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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 8, Issue 10 (February 1, 1934)

Our Women'S Section — Timely Notes and Useful Hints

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Our Women'S Section
Timely Notes and Useful Hints.

Midsummer Wear.

There are no revolutionary style changes this month, but, to the keen observer, slight developments are noticeable—a returning simplicity of line, a slackening in the power held by gingham and organdie, the growing importance of the sleeve theme and the omnipresence of the ensemble.

Fabrics are becoming richer; silks have a soft, dull lustre. Georgette and lace in combination, or the latter alone, form graceful robes.

A charming afternoon gown I saw recently featured the new long cowl sleeve. The frock was in a draped princess style with a diamante buckle at the waist.

Many ensembles comprise a dressy frock in patterned silk with a plain three-quarter length silk coat for street wear. The coat may be sleeveless, or have full three-quarter or long sleeves. On one outfit, in pink and black checked silk, a wide organdie and lace collar and bow on the frock matched the gauntlet cuffs on the coat. A simply cut frock is lent interest by a checked or striped scarf knotted loosely at the neck-line. Bows showing on the latest frocks are not placed merely for effect. With some gowns, tie-ends, attached to the yoke or centre panel in front, pass to the back and tie in a smart bow. For freshening up holiday frocks, nothing could be easier than the acquisition of collar and cuff sets. These are showing in organdie and cotton lace fabrics, and in many cases feature frilling and bows. Collars are mainly of Peter Pan or Quaker types, and cuffs in fancy gauntlet shapes.

Smart two-piece suits for summer wear are fashioned of assam or heavy tussore silk or of the new linen tweed. Jumpers are still smart. I saw an unusual cream jumper knitted in a lacy design with heavy silk. The long full sleeves had wide, green stripes, running from shoulder to wrist. With this was worn a slim, green skirt, in which the fullness was supplied by two inserted pleats back and front. For wear with suits blouses are becoming more decorative. Lace, drawn-thread work, faggoting, broderie anglaise and peasant embroidery are featured. One charming blouse, worn with a midnight-blue suit, was of white China silk, hand-embroidered down the front panel in shades of blue, black and coral.

Handbags with scarves to match have been featured in tweed for some time. Now we see expensive leather bags sold with smart silk scarves to match. The other day a friend, bound for the links, showed me her new golf hand-bag, in dark brown leather, fitted with delightful coloured tees, golf-scorer and pencil.

Raincoats, so necessary during our New Zealand summer, are showing in many styles, but mainly in two-colour combinations. White and black are particularly smart, especially in checks or plaids. Umbrellas feature stripes as does the latest travelling gear. It would almost seem that some super-smart deck-chairs had got their canvas involved in the latest page 58 suit-cases. How easy, at the end of a journey, to pick out one's own yellowy-greeny-stripy portmanteau from the miscellaneous piles of dingy brown disgorged from van or hold!

In accordance with the return to femin-ality in fashion, dressing-gowns are becoming daintier. They feature lace, ruffles and fur. Nightgowns, beautifully embroidered, are having an equal showing with pyjamas. Dressing-jackets are again coming into vogue. I saw a charming trousseau one in egg-shell blue, featuring sleeves puffed to the elbow.

Household Linen.

The laundering work of many a housewife has been reduced since breakfast and luncheon sets became popular. For the small household, a delightful striped or checked cloth, with napkins to match, is quite large enough. Quite a new idea is to have china striped in the same colour as the cloth.

Afternoon-tea cloths are often exquisitely embroidered. They, too, have napkins to match. The “sit-down” afternoon tea is becoming very popular among those who “bridge.”

Gay buffet runners, luncheon cloths, wagon covers, can be worked in bright shades of coarse embroidery twist on linen or crash.

Whatever your bathroom colour scheme, towels can be obtained to match it, and very reasonably. For guest towels, pale pastel embroidery on white or cream linen is charming, while huckaback in pastel shades needs only to be hemmed.

Picnic Equipment.

Any confirmed picnic enthusiast must covet one of the new picnic cases, fitted with expanding sandwich tins, thermos flasks, and the new unbreakable ware in complete sets for from two to six people. Even if you cannot obtain one of these, set aside a box or a corner of the kitchen cabinet at home for picnic gear. If you like to “boil the billy” you will need bottles of varying sizes with screw tops for milk, the billy, and tins of suitable sizes for sugar and tea. Small spice tins are handy for salt and pepper. If you have to consider the weight of the picnic basket, keep a supply of cardboard plates and goblets on your picnic shelf. Paper tablecloths and table napkins, and grease proof paper for wrapping sandwiches, should also find a place. The packing of a picnic lunch is no longer a problem when all the necessary jars and tins are waiting for you to fill them.

Care of the Hair.

During the Summer season the hair often becomes dry and brittle, owing to the action of salt water. It is necessary to wash the hair thoroughly with fresh water to get rid of the salt. Oil shampoos are beneficial for dry, bleached or sunburned hair. Warm the oil and apply to the scalp with a piece of absorbent cotton wool. Then massage the scalp thoroughly for at least ten minutes.

Then take a towel and wring it out in hot water, and wrap round the head, When it cools, wring it out again in hot water and apply once more. Renew several times. This treatment opens the pores of the scalp and allows the oil to be page 59 absorbed. Shampoo as usual, and rinse thoroughly.

Regular massage is essential to keep the scalp healthy and the hair glossy and luxuriant, by stimulating the circulation through the scalp and roots of the hair.

To massage, first part the hair in the centre, then press the tips of the fingers firmly on the scalp on the line of parting, and moving them in a rotary motion, at the same time pressing the sides of the head with the heels of the hands, so that the scalp moves with the action of the hands. Repeat this process until the whole of the head has been massaged, which should take at least five minutes.

Regular brushing also stimulates and invigorates the hair and scalp. Do your one hundred strokes with the brush every day. Brushing keeps the hair clean and glossy. Make a parting every inch or so and brush first on one side and then on the other of each strand of hair, using the brush from the scalp upwards.

Brushes and combs should be kept scrupulously clean.

Too Nice To Be A Medicine.

Peggv (aged seven): There, I thought so, Dolly has an awful cold.

Nancy: What are you going to give her, some medicine?

Peggy: Oh, no, I'll give her “Baxter's.” That's not a medicine.

Nancy I know it's not; it's too nice.

That is typical of the way kiddies regard Baxter's Lung Preserver, as a pleasant, soothing remedy that quickly fixes their coughs, colds, and sore throats. They like its pleasant flavour.

Always give “Baxter's” to your children. Get a bottle with your next groceries. 1/6, 2/6, and 4/6. *

Foot Comfort.

During the hot weather it is a good plan to rub the feet with talcum or boracic acid powder and also to shake a little into the stockings. This will keep the feet comfortable and cool.

Daily massage with methylated spirits or Eau-de-Cologne is very comforting. This treatment stimulates the circulation and tones up the skin, if your feet are inclined to be inflamed or painful during the hot weather. Q-tol is also found beneficial for this purpose.

To the person who is predisposed to chilblains during the winter, daily massage is essential.

Home Notes.
Jam and Jelly Making.

Fruit for jam must not be over-ripe and should be picked on a fine day. It must be clean and dry, as when wet it is likely to get mouldy if not used immediately, and the keeping and setting qualities are impaired. Use pure white sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon.

Do not leave fruit standing in a metal pan, as the acids of the fruit are likely to form poisonous compounds with the metal.

In making jelly, cover the fruit with water and boil for at least an hour. Skim well and strain through a bag. Do not squeeze. Add one pound of sugar to one pint of juice and boil until it jellies—usually about half an hour. The less jelly is stirred the clearer it will be.

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Tomato Jam (Delicious).

6lbs. Tomatoes, 6 lemons, llb. preserved ginger, 6lbs. sugar. Skin the tomatoes (if the tomatoes are put in hot water the skin is found to come off easily) and cut into slices. Peel the lemons as thinly as possible, and shred the peel and ginger. Squeeze the juice and add to the tomatoes, with the sugar. Boil all together until it jellies when tested on a saucer.

N.B.—Green tomatoes may be used and oranges substituted for the lemons.

Pear Ginger.

Use winter pears for preference. Allow 3/4lb. sugar to 11lb. of fruit, ½lb. of preserved ginger, and two lemons to six pounds of fruit. Cut the pears into pieces, sprinkle half the sugar over them, and leave overnight; next day add the ginger (cut small), shredded lemon, and the remainder of the sugar. Boil for two hours, or until fruit looks clear.

Tomato and Passion Fruit Jam.

11b. Tomatoes, ½lb. passion fruit weighed in their skins, 3/4lb. sugar. Boil the tomatoes to a pulp (after skinning them) and add the strained passion fruit. Bring to the boil, then add sugar, and boil until it jellies (about half an hour).

* * *

The Value Of Vegetables.

If one has a vegetable garden, the question “What vegetables will be best for dinner today?” is easily answered when there are rows of fresh vegetables to choose from. In the town it is not so easy and requires thought.

Care must be taken in the preparation and cooking of vegetables, in order to conserve their nutritive value. Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in cold water but not soaked, as there would be a loss of vitamins and mineral matter. Never put soda in the water, as it destroys the vitamins. The colour of green vegetables is kept by cooking them quickly in an uncovered vessel. Cook vegetables until soft in boiling salted water, or in some cases steam them. Time for cooking the same vegetables varies according to the age and freshness, so judgment must be used in modifying the time table. The water in which vegetables are cooked should be saved for making sauces, soups and gravies, as this water contains the most valuable part of the vegetables —the vitamins and mineral salts.

“There's many things a chap can do without at a pinch, when times are hard and the clouds refuse to roll by, but tobacco is not one of them,” wrote a contributor to a London weekly not long since. “Hard times? Why then it is precisely that the smoker craves more than ever the soothing, care-dispelling influence of good tobacco.” So it is. Despite the depression, the demand for the weed in the Old Land is constantly growing. And it's precisely the same in New Zealand where nine out of every ten men smoke—to say nothing of women—yes, and most of them smoke one or other of the four famous brands, Riverhead Gold, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Cavendish, and Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead). Once you try them you always buy them!—So sweet, so pure, so fresh and fragrant are they! The toasting does it! How's that? Because it eliminates most of the nicotine and thus makes this beautiful tobacco safe for the smoker, who can indulge ad. lib. with absolute impunity!*