Fashions and Furbelows

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18452, 1 May 1928, Page 13

Fashions and Furbelows

NOTES BY SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

PASTE JEWELLERY. Diamante and coloured stones arc being widely used in one form or another for dress purposes, and such ornaments, because of their ready response to moisture in the atmosphere, quickly incline to shabbiness of appearance. if not to permanent injury, if they are not given regular attention. Better no ornament at all than one which is dull and grimy looking should be the maxim of every woman who takes an interest in tha details of her dress. Soap and Water Treatment. The cleaning of these dress jewels is quite a simple business. Take an old soft toothbrush and, immersing the ornament in warm, soapy water, carefully brush it over, being specially particular to cleanse all dust from crannies in the setting. Rinse in cold water to remove every trace of soap. If the surface is left greasy, the ornament will soon become soiled again. Never use a cloth for drying paste ornaments. This only takes awav from the brilliancy of the stones. Rather place the wet ornament in a box of fine, dry sawdust or bran and leave it there for a few hours. Then remove all sawdust or bran with a dry, soft brush before replacing the ornament on 3 r our hat or dress. Should the stones not respond to the soap and water treatment and still remain dull looking, place the ornament in an egg-cup containing a little spirit,, such as eau-de-Cologne or benzine, and leave overnight. Remove the ornament next morning and dry in sawdust or bran. Then give it a final polish with a clean piece of chamois leather. It is really a good plan to keep a small piece of chamois leather handy and to rub up hat ornaments every day with it. By doing so, the real washing and cleansing operations will only be necessary occasionally. The soap and water treatment de scribed above may be applied to bead necklaces, rings, car-rings, bracelets, in fact any trinket which is not too fragile and precious for home treatment. It is surprising how few women keep their jewellery in a really bright condition, when it involves so little trouble to do so.

FOR THE HOME LAUNDRY. REMEMBER THESE HINTS. When washing elastic webbing articles such as corselets, elastic stockings, etc., use ammonia in the water, and do notuse soap. Just rub and squeeze with the hands. Ammonia preserves both the material and rubber. Men’s woollen socks should never be washed in hot water. Have the water tepid and rinse in water of the same temperature. Cold water rinsing is inclined to make the wool shrink. The continual wrenching off of buttons when they are put through the wringer can be remedied by folding the buttons inside the garment and holding it flat as you turn it through the wringer.