WOMAN'S PAGE

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXIII, Issue 94, 17 August 1936, Page 4

WOMAN'S PAGE

LONDON GOSSIP.

PEAK OF THE SEASON. SUNSHINE AT ASCOT. LONDON, June 19. Ascot week and the peak of the | London season have filled the town -ith gaiety and beauty. Blue skies and sunshine greeted the racegoers on the first two days of Ascot, and the social atmosphere so peculiar to this event was as evident as the Ascot fashions which have become a legend. Racecourses in various parts of the world have tried to the atmosphere of Ascot. But it is as English as the language, and like the language, been built up over a period of time out of many considerations peculiar to this country. From a fashion point of view it was extremely interesting this year. Designers of exclusive gowns have been trying to persuade women that garden party-cum-evening-frocks were all wrong, even at Ascot. In many cases, they had prevailed, and there were more jacket dresses, with slim skirts, both long and short, and fewer frilled organdie creations which only look right on the most tropically sunny days, with no sign of a storm in the offing. As the much-talked of eclipse brought terrific thunderstorms and torrential rain to chasten the last two days of the meeting, the new oilskin mackintosh capes and coats had a chance to rival the all-white mackintosh which has been fashion’s wetweather favorite for the last few seasons.

Printed dresses were as numerous as ever, so you will know what to choose for smart summer wear. But try for an exclusive design either as to color or pattern if you wish to create an impression of smartness in a big race gathering. A printed jacket with a plain dress is an extremely fashionable combination, only rivalled by the white, jacket worn with plain and printed frocks. Many of these jackets have short sleeves with fullness at the top.

Smart Tunics. While tunics, knee length, both full and slim were worn over very slender, black skirts, and with flat black hats having very wide or mod-erate-sized brims these became an outstanding Ascot fashion. Printed materials were also fashioned into tunics over similar tight black skirts, and this style is extremely adaptable to functions which call for gala clothes or for more ordinary occasions. Not since the lavish display of pre-war Ascots have so many flowers been worn, real and artificial, hut particularly artificial. Many wide-brim-med hats with tightly-packed flowers for crowns, and the all-flower toque with a stiffened veil to give width. The wide hat with a single huge flower in the front, the “pill-box” with a clump of small blooms tipping over one eye, and the tilted hat with a mass of blooms on a back bandeau were all represented in flower fashions. Tulips tucked into deep swathed waist belt, pink roses across the front of a black lace dress, and masses of lilies of the valley on everything.

Colored Gloves. The finishing touch to many of the smartest Ascot toilettes was given by the carefully chosen gloves to accentuate some trimming of the dress or an accessory.

Very lovely was a gown of black pleated crepe with a very wide Hat black hat having a shallow crown of black velvet and one large fiat pink rose to trim the centre front. Pink suede gloves to match gave great distinction. Pastel-colored gloves for evening wear are again fashionable, and very distinguished was a gown of purple chiffon, with an enormous cluster of pale parma violets in the centre corsage, and parma shaded gloves to match. For sport the chamois yellow glove is matched by a chamois belt on a dark suit, or a chamois yellow waistcoat or jerkin, and, of course, the red glove is used to match up a hag, a blouse, a scarf, or a hat, with navy gloves to contrast with a wine red suit and match the other accessories of bag and shoes. Shoes are even more important than gloves. Our feet should he the first consideration for we expect them to carry us creditably, so to speak, from the cradle to the grave, yet we treat them with far less respect than we do our faces.' And yet the sunny smile with which you greet the world depends more on the comfort of your shoes than the beauty of your nature.

Tt is easy to find shoes to-day which •ire made in a surprising number of •iv.es with narrow and broad fittings, ' ut so many women buy a shoe bemms it looks attractive instead of -.parching for their own particular Itting and keeping to it. Shoes, like fashions, are international. and while I have never cared "or the short vamp of Continental •hoes, we certainly have to thank America for this idea of broad and narrow fittings and half-sizes, as well as original designs, which are being made by English shoemakers. Low-cut Oxfords continue to be smart for spectator sports and country wear, and the west pump has a iny tongue sticking out over the intop with a buckle and strap just be’ow, to give good support.

THE POWDER PUFF.

YOUR ENEMY OR YOUR ALLY! Your powder puff! Is it. your enemy or your ally? Does it aecom-

LEROY I H&ted

plish its chief purpose of dusting on to your skin ‘ ‘ just the right amount ’ ’ of powder after you have completed the cold cream cleansing process, or docs it merely spoil all your careful work by rubbing back into the cleansed pores a goodly portion of grime? Is your powder puff all that it should he, or, frankly, just between ourselves, is it the disgraceful affair that should have been discarded long ago?

This may seem to some of you an absurd, if not an impertinent question, but if you think that it is entirely beside the point, the next time you are in a crowded dressing room of a smart hotel, or in a private house before a ball, look about you. What do you see ? Powder puffs busily employed everywhere, and such powder puffs! Soiled and streaked with rouge, puffs which have long ago given up the battle of their youth, and are avenging themselves in their old age by ruining the complexions thajfl they formerly struggled sc valiantly to aid. It is perfectly logical to helievi that the skin can be only as clean ai the powder puff which touches it You would never dream of attempt

ing to use upon your face a sponge whose cleanliness might be questioned, nor would you use upon your face a powder you knew to be impure. Why not he as particular about the means with which you apply your powder ? Of course, it is difficult to keep a puff in an immaculate condition ; the answer is, buy a. new one. This is not expensive, and it is far wiser to spend a little money in this manner than for treatment of the skin which has been harmed by unsanitary methods. It is a very excellent idea to have two powder puffs in use at the same time, one to be used for applying the powder, and the other in rubbing off the “over-whiteness” which the first has left.

It is hardly necessary to point out as a highly important rule that one should never use a puff that belongs to another person. Many women consider it unsanitary even to use their own puff more than once, and so keep upon their dressnig tables small rolls of cotton, from which they tear a fresh hit for each new powdering. A very charming adjunct to one’s guest room, for use of either the week-end guest or the guests who arrive for dinner or the evening is a “puff-ball” dish, a graceful, flowergarlanded basket filled with delicately ribbon-tied cotton puffs, to be thrown away after a single use.

A “RECIPE” TEA. NEW PARTY SUGGESTION. Next time you would help a bride-to-be, g-ive her a “recipe” tea. Many a bride makes her first acquaintance with the culinary art and the kitchen stove after marriage, sometimes to the regret of her husband. The organiser of the “tea” must be responsible for the invitations. She will also he expected to receive and accommodate the guest of honor and her invited friends. A list of the latter should he made out, and invitations issued, at least ten days, before the chosen date. Each invitation should be accompanied by a request that the invited one bring a copy of her favorite cake, biscuit or other recipe, together with a sample of the articles made by such recipe. If the guests rise to the occasion as they should, the hostess-organiser will have no worry regarding the afternoon tea (or supper, if evening be chosen) except to provide her own recipe and plate and the necessary beverage—tea or coffee. The bride-elect need not he. acquainted with the plan of campaign; she need only he invited to meet her friends at a complimentary afternoon or evening. Her fiance should also he invited. At the conclusion of the tea a few compliments may he passed and the recipes collected, placed in a wallet and presented to the guest of honor.

TO CLEAN UPHOLSTERY.

A safe method to clean velvet-pile furniture upholstery is to heat some perfectly clean bran in the oven, and with a clean, soft cloth rub the soiled part carefully, replacing the bran as it gets dirty. Rubbing with the lingers, using plenty of the bran, will remove most of the grease.

If very badly soiled, the process will have to he repeated. It is an advantage, too, to let a good thickness of hot bran remain on the stains for a while, then gently brash off with a soft, clean brush. Everything used in the renovating of furniture must be spotlessly clean. Pipe-clay, such as soldiers use, scraped to a powder, and left on stained or dirty upholstered furniture for a short time, then lightly brushed off. will often remove the dirt. Fuller’s earth, too, or powdered magnesia as used for felt hats, will often do the same thing, but bran is the safest way. Turpentine will remove stains on ordinary velvet materials. If you spill grease on wood, cover it at once with coarse salt and it will not soak in. If you have a fall of soot sprinkle salt over it and sweep all up together. You will get no black stains then.

TRY ONE OF THESE,

Liver Patties.—One small onion

(minced), Jib. calves liver, four rashes bacon, one egg, seasoning, three tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs. Simmer the liver in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and mince it. Mix with seasoning and breadcrumbs and form into small cakes, cut the bacon in half and roll each piece round a cake. Place these in a dish and bake in a fairly hot oven until bacon is crisp, about half an hour. Brown Custard. —Heat a quart of milk until almost boiling, then stir in 12 ounces of brown sugar. Add two tablespoonfuls of cornflour mixed smoothly with cold milk, quarter teaspoonful of salt; stir until thick. Cool for fifteen minutes. Add four wellbeaten egg yolks. Stir over a low heat until it thickens, and put into a greased fireproof dish. Make meringue with the stiffly whipped egg whites, fold in two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and sprinkle a tablespoonful more on top. Put in a slow oven long enough to brown. Fish and Potato Balls.—Steam some potatoes in their skins or bake them, remove the skins, and put the potatoes through a sieve. Flake up an equal quantity of fish, and mix with the potato. The tastier kinds of fish, like herrings, mackerel, or salmon, are best, though any white fish can

be used. Season well with pepper, salt, a tiny pinch of cayenne, mace, and mixed herbs, and some chopped parsley. Add enough melted butter or dripping and flour to make the mixture pliable enough to be made into balls without breaking up. Dip in a beaten egg, then coat all over

with fine breadcrumbs. Drop in deep, boiling fat, and fry until golden brow’n.