Ladies' Column.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13355, 3 August 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

Ladies' Column.

THE POPULAR IM.OL'SKFashion designers have often announced that the blou.-e- is dead, but. th.- assertion has alwevs falh u on deaf ears, for the blouse is "beloved by ail. Even the woman who spends hundreds u year on her clothes is just as devoted to this mo.-t useful garment as the oidinay suburban girl, who looks to it as supplying e certain and sate miuthod of introducing variety into the inexpensive and limited wardrobe. Just, now (auvs Melbourne Argus) the renewed popularity of the blouse is owing to th,- inclination for tailor-made ro.it> and skirts, and it may be said, with a hi-rh degr-.o of certainty." that as long as th-e. practical costume" keeps in favour so will there hi a demand 1 for the blouse, in which there is now a decided improvement. Up to quite recently there has been a partiality for the plain and severe tucked linen or iianr.el <kirt. which though admirable for morning wear is not quite appropriate for smart luncheons or tea parties, where it is correct nowadays, to remove the coat, though the hat is worn. Therafore. it has been felt itnp-.ra.tive for some time past to bring tha blouse into som:- sort of conformity with the skirt. This has at last been achieved by leading dressmakers by making the blonde of not necessarily the same colour as the skirt, but by trimming it. or rather bordering it, with pieces of the material of which the shiifc is made. Lace make'* the favonrte blouse- of the moment. Bands of the material are placed betwesn rows of CTrmy and Irish crochet insertion, and the general effect is a strap ped lace blouse. -THE CHARMED CIRCLE." Regarding Miss Phyllis Dare's engagement, the San Francisco Argonaut writes: "" Lord Rosebery is greatly annoyed because his son. Lord Dalmeny, has become engaged to Phyllis Dare. His lordship has expressed his disphasure by ordering the young hopeful to the ancestral estates in Scotland, which may hi a very severe punishment, although it does not sscm so to the mere outsider. The discipline will -be. entirely futile, if we may judge from experience, and also from the fact that Lord Dalmeny will inherit £3,OOO,CCD, which is quite enough for the simple life, even in .company with so very charming a.lady as 'Miss Phyllis Dare. Lord Rosebsry may as well recognise the inevitable, and make the best of it. As a matter of strict history, most cf these marriages between aristocrats and actresses have turned out very well, in spite of a few glaring exceptions. Miss Dare has withdrawn her name from all theatrical bills, in preparation for her entrance into the charmed circle of the peerage, and it will not be her fault- if she dees not get there." FOLLY OF CLOTHES. There were no clothes in Paradise, ■writes a lady contributor to a' London daily- "That, -solemn truth should be ever present to the minds of the wis?. You may .object that your surroundings are in no way 'like Paradise, and you have good reasons for adopting methods suited to a more worldly society and a .chillier air. It is true; but when yon are tempted to associate bliss too closely with the dressmaker it is well to remember that happiness existed before clothes, and will, there is reason to believe, last after they are worn out. An ingenious lady, "George Paston,"' has just given to the world a new philcfiophy of cJothes. Put a dowdy woman into smart clothes, says she, and foolish msn will tumble over each other to her feet; put her back to dowdiness again and the man who is not a fool will still be faithful. The theory is so reasonable that you wonder it should sound new. But the fact is, most reasonable statements about clothss amaze the ear with novelty. In the hurab!er walks of creation, if von, for instance, had been, born a bird, yon would not, being feminine, about your clothes. "Kine feathers belong to the male. Dowdiness is ths badge of the female. It would, perhaps, be going a little far to say that- the wisdom of man 'has entirely reversed thi3 order." We think of the waistcoats, tha ties and the socks, , and eke the blazers which decorate the i human male, and observe that he is not ( wholly withont the cock pheasant's desire "to be gaudy. But in the-main the man is content to be sombre. His customary suits are solemn black. or subfusc. • Their form varies little from, year to year. They may not be comfortable; they are certainly I not beautiful, but at least they are not- . gay. The woman only is allowed to bo I gaudy and respectable. Man, you observe, fc more modest than the beasts.

■ Somewhere in this happy world there are no doubt people who enjoy the bliss ' of leading the fashions. The vast ma:s of humanity, being asleep, follow. It is this ovine dssire to do the same as sonva- ; body else that makes the world ugly. The first instinct of natural woman when she sees someone in a pretty dress is to gel and do likewise. It is very stupid. The fact thai a dress looks well on Mary :•» the very reason why it will look hideous on Ann. The true object of human endeavour is to b» unlike everybody else. If you have an individuality of your own—the suggestion is, perhaps, flatterinr —it i is plain that yon want clothes for it wholly unlike Mother people's. To develop your ,- own private self is well known to be your duty. All the new plays <-ay so. Therefore the whole duty of woman is not t$ be in the fashion, but out of it. Th* most curious thing in this elaboration of clothes, the most obvious point of their folly, is that no one has any regard for comfort. Long and long ago all attempt to make clothes comfortable was abandoned. We all do a life-long penanca on the altar of fashion. Hence people hare- from time to time been moved to devise new styles of dross. Every quart eI of a century or so we hear of what were [ once called* bloomers, a while after were | rational dress, on their next revival will I doubtless have another name, and be as I hideous as over. This is not the way to [1 joy. It is desirable that we should not ' make oureelve3 more ugly than is inevit- /' abhe. We wear clothes out of considera- / tion for othe-r people, and our consideration ' should be as kindly as possible. j There is however, a way to reform, : and that is that every woman should do ([ that which is right in her own eyes. If } it were only a criminal offence to be m !/ the fashion, conceive what an interesting I world we should live in. Imagine all the styles of all the ages, with a thousand new ones evolved by tha unaided suburban brain, parading the streets of this town. It would b<? like living in a- fancy dress ball or a nation of lunatics—which must 1 certainly be very exhilarating. "THE LADY HELP." j As a side contribution to the complex question of how to obtain and keep do- [ niestic servants, a decision given by Mr Acting Jnstice .Siy in Chambers recently (says the '.Sydney Morning Herald'( is- interesting, though to reduced gentlewomen who accept, positions as lady helps it may - be- somewhat of a : Uocfc. The ease submitted was one in whieli a female had been engager! as lady help a; an establishment at Warren. an:l the contract contained a r.riptf'atiou that she w; to .i-ssist in all household duti s. except washing. According to her employer's evidence, the lndv help left ;>ft = r a brief exit -nance »i Warren, and wir.-n he asked for an explanation he wa-- informed by his format- ' employee that sir was not cut out fo,j [ a life* of servile domesticity. As the L " vneng pason" had r.ot reeoiqvd him J the expense of bringing her up to Warren.

and declined to resume thu job, she was prosecuted under the MaM.is ;iml Servants' Act for absenting he;self without reasonable cause. Being lined, she appealed a ili»- ground that lady h-'.ps tame inn within tli.' purview of the Act mentioned. Mr L. Arms! long, who opposed this contention, pointed one tha. in Murray's dictionary a la.iy help was defined lo be " a wt>niaii engaged to perform dome-tie service on the iindirstainiiii.il tiia*. she is to I>3 cont'd red and tr--:,.ed by lier employers as a lativ." Counsel put it more concisely, if U:-s intistienlly. by saying ""It means thai, she is to "be called Miss or Miss Brown instead of using lier front name."' The appe:d failed, because His Honour said that "household duties" in .he contract and "domestic duties" in the Act were identical in meaning. MODEL WIVES. A novol experiment in training girls to manage a home is to be made in ljuudun if the Education Committee of the London County Council adopt a scheme which has been .submitted to tliem by the directors of the Shore.liteh Technical Institute. It is proposed to establish an experimental home either by building an annexu to the institute or lenting or leasing a" house in the. vicinity. 'lhe aim is to make the girlsproficient in their domestic duties they would have to perform as the wives of artisans earning from 30s to £3 a we?k. In addition vo washing, cooking, and cleaning, and the general management of the home on a systematic basis, they would be taught how "to shop" in the most economical way.

The training would lain, six weeks, jsix girls being under tuition at a time-. Only those who had gone through the theoretical training' at the institute and earned the domestic economy scholarship would b? eligible. Two teachers would live with the girls. At beginning of each week a certain sum would be set apart- for rent rates, clothing, insurance, travelling expenses, and for the providing a fund for " a rainy day." The remainder would be available for food and any little luxuries that might be possible. In order that the training may be a:i practicable as possible, it is necessary that the time occupied in attending to a baby in most homes should not be overlooked in tho programme of the experimental home. It is proposed each week, therefore, -to undertake the care of a child belonging to a working-class family in the neighbourhood, and in this way the girls would gain further valuable experience. Ihe home would be provided as homes of the working-class are, only the furniture would. be more tasteful, and probably more useful, at lass cost than is to be seen in the average artisan's house. Every piece of furniture, and every utensil would have the price paid for it marked on it, s;l that tho girls might have an idea of how much each article can b3 bought, for. It i; not proposed, of course, to spend from 1 28s to £3 a week on the experimental home. Apart from the teachers' .salaries, it can ba run-for considerably under r* pound a week. The initial expenditure is estimated at £IBO. The scheme is to be carefully considered by the Education Committee.

WEDDING. At Geraldine on July 4th, Mr J. R. Bagrie, third son of Mr John Eagiie, of Arthurton, Southland, was married to Miss Jane Pye, youngest daughter of Mr John Pye, an olil, resident of Geraldine. The ceremony was held at the- -hoiu-e of the bride's "parents, and was conducted by ihe Rev. A. Bruce Todd. The bride was dressed in pale blue cloth, trimmed with cream velvet, and silk embroidery, and wore the usual veil and orange blossoms. She carried a magnificent shower bouquet made up by Mrs. T. Pye. The bridesmaid (Miss' Rose Beavan, a cousin of Or* bride) wore a dress of white Indian muslin, trimmed with valencitnnes lace with insertion relieved by pale blue silk. Mr T. R. Bagrie, brother of the bridegroom, was best man,, and tie bride wa/s given away by her father. After the /eremony the wedding group was photo; raphed, and afternoon tea was served ' .o a large number of guests who had as? -mbled from various parts of the colony. .The Rev. Mr Todd proposed the health of the couple, and reminded them that that day was the 4th of July when the United States of America declared their independence. By going

into the united state no doubt th? bridci and bridegroom were declaiing their independence, and be •wished them long life, happiness, and prosperity. The bridegroom responded and proposed the health of tho bride's parents. Mr John Pye responded and proposed the health of the bridesmaid, to which Mr T. R. Bagrie responded. Mr John Pye, in speaking thanked the friends of tho bride and' bridegroom who had sent them such a valuable lot of presents. The' couple left by the evening train for the south to spend their honeymoon. The bride's travelling dress was a brown cloth costume, trimmed with cream cloth and brown and white braid, and she wore a, wine coloured toque with white feathers. Following is a list of the presents:—Mrs. and Miss Bagrie (mother and sister of the biidegroom), duchssse and washstand; Mr Bagrie (fathsr of tha bridegroom), cheque; Mes£rs. J. and It. Bagrie, eider- | down and white quilts; Mrs. W. C. Bagrie, greenstone and ijilvar butter knife; A. and Joan Bagrie, jam spoons; Mr T. R. Bagrie, silver cake dish; Mr and Mrs. J. Bagrie, lamp; Mr John Pye (father of the bride), cheque; Mrs. John Pye (mother of the bride), clock and hous? iinen : Miami Mrs. W. Pye, dinner service; Mr and Mrs. C. Pye, set cf glass dishes and sachet: Mi- J. Pye (Palmeieton North), cruet and oak and" silver butter dish and knife; Mr and Mrs. C. Pye (Riverslea), wringer; Mr and Mrs. S. Pye (Albury), afternoon tea service; Mr and Mrs. J. >S. Pve; picture; Mr and Mrs. T. Hamilton (Redciiff), fire irons ; Mr and Mrs. Wildermoth (Christchureh). cheese dish; Mr JWildermoth. tsa set: Mr J. W. Wildermoth, cake dish; Mr and Mrs. W. Patrick, nenr.. clock and table cloth ; Mr and Mrs. H. Patrick, vegetable dishes; Mr G. Patrick, knivf and spoons; Mr and Mis. J. Patrick, biscuit barrel and forks; Mr and Mrs. C. Pye, junr., (Clandeboyej, sil-

v-.r ar.d cut glass jelly dish: Mr and Mrs. W. Patrick, junr.. trifle dishes: M-J:s and Mrs. Cain (Sutherlands), knives; Mr F. Patrick. &.zh of jugs; Mr R. Patrick, s=t of jugs: Mrs. Kay (Lyttelton), tea set; Mrs. Andrews (ChrLteliurc-h). silver cruet; Mr C. Connelly, set of silver jam ciishe v and spoons, and ."-liver bread fork ; Mr W. G. Smith, carvers; Mr and Mis. T. Sherratr, carvers: Mr A. Thompson, silver and doulton jelly dish : Mrs Bloomfie'd. cutleiy; Mrs. Beavan. blanket:;: Mh-- Beavan and Mr T). Bennett, health rug: Mr W. Beavan. pot plants: Messrs ¥. and C. Beavan. f-. nder. tumblers and wat.r jug: Mr and Mrs. T. H. Pye. table cloth: Mis. Raper I Alexandra*, pillow shams: Mi-s. Brooks, pillow shams : Mr. T. ('. Thiw-on. picture: Mr and Mrs. K. Logan, fender: Mr and Mrs. E. John* (Pongaroai. silver and cut glass butter dish: Moi t ison Brcs.. hearth rug; Mr and Mrs. ('!. Ward, vase-; : Masr -r Willi- Davis, egg cups : Ma-U-r Rav B.evell. eandl ■ sticks: Mr If. Rock, set of irons: Mr .M. Wwv.-. fancy table: Mr ar.d Mrs. B. Shears (Ilunterl. hot u-at.-r jug: bride to bridegroom, gold s'ipv links: bridegroom to bride, diamond j :n;r' niby h-oreh: bri-.legtonm to bri'.csnit'il, gold iharm pin anil pendant.

A very pleasing little function took plate ill th.- C.rosvinor Hotel on Monday evening. wh..'ii a few friends met to say goodlive to Mi-s O'Xeil, and also to make her a' few presents, as she is leaving to be married. 'Liio pn:-s.-nv>- were varied and useful, and altogether went to show what a. lot ot friends a young woman can make if she has an amiable disposition and tactful manner in business. The following wire pi-j>-_nli-d to Mi-s O'Neil with good wishes for her future welfaie :-■- From the customer*, ;i cheque: from Air and Mrs. O'Meeghau. silver wave for table; from th.' stall", water jug and cake basket.