TME LADIES COLUMN EDITED BY "EVA"

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 32, 23 April 1881, Page 340

TME LADIES COLUMN EDITED BY "EVA"

— Minnie and her Tarn o' shanter have parted. — Sleeves of ulsters button from the elbow. — Hats are still worn " cocked-up " in front. — Plain dress sleeves are no longer fashionable. — Jersey collars are edged with embroidery or lace. — Ladies now wear the hair coiled long at the back. — Bows on dresses are made of the same material as the skirt. — Bonnets, to be fashionable, must have flower borders. — The Misses Whitakers have returned from Waiwera. — Mr. and Mrs. S m — n spent their honeymoon at Waiwera. — Beaver coat-shapes have no trimming but a very large bird on one side. — The ladies' pulling race which was so much talked about did not come off at the Ponsonby Regatta. The poor things got their hands blistered at their first practice. — For mourning gowns very plain, quiet-look-ing styles aro worn, and there is a good deal of skill required to make a gown apparently simple look stylish. — The young ladies who attended Winks and Hall's opening supper and ball say it was a very nice affair. All the employes, with their "sisters, cousins, and aunts" were invited, and the gathering proved a really "gay and festive " one. — Amongst the elegant costumes I noticed during the week, there was a very pretty pompadour satin trimmed with bronze green silk, a la princess, with deep kiltings of pompadour and bronze green sash. Another nice make-up consisted of a ere"me sateen, trimmed with pompadour, on the jersey principle, with scarf of pompadour. — The ladies who had taken the trouble to have new costumes ready for the Ellerslie races on Monday were greatly dissappointed when the rain came down and they had to lay them by for a more convenient season. Only a few ventured forth in their "best," and hence I'll suspend my notice until the first fine day on which a race meeting is held, and ladies can make grand preparation for Queen's Birthday. — No Paris woman Avho is anybody ever wears any other than silk underclothes, and the most fashionable colour for that, as well as many other articles of dress, including the corset is red. A celebrated modist says : "It would be quite impossible to produce the same effects on an English or American figure, for the reason that so much of bungling underclothing is worn. A French woman has everything to fit her figure exactly, thin and fine in material, and regards a fold or wrinkle as a device of the arch enemy to injure her appearance. " — A subscription has been set on foot in England for Lady Mountmorres, several chaiitable ladies having determined to make an effort to rescue her from the miserable circumstances in which she is placed since the horrible murder of her husband by Irish assassins. This poor lady has not only suffered in the loss of her husband and home, but has been cruelly persecuted, and her income reduced to a small sum left her by her mother, amounting to £158 per annum. On this wretched sum Lady Mountmorres will have not only to subsist herself, but bring up and educate four children, two boys and two girls. Here is truly a case which calls for the sympathy of those in her own class who are affluent and happy in the possession of husband, home, and money. — Says "Atlas" in the World I hear of a Cinderella Dancing Club of a somewhat novel description. Asa matter of course, as the name indicates, all the dances break up at the very witching hour of midnight, and a very sensible plan too. But to belong to this fraternity or sisterhood — for ladies are eligible — you must first establish your character as a proficient dancer by showing your ability to waltz up the ballroom, so as to never deviate from one plank. Then you have to perform the same feat, 'doing the reverse.' In the event of passing this trying ordeal you, if otherwise eligible, become a member of the society, and are supplied with a tiny silver slipper, which ladies wear as a brooch, and men as a trinket to their watchchain, or attached to their coat-button, the object being that members should at once recognise each other at a dance as experts in the art of Terpsichore. It is said that ladies who possess this badge and qualification never lack partners for a moment, but are in constant request, and seldom remain long single.

— There were "but few carriages at the Comic Cricket Match. — Not a single Tarn o' Shanter made it appearance. — Mrs. J. McCosh Clark kept her carriage all day. She wore a carmelite costume. —Mrs. Haines wore a pretty black cashmere trimmed with silk, ami toque' hat to match. — Mrs. Barnett came out in a very stylish pompadour costume a la princess, adorned with trimmings of cardinal, and gathered vest. — Mrs. L. Phillips wore a pretty black silk, on the princess principle, -with gathered sashes and large pouffs at the back. — Miss Street's costume of black silk, on the jersey principle, with velvet sash and close fit ting hat to co»espond was a very nice get up. — Mrs. Beck graced the company in a handsome slate-coloured silk made on the principle of skirt and basque bodice, with cord and tassels.

— The Misses McKenzie also shoAvecl to special advantage in pretty and stylish dresses of black cashmere, trimmed Avith silk and ■gathered sashes, a la princess. — Mrs. Alexander wore a pretty navy blue satin, with trimmings of pompadour, a la princess, and gathered sashes and bands. A "boat shaped hat Avas also Avorn. — Mrs. Posseneslde appeared in a black silk and velvet, with kiltings at the bottom of silk, and an elegant black silk mantle trimmed Avith ■chenille fringe ; altogether very nice. — Mrs, Ireland appeared to great advantage in an elegant costume of brovra silk, trimmed Avith pompadour, made skirt and "basque bodice, poufts at back of pompadour, and boat shaped hat to match. — The other costumes Avorthy of notice, (the wearers being strangers to me), AA r ere as under : — — A pretty faAvn silk trimmed Avith brown velvet, made a la princess robe, with brown front. — A novel costume of some striped material (looked like a silk), trimmed with, wine, a la princess. — A pompadour satin costume trimmed Avith black, made princess robe, with black kilting and black sleeves.

— The Ponsonby ladies love their own regatta. They kept much to themselves, TiOAvever, and were very unsociable. — The Ponsonby ladies went in largely for boat-shaped hats, no doubt considering them ■suitable for the occasion. — There were but two Tarn o' Shanters worn, "both from Ponsonby. — Those ladies and their papa's who did not patronise the flagship, but stood on the beach, had their Sunday dresses spoilt with rain. — The race in which most of the girls seemed -concerned was the tub race. I suppose it suggested thoughts of washing day. — But one creme and cardinal appeared. It was on the yoke bodice principle, and a really dress. — Miss Farquhar looked very nice in her black and creme, a let princess, with creme sash and boat-shaped hat. — Miss Morpeth wore a pretty costume of black cashmere trimmed with black satin, made on the basque bodice principle. — Miss Crosby's black velveteen was a very elegant "get-up." The dress consisted of a skirt and polonaise, with trimmings of black satin. — Mrs. Farquhar also looked well in a black velveteen trimmed with black satin, and a natty little boat-shaped hat. — Mrs. Cunningham patronised, the festival, and wore a nice grey homespun with trimmings of a lighter shade, and tulle and jet bonnet. — The black silk done up with cardinal looked as if it had been just got up for the •occasion, and was neither elegant nor pretty. _ — An elderly lady exhibited a prune bonnet with gold leaves strewn over the front, and •strings which (unfortunately) were of a brighter shade than the bonnet itself. • — A very pretty black silk costume was observed on a Ponsonby young lady. The trimmings were of the same material as the dress, which was adorned with cord and tassels. — Mrs. Quick's fawn silk excited much favourable comment. It was partially covered by a black silk jacket, but appeared to be on the skirt and polonaise principle. This lady also wore a very pretty toque. —The prettiest costume on board the flagship was a pompadour with trimmings of ■cardinal, made with skirt and polonaise. A pretty toque hat also adorned the head of the lair wearer.