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Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE DIRECTOIRE SKIRT. The latest illustrated' fashion papers have many pictures of the clirectoire skirt as -worn, nob as exhibited,- by the dressmakers, and oh, the difference to see. In snapshots taken at the King's garden party one gets a very clear idea of the charm or want of charm of the new fashion. It- may -be admitted right, away that no snapshot. picture of a lady walking is ' likely to be attractive, and most of ns can recall the villainous enlargement of such a snapshot showing a very celebrated lady novelist alighting from a cab,- but acknowledging this, it must be said that nothing;' so ungainly has even been seen -• as the new pictures of women in directoire costumes gathering scanty skirts closely round them as they trip along. \ From the pictures one can. quite well see that some of the costumes are beautiful when at rest, but how could any embroidered front panel look effective when twisted tightly r6und the wearer's figure as she tried painfully to walk? Trailing over green grass, 'or along carpeted floors the new skirt may be pretty, everywhere else ifc is positively ungainly. THE SEASON'S COLOURS. The swaxming feminine nrnltitndaj of London present this snmmeran extraordinary gay and butterfly appearance. This & due to the prevalence of white and clear pale colours, for the poorest working girl wears a straw hat and roses, and calls in la- sainte moueseline to aid her already redoubtable charms." Nothing impresses the foreigner more than the beauty of the London typewriter, and thy like, and now that she brings taste and intelligence to bear on her garments, the result is imposing in its general effect. One of the reasons of the gaiety of London streets and parks is the extraordinary absence of black. Mourning is now worn for comparatively so short a period tihat' it is rare to see an entirely sable-clad woman. - At the League of Mercy concert in the Albert Hall, the vast auditorium, filled with some 6000 summer-clad women, resembled a gigantic flower-bed, in which white and blue (as is the the recent fashion in gardens) predominated. THE PLUMP AND PROUD. The French Academy of Science has been seriously discussing ' the question whether - fat people are prouder or more self-sti6fied than those who have a lean and hungrv look (says an English paper.) Observe the plump folk you pass in the street and you will notice how much more confidently" and even more aggressively the-v seem to take tfieir way than those who are lithe and spare. However, the Trench scientists who have T>een solemly considering this literally weighty subject have arrived at the conclusion that the proud carriage or confident expression of the corpul|nt is nothing to be envied. Rather may their leaner brethren rejoice that they have it not. . The explanation of their appearance is, indeed, a most prosaic one. It- is, as the Palmist says, that "their eyes swell with fatness," and their distended bodies shorten "the thorax by drawing up the diaphragm, so that they must perforce "walk proudly." THE LACE BLOUSE. There is no doubt that with the warmer weather will come J* renewed popularity for the lace blouse, which is being extensively worn during the summer, now in full swing at the other side, of the world, says an Australian paper. These laoe blouses are a distinct feature of' the wardrobe of girls who have just arrived from Europe and one of the advantages is that they suit so many occasions. Just now it is wise to keep in mind that lase will ia many cases be the basis of summer gowns, and that the concluding days of the sales offer many opportunities for picking Tip bargains in this direction. For lace blouses -the smartest variety is the corase-meshed Clnny, and the whole garment is made of it sewn together, or alternated with a finer and narrower insertion of lace or delicate muslin embroidsry. Most lace blouses are made with transparent yokes, and: these are on ihe finest tucked net or chiffon, or else filmy Valenciennes or Malines lace is used. One need have no hesitation in mixing lace of the most- opposite character. The coming season promises to he . a white one, which means that to a great, extent the tinted lace' "fronts" will give way to dead white. *Of course, white muslin gowns are more or less in demand during our hot weather months, but last sumpier they vers not cjnite 60 popular.

I AN AMBASSADOBS DAUGHTER. [ (iiv.it. inhve.at was taken by Lpndonerr. ia the marriage of .Miss. .Jean Reid daugh-ter-of the American Ambassador, to the Hon. .lohn Ward, equerry -jo tlit- King, on • Jun«vJJ3.;' Only a privileged* few weie ad mirted In 11r- ceremony. which. I>y lip.-i iul permission of the King, look place at the Chapel Royal. Si. .lames Palace. where so many loyal marriag&s—among I lierti the marriage of Queen Victoria—haw Iw-.-u solemnised. . The King and Quc-cn -were f present with the Prince and Prinwfis of r VVaTesi, and many other members of the Royal family—indeed. there are also enough blaze and splendour about the affair" to Tuake the mosi. royal-loving of Americatiis happy frit "a year in' fclf& thought of the. honour done fo n, daughter of the States. The description of the frocks quite- palfts:beside the fact. that, all tjhese. great people of the earth signed the wedefirig register, and thai titer then attended tlk- reception given liy the Ambassador and his wife at their magnificent ! hrme in Park Lane. Both the bride, and the. bridegroom were great favourites of the English Royal family, and this, coupled with the fact that it was an opportunity of doing honour to the Ambassador of- a great Power, made the wedding the mcKt memorable on of -file London peason. Splendid wedding gifts were, received from the King and Queen, and the King and Queen of Norway. "Prince and Princess Nicholas, of Greece, and President" Roosevelt. The Hon. John Ward is .1 brother of the Earl of Dudley, the new Governor-General of Australia.

. MERELY CHUMS. ~ ' The European man thinks he knows the American girl (says a writer in " Everybody's Magazine"); but he judges her by the girls of- his own country arid .there-, for entirely misunderstands her. He cin r not comprehend the healthy, unromantie friendships that exist in America between boys and girLs, who" siee'each r-ther under all sorts of informal circumstances and yet need have, no thought, of lore or sentiment. She is used to the.type of boy "that she has known all her life." She can fathom what he thinks on pretty much any subject, and whether-he is in love with her or not is a matter that she can decide without much danger of mistake. Above all, the American youth is outspoken and frank. He has.no hidden or ulterior motives ;he spends little time in discussing what, he thinks. He likes beset to show his muscle and his skill in athletics, and the intimacy- between boys and girls is founded on doing things together, riding, swhnmimng, playing tennis or coasting and skating—not on talking of ideas. -Yet—and this is very '"important very difficult to express—in the minds of American young men love and marriage are synonymous. To the European love ia love, and marriage is marriage ; the two have, not of necessity any connection.

MEN AND MATCHES. "It is a very curious thing," said the bachelor girl reflectively, ' but men hate to give away wax jnacehes. Try it yonrself any time and you will find in nine eases out of ten, that a man who is asked for matches will dole ont one, or at the most two, with a perfectly agonised look." "Perhaps," suggested her friend, "it is that they never carry more than two-or three at a time."'

" No, it is not that, for I have Keen tliem take a perfectly full brand-new box,' and wriggle, two matches out with the greatest care and present them with Ihe most magnificent, air. - Of course, if. a man has really only two or three matches, he takes very good care to make yon understand that you are taking : his dearest, possession from him. He would not for worlds refuse a donation to a woman, but she shall go away fearing, that he will never be able to smoke again, that with that last-but-one match went his hope of joy, his sole prospect of comfort. It, is not. that they are really so very carefril of the matched they possess,, for. they con-, stantly let..their pipes go out at. the .dear cost, of having to use a precious match. to light, them again.' It is not tliat they are ungenerous, for they are not, but still the fact remains that the most open-handed generous man groans at the thought of giving away more than two matches." : " That's quite true" said the married woman, "nothing in" the wide' world will teach Richard to be careful -with money, but I'd rather trudge all the way upstairs for a match, than ask for one from his own match-box. It is his only economy." " And the funniest thing about it ail," said the bachelor girl, "is that they so love to become possessed of other people's matches. I keep a box - on the table in my office, and they simply shovel those matches into their own boxes—never dream of taking only one or two. A man came in with a half-sovereign for a charity I was interested in. I had only expected half-a-crown, so I thought he was awfully generous, but he fairfy jumped at the sisrht of that match-box, and nearly emptied it before he went out." ' '