PAINTED HANDKERCHIEFS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19858, 4 June 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

PAINTED HANDKERCHIEFS

Handkerchiefs to be really correct, should match one’s frock or costume, or provide an artistic contrast to its colour. They are becoming quite as important as artificial buttonholes, and some of the new costumes have a butonhole on the left lapel and a little pocket from which a coloured handkerchief peeps out, on the right side. Most women will prefer the coat which has a pocket only. Tho two forms of decoration rather overdo the effect.

New handkerchiefs came in with new hats and frocks at the dress shows. The crepe de chine ones have been replaced by tiny squares of a novel coloured material called opal cloth and by very soft georgette and ninon. Most of them have scalloped edges, and, instead of embroidery, sprays of flowers are painted or stencilled on them.

A tiny wisp of pink georgette, its edges scalloped in cream, has one full blown rose across the corner which peeps out of the pocket, and another of green has lily of the valley sprays in miniature to decorate it. Lilac and beige are other favourite colours.

The hand-painted handkerchief is, naturally, rather expensive, but the stencilled ones, which are quite as pretty, can be had very cheaply. They need rather careful washing, but if they are squeezed through warm water to which soap flakes have been added, and dried quickly, they cannot come to any harm. A hot iron should not be used as that destroys the colour.