Fashion and Things Feminine.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7752, 22 July 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER - - Copyright.

A GRACEFUL HOUSE ROBE The informals ide of dress, that embraces rest-gowns, tea-gowns, and so on, is as charming as the smarter side, and most Avomen appreciate the benefit of having by them something pretty nnd dainty in the Avay of a “slip-on” gown or rest-robe. Moreover, many women attend personally to the making of such gowns for their OAvn use, and run up at small cost elegant-look mg robes that are a compromise between tea-gowns and dressing-gowns, or are deliberately one or the other garment In the accompanying illustration is a very pretty illustration for nil all-in-one* robe .for the house. It is made actually Avith a separate Magyar bodice and fuli, long skirt, but these are afterwards united to a belting at the waist, making the robe of the all-in-one type. A pretty feature is the overlapping of the bodice at the waist, which gives a coatee effect that is softer-lookin': and more uncommon than when the waist of the bodice is tucked in beneath tho skirt, and it gives, besides, an altogether smarter style to the dress. Tho design is excellently well sirted to crepe-de-ohine, or might be copied with success in wool crepon. The bodice is cut in one piece, onf the wellknown Magyar pattern, and the skirt is in three pieces—tAVO fronts nnd a hack, the whole robe fastening in front. The quantity of 48-inch material required is four yards. This should be folded in half lengthwise and the paper

No. 1950. pattern pieces, which are three in all namely, one front of skirt, half the back, and half the Magyar bodice—should be distributed on it as indicated by the diagram. No pattern is given of the lace undersleeves, as these are quite separate from tiic robe, and sleeves of the sort, with elastics on the upper part, can be bought from any draper for a few pence. In disposing of the patterns on the material, the straight edge of back of skirt must he laid against the fold, to avoid a. seam ; and for the same purpose thio straight edge of back of bodice must also lie against the fold. The Iront of skirt must be cut out in duplicate. A pretty finish is given by trimming tho bodice with fancy braid or galon, and the waistband—*a straight one--should be made of the same material, unless it he preferred to use a draped sash of soft silk. The galon trimming might bo contained down the length of the skirt. A PRETTY FROCK FOR A CHILD. Fashions of to-day are so very youthful in style, that it is small Avonder children appear to bo very much better dressed than formerly. Little folks are quite smart-looking Avithout being in tho least over-dressed, and Ave see very much less, nowadays of the little girl garbed in a renovated

lUt* frock of her older sister’s or of her mother’s —in fact, the custom of handing down frocks from mothers to daughters appears to have died out altogether whereas once upon a time the cutting down process and passing on of frocks from elders to youngers was a common thing in the family circle. The modern child takes quite a keen

interest in clothes, and the little schoolgirl is often almost fastidious in her choice of school attire, lest it should call down the criticism of her welldressed schoolfellows and not quite meet with thioir approval. Surely the most fastidious little critic would be pleased .with a frock copied horn the one illustrated, for which velveteen my be suggested. The same pattern would serve equally well, of course, for a school-frock of serge. The frock is in one piece, from neck to hem, and is made with two fronts and a seamless back. The sleeves are j-V)ilLcd (bellow the shoulders and are trimmed with lace cuffs matching th 9 collar at the neck. The fronts fasten invisibly at the left side, where a trimming of buttons is added, and a wide, buckled belt gives a long-wa'sted appearance to tlie frock. ■Similar in effect are frocks made with separate skirts and lomg-waisted-biouses, drawn into deep belts of selfmaterial.