked with a bold design of daisies. As I watched, I wondered where she had gleaned her accurate floral lore. Her hands were still busy but she talked: “This is a very simple matter, Froken. A bit of leather, a bit of cloth, good scissors—and plenty* of patience. Not that I have too much of this. Sometimes my eyes hurt. Still —look at this I Plain enough, but it was . difficult to get it finished.” “This” was a large square bag of deep crimson cloth, braided round with narrow dull gold cord. Its .design was, indeed simple enough, but this only enhanced its effect. Six pale golden lilies appeared on the rich crimson back? ground. ■ A shopping bag fit for a woman of blood royal! ■ • - j I “It must be difficult to get all your flower details so correctly,” I remarked. She paused at her work for a minute. “Not if you are a country-woman, Froken,” she replied. “What are the fields and the gardens for ? If you have lived among them long enough, you can’t help making friends with God’s colours. —E. M. Almedingen.

ROYALTY CHANGES. There has been a notable change lately in Royal styles and colours, says an English exchange'. Several times in the last few weeks the Queen has appeared at London functions wearing gowns three and four inches above her ankles. The Duchess of York, too, has changed her style of dress considerably in the last six months. ' Instead of the girlish frock in white or some pastel shade in which she always appeared at public functions, she is wearing colours and styles which, are much more sophisticated. Several beautiful gowns in rich shades were made for her to wear while she was in residence with the Duke at Holyrood Palace recently, and at the second of the Courts in May her dress was heavily embroidered and jewelled, and she had an unusually elaborate Court train. Princess Mary, too, although her frocks are always very simple, has widened her range of colours lately, and has looked very pretty at evening functions in gold, and in yellow gowns. ■

Shopping in London. Some unaccustomed shoppers who went to the recent sales were amused to see women trying on frocks in the dress department quite indifferent to the fact that strangers were looking on (says a London writer). But the sight might have been seen on any normal' day in some of the best equipped London shops long before the sales. All the same it still seems odd to see women standing in full view of the other customers and of the man in charge of the department while they try on various frocks. It was interesting to see how much more becoming were some of the princess petticoats in which they appeared from time to time than any of the frocks the women tried on, and it occurred to me that if they grew accusomed to appearing in petticoats before the many strangers in the shop, they might start a hew fashion by wearing those petticoats, /which are nearly as complete as an evening dress, at the theatre or in the streets—and then where would the dressmakers be? Some dressmakers assert that most of their customers tried on their frocks in the dress department, and that they seem to prefer to do so. Obviously customers can be served much more quickly when they are content with publicity, but the new idea , has many drawbacks. It makes things difficult for the woman who does not. wish to give the shop assistant. any extra trouble,, but who has a sense of reticence. The Seven-Day Week. Where did man get his week, and what decided its length? Like so many things, it came from the Romans, but it did not. originate in Rome. During the' reign of Theodosius the seven-day .week came into use, and Rome imagined that it was Egyptian; but in truth it came from the Jews, who believed that God made the world in six days arid rented on the seventh. Christianity was just .beginning to creep across the world in those days, but masses of people were still pagan,. and they accepted the seven-day week as a 1 moon week. Each day was dedicated to one of the planets—Sun day, Moon day, Mars day, Mercury day, Jove day, Venus day, and Saturn day. The Anglo-Saxon forefathers refused to call the days after foreign gods and re-named them afer their own divinities — Tiw, Woden, Thor, Figga and Seterne. The word “week” comes from the German “wikon,” meaning change or succession, and the length of this succession of days is usually decided by the moon or the market. In, places >vhere a market is held every third day the week is three days long; in districts where a market is held every eight days there is an eight-day week. Persia, Java, Celebes, Malaysia, and New Guinea have fiveday weeks. The Muyscas of South America. have a three-day week. The Chibchas have a four-day week. African Weexs vary from three to eight days. HOW TO CURE A GREASY SKIN. '(By a Nurse-Masseuse.) Many girls are conscious that their skin is greasy and therefore not, beautiful, but few realise that, at the expense of little trouble and patience, this defect may. be remedied. The first thing to tackle is the diet. Most folk with greasy skins are in the habit . of eating rich foods, pastries, sauces, curries, highly-seasoned rissoles, chocolate, and cream-fillcd cakes. These things merely encourage a greasy skin, and should be avoided. A glass of cold water into which the unsweetened juice of a lemon has been strained is an excellent antidote to a greasy skin. So is a pinch of citrate of Li thia in your tea at breakfast time. Add it to the cup of tea and let the ejl'ervescence subside before you add the milk, Drink plenty of cold water an hour before each meal; and let one meal in the day be of ripe, uncooked fruit, if possible. The skin itself will, of course, need treatment. On rising each morning, wash the face, neck arid arms in warm (not hot) rain jvater, using fine oatmeal m place of soap. Rinse well and then, dipping a soft sponge in the coldest water obtainable, flick the face with it until the skin glows.’ Dry by patting the skin gently with a soft bath towel. Avoid vanishing creams, which block tho pores of the skin. At night, wash the face as before; then pat into the skin a little pure face cream. Leave it on for about half an hour, and wipe it off with a piece of old soft linen. If the face seems, greasy during the day, wipe it over with a mixture of three parts elder flower-water arid one part pure leinon juice, and powder lightly with oatmeal sifted throughfine muslin.

I RECIPES WHICH SPELL ECONOMY.. i■. • ■ ■ V - (By Martha Magnus.) Here are some recipes that spell economy. OATMEAL BISCUITS. ~ Required: A quarter of a pound of oatmeal, a quarter of a pound of flour, pinch of salt, half a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, two ounces of butter, milk to mix. Method: Rub butter well into the oatmeal and flour, add salt and soda, and mix to a stiff paste with milk, taking care not to have the mixture, too soft. °Roll out to a quarter of an inch in thickness, cut into squares, prick all over and bake in a slow oven for half to three-quarters of an hour. - TOMATO PASTE. ,)■' Required: Half a pound of tomatoes, one ounceiof butter, one ounce of grated cheese, one egg, pepper and salt to taste. Put tomatoes in boiling water for a minute, and skin them; 'mash to a pulp, add butter, and cook for a little while.’ Add grated cheese,. egg, and seasoning, and stir gently until the mixture thickens, but do not let it boil. Put into little glass or china pots. This is delicious with bread and butter. MACARONI FRITTERS. Required: Two ounces of macaroni, two onions, six ounces of breadcrumbs, one egg, salt and pepper. Stew the macaroni in water till tender; drain, and chop into small pieces. Boil the onions, chon, and add-them to macaroni; also add the breadcrumbs, beaten egg and seasoning. Turn out to cool, form into little cakes, dip in flour, then in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry in hot,fat. Pile the fritters on a hot dish and your ' melted butter and parsley over them. THE ART OF THE ESKIMO. WOMEN ! A fur garment may be expensive and ; beautiful and warm, but there are woI men, who have succeeded in making it ft I,thing of art as well. ' “Fur Mosaic" i sounds a little strange, but no other term so aptly describes the coats, rugs and scarves made by the nimble fingers of Eskimo women. Monotony would ruin their lives jf they did not fight it by every means in their power. And they do fight it! They have to! Whilst her men folk are out hunting and fishing, the Eskimo woman gathers together a few of her friends and starts on her “fur mosaic,” for nearly all garments in the regions nearest north are made by women’s hands. Fur mosaic! Seal skins for material; a knife or two, needle and thread, for implements! That is all! The woman knows that no part of a seal skin exactly resembles another part in shade. You would not be aware of the'fact in buying a seal-coat, but an Eskimo woman is not acquainted' with the processes through which the skins pass before they are turned into wraps for My Lady. She uses her eyes, her fingers, and her scissors! She cuts out tiny squares and rounds and triangles of silky fur. A design is gradually shaping itself in her mind, though she knows it will take many months to carry it out. Still, she is in no hurry. • She has company whenever she indulges in her hobby, and sometimes they sing and tell stories, while the scissors fly and the work goes on. Innumerable little bits of fur! When they are all cut out comos the moment of supreme decision. Various designs will be considered and discarded, until at last the real work begins. Little bits of fur are stubborn and the sewing of them is no easy task. But the Eskimo woman docs not get tired. She works on. And, at last, the garment is finished. Striped sleeves it may have; a line of light bits alternating with another of darker patches; cunningly wrought designs; a dark triangle on a pale fawn background; little rounds of dark fur sewn on from shoulder to hem, like so many rows of buttons! . The stitches? She could not count them! But—what would you? —the result is worth the effort! —E. M. Almedingen.