Women and the Home

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16905, 2 December 1922, Page 22

Women and the Home

OUR PARIS LETTER. (From PAULINE COUP LANDER). The last remnants of “ soldes ” and “ Paris shops., and the recherche closed houses are holding little private receptions for their most private clientele every afternoon. What certainly strikes one most at these is the loveliness and perfection of material*. There is a dull gold and silk brocade which has almost the consistency of c barmens?: the beautiful gold pattern is blurred with threads of pinkish gold' .silk and there is a subtle heaviness about it that makes it very auitable for cither ♦he long draped evening nowi or the Spanish one. There is a lovely new figured satin, called “ satin laque.” It seems almost ix> lis bed and is made in beautiful lacquer shades in patterns that are net uninspired by Chinese art. It was most cunningly used on a blue serge inode! —the serge so fine and subtle that practically no rib showed. The skirt was straight, slim and folded over on the left side where it dipped in a point almost to the ground. The bodice was low-waisted and lose fitting, of figured satin laque in lovely shades ' f Chinese blue; it was cut square at the neck and had transparent blue georgette sleeves fitting tightly to. the elbow and confining in a beil-shaped cuff of satin laque. Square necks are to king the place of •the hitherto almost inevitable boat shaped one. The boat shape is all very well for the girl whose neck is like a*• marble column ”or like a swan ” or " like the stem of a flower.” But for less gifted mortals it is rather trying and does net make the best of imperfect lines. The square neck helps a heavy face and does not detract from an oval one. ft will be seen on nvosV of the mediaeval gowns and chemise frocks that show off the beautiful brocades and 1 nines of this season. QUAINT FROCKS—QUII/TED SILK. The quilt outlined in a chain stitch of gold or silver thread—is one of the new successes in Paris. Of course it should only be used for frocks of the simplest lines —long sheath like ones. Ono that can be specially recommended was square necked, with long tight sleeves, the mitten cuffs coming half over tho hand ; two seams on each side, at back and front, shaped it to the body without making it tight fitting, and the hem was rounded off on itlioi -id. . Either no jewellery at all

antique locket on a thin chain should be worn with this kind of frock, and the hair should be dressed low in the nape of the neck. For tailor-made suits, grey and all the shades of brown are much used. They are apparently built on simple lines. In reality, a great deal of care- . d work is necessary to make the • aque coat, or the one with a neat waist and spreading basque a success. These two share the honours of the season. The skirts are. of course, unlincd and sometime the hem is bonod on the inside with a tiny edging of patterned silk or brocade to match the bodice that is attached to the skirt. Greater attention than ever is being paid to the details of frocks and perhaps this explains the very high prices that are asked, though materials are ;v little cheaper and the new simple lines appear lo require less work Inside linings of bodices arc more like cache corsets, of crepe de chine or georgette, hemstitched and finished with tiny rows of exquisite lace. THE MOODY SHOPPER. (By SONIA GREY). I bnmped into Doris at the door of Jones and Brown, our most fashionable store. Her smile of greeting was distinctly watery. “I've had such a dull afternoon,” sho began, ‘ I came out with the firm intention of buying a new evening frock and as son a-s I got on the car, I discovered I’d lost my favourite hankie*. And I started with u headache; and it came on to rain; so I went and bought new stockings instead.” ‘ How annoying for you,” I sympathised. “ Never mind—perhaps you’ll feel more iri the mood for buying a frock to-morrow.” All real feminine women shop by inspiration ; no other way can be really satisfactory, for into her clothes a woman puts a piece of her personality. For a man. shopping is a simple problem. If lie needs a new hat, he

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steps into a reliable hatter’s, mentions hie size. tries on two or three-—and walks out again with liis purchase, in a stat>9 neither of elevation nor disappointment. A suit is not much move trouble. A couple of fittings and the now suit—very much like the old one— | is dispatched. But to a iVoman the buying of a new hat spells adventure. "Wo don’t quite know what we are going to get perhaps it will be the ideal hat that we have sought so long in vain • perhaps when we wear it—and off we go, weaving romance and pleasant dreams out of an unbought hat! No wonder that we have to be “ m

the mood ” when we go shopping. To start on our quest when something or somebody has made us feel “ .jangly ” and irritable is sure to bring disaster and disappointment. 'We feel plain—much plainer than usual—and when we get to the shop every hat we try on looks more hideous than the expensive creation that we don't- wan t, don't like and will most likely never wear.

Bnt if we choose a day when we feel “shiny” it is surprising how smoothly our shopping expedition will go. Confidence is ours, and our a«' surance soon finds us “ the very tiling we wanted.” Perhaps, in elation, we pay rather more than we mean to, but money spent, on something that wc know suits us “ down to the ground ” is always money well spent. Out of it we shall get the maximum amount of wear and the maximum amount of pleasure, for we bought it when shopping seemed a joy and the right mood was upon us.

* RECIPES FOR AFTERNOON TEA. | Ham Sandwiches.—Have ready a i number of thin slices of unbuttered 'l bread, brown and white, six tablespoon. | in Is of cooked minced ham, one tablei spoonful of melted butter, two brtrd- ;• boiled egsrs. a saltspoonful of salt, the ■ same of dry mustard, a. little pepper ; and if liked, a liht.le minced parsley. Pound the liam. voiles of eggs, butJ ter, mustard, and seasonings to a pasr.e, 1 using an enamelled basin, and the end i of a wooden roller, should you not have a ixistie and mortar. Spread the bread

thickly with the mixture. Lay » sec- f ond slice on top and press both to- j gether. Orange Sponge.—Half a pound of | flour, five ounces castor sugar, three ! ounces of butter, one teaspoonful bak- j ing powder, the grated rind of two oranges, two eggs, and enough orange juice to make a fairfy stiff consistency. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar. Add the grated rinds and the eggs (well-beaten) with orange juice to mix. Lastly, add the baking powder, and pour into two sandwich tins which have been well greased and dredged with flour. Bake in a moderate oven, i for fifteen or twenty minutes, and turn out on to a sugared paper. When I cold spread with orange butter. Orange Butter.—One ounce butter, ! one and a. half ounces of icing sugar, ■ the pounded yolk of one hard-boiled egn. the grated rind of an orange, a dessertspoonful of cream, and a little orange juice. Mix ttfieso well and spread on the sandwich.