MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 30, 26 July 1890, Page 15

MISCELLANEOUS.

Although skirts are straight and apparently simplicity itself in make and drapery, yet rarely has the ai t of the cutter been more needed, for the whole of the body, from hip to throat, must lie fitted accurately, without giving a tight, round appearance, or making the skirt cling round the wearer.

Skirts formed entirely of accordion pleats are likely to be very fashionable, and a few kilted skirts with the fronts in smaller pleats are shown. Tailors are making skirts almost like riding-habits, but the more favoured style seems a plain skirt with about thiee upward pleats drawn closely round the hips, and the back in box pleats. Fringe is coming into fashion, particularly handsome chenille, finished with silk balls and strings of jet, and scalloped fringes of beads are used for the fronts of bodices to form the finish of the basque. Short jackets in rough cloth have corded edges and high collars, the sleeves much fulled on the shoulder ; but the smarter ones have velvet sleeves, collar and cutis, and a velvet vest to correspond, or one of contrasting colour lavishly braided or embroidered.

There are many fashions in cloth bodices, but for a dark gown the most useful is to have a separate coat bodice fastening with a few buttons over the chest, and close fitting separate vests, which may be varied at will. V ery quaint anti novel are the shoes of American velvet calf, suitable both for day and evening wear, and rapidly taking the place of as being more durable and less liable to stretch. These velvet calf shoes can be procured in various shades of tan and fawn colour, as well as in beautiful tones of terracotta and old rose. In every case the shoes are lined with satin and bound with silk, matching exactly the colour of the calf. The velvet carriage boots, lined with soft white fur, and sold at half a guinea, will be found the greatest l>oon for those whose party-going may possibly involve a long cold drive. The comfort of slipping one s ice-cold and satin-shod feet into these cosy and furry receptacles can only be appreciated by those who have enjoyed the delight of arriving at a dance with warm feet in place of the usually numbed extremities. Type-writing, which is an occupation so well-fitted for women, is protecting its interests in London by combination. Examinations are being held and cert ificates of three degrees given—‘pass,’ ‘good,’ and ‘excellent.’ To any woman holding one of these certificates an honourable and womanly way of earning her own living is open. At present we have very few type-writers in New Zealand, professional I mean. In London or New York any amateur author can have his other MS. put in readable form for a small payment. Editors are but human, and where there is a mass of correspondence and MSS. they must be pardoned for bestowing more smiles of encouragement on the easily read type-written article than on the almost, sometimes quite, undecipherable hand-written work.

A railway through the Holy Land is one of the latest ideas. It seems to shock one’s reverential feelings to hear of stations at Jerusalem, Jericho, Nazareth, »nd yet the work has actually begun, and we must remember that above all things this is a practical age. Various striking combinations of colour are now fashionable. To artists, the contrasts are delightful, and any lady can display a hitherto unknown talent for effective colour arrangements in her costume. Charming as are the results produced by an exquisite blending of pale apricot and pale blue (tne hues in a tine sky just before the sun sets), in rich burnt a-nber and a particular shade of pink, even in pale blue and dark green, yet some contrasts positively set one's teeth on edge. Bright red bonnet and vivid green skirt ! It is really trying to meet anyone thus arrayed. Red is still a very fashionable colour, and will dispute with mauve the honour of being the colour of the spring season. Sweet peas are to be much worn, and very pretty they are too The new bonnets are a mere apology tor a head-covering, though some of the Paris hats are said to be extremely large. Sailor hats are to lie covered with tulle, etc., which will enable us to use up last year’s shapes. We shall presently give some articles on millinery. Queen Victoria has blankets especially woven for her use. She sleeps in them instead of between linen sheets, like us everyday people. Indeed they are more like woollen sheets which we know as blankets—very soft ami fleecy ami quite thin. Ami as she never uses them after they are laundered she has about eight pair of new ones a month. The old ones’ Oh, they go to the hospitals. Then she has queer little contrivances in which to keep her feet warm, for such a thing as much heated rooms is unknown in her palaces. So she sits with her feet tucked into these furlined bags, foot muffs, I suppose you would call them. These and the blankets are made for her by a very renowned firm, which has supplied her wants in this line for the last forty years. It is this firm, too, who redrape her private rooms when the hangings become shabby. And here comes in another fad, for the chintzes (cretonnes you call them) are always of the same design and colouring, ami no one else can have any like them. So no matter how many times the family suites are done over, they always look just as they did when the Prince of Wales and his sisters were children at home. These notions of her Majesty are a pretty good thing for one firm, for they bring in an account of something like sixty thousand a year, with prompt settlement too, for it’s one of her fancies not to let accounts run on indefinitely. Unlike the majority of us, she is always wanting her bill sent in.