Fashions and Furbelows

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17180, 25 October 1923, Page 9

Fashions and Furbelows

THINKING RIGHT. What we have to ‘learn—and this is the real gist of M. Cone’s- admirable Gospel—is to put our wills behind our thinks, and so become masters of ourdynamic faculty. Set it going and it does things; therefore take care to set it going in the right direction, and the only thing that can possibly set it going in the right direction is your own will or somebody else's. So learn to put your will into your thinks.”

A motor-car is no bad simile. Th? petrol is our will- When you nut you; will into your “ thinks ” you are putting the petrol into the engine- When you let yourself think anyhow or vrorpe and then try to undo the results of your thinking, it’s like pouring the petrol over the revolving wheels. It doesn’t help a bit. and may lead to a conflagration. If you wisely adopt M. Cone’s "Dav l>y day in every way T get better and better,” you are obviously exercising vour will. You are willing yourself to 'flunk in the direction towards which you wish to go. You concentrate an 1 don’t split yourself. You are, at any rate for the moment, a harmonious and effective person.

LOOKING AFTER MONEY.

Many women nowadays,. tor one ren son or another, look after their own financial affairs, says Lady Rhondda. England's best-known business woman The responsibility of looking after money affairs, she says, is a heavy one. perhaps one of the heaviest; but is best shouldered by the person t<~ whom the money belongs, not onlv because that is the most self-respecting course possible, but because, taking it broad and large, however little experience some of those newly responsible mav have, less money will be lost and fewer mistakes will be made that way. Wo all look after our own affairs best. In the long r«n the stupidest and least experienced person looks after his own affairs Eetter than 'the most experienced person looks after oilier people s.. This —possibly regrettable—truism is borne

Note* b\) Special Contributors

m upon one more and more forcibly the longer one lives. It is obvious, however, that this matter of tho financial side of life is one in. which the majority of women are as yet less experienced than they are n any other, and it is one in which it :s curiously difficult for a woman to ;ain experience. Tho ordinary young nan, even if he is not himself in business, continually meets among his friends, at his club, and in the course >f his profession, business men of oil sorts, and insensibly he absorbs knowledge. This is not usually the case with the ordinary young woman. One would expect to find that the tendency of a oor.son who is ignorant of n subject would bo to trust the experts too nuch : in actual fact, such a person is more often given to trusting them too little. To trust is to take risks undoubted]!-, but not to trust is to take, greater on-R. It is a fatal mistake to trust too little. Trust your expert. If von do not trust him. change him. Never continue to deal with a nun you do not trust- In business matters the -olden rule for every nun and woman setting out in life should surely be: “Manage vour own affairs; make your mvn decisions; but never, if you can nossibly avoid it. act without homing first asked and considered the advice of a friendly export/’

RESTORING HATS.

Thoughts on spring almost inevitably turn in the- direction! of new hats, for the brightness of the sunshine is ruthless m showing up faded colours, and shapes that have become shapeless. Many of us are not so fortunate that ,ve may rush off to buy a new bat at the first hint of spring. We must make do with what we have. But at least we can renovate. A re-stiffened brim and a newly-arranged trimming work wonders in the way of rejuvenation. Here are a few-hints that have been found useful. To restore a crinoline hat that has loot stiffness and shape, brusli well to remove dust, then stiffen by painting all over with a brush dipped in a solution of gum and water. Much may be done to alter the shape completely by re-wiring' around the edge and then bending to the desired angle. Straw bats may be stiffened in the same way, but in the case of black shapes the liquid gum should be mixed with an equal quantity of Indian ink. An upturned pudding basin makes a good hot stand during the operation, and prevents the crown from becoming misshapen while it is wet. White and light • felt hats may be cleaned by rubbing all over with calcined magnesia. Allow the powder to remain on for a -day or two. and then shake oil. If the’hat is very much soiled the process may have to be peatedOstrich feathers ar.d feather trimmings wash beautifully if they are -hsken in a lather of w«*rm water and shredded curd coap. They should be dried before a moderate fire, and recurled by drawing a blunt penknife several times along each strandGold trimmings and metal ribbons that have tarnished may be brightened considerably- by rubbing with some fuller's e«rt.h.' Artificial flowers revive remarkably well under a treatment of steam from a boiling kettle. Straighten out the petals and recolour and facDd parts with water colour paints. When that •s drv civ o the flowers new stiffness by painting the backs of the petals with