A Section For Women

By "Therese"

COLOUR is all important in Fashion’s scheme of things and comes in many combinations calculated to gladden the feminine heart. Frocks of white and pastel shades have yokes of two colours.

A white linen shirtmaker takes unto itself a yoke that is half red and half blue, fitting into the patriotic spirit of the times. Another frock of the same type has contrasting sleeves and panels in the flared skirt, the belt being yet another colour Try it for yourself and see what individuality you can express with your colour schemes.

Pockets are prominent—huge pockets in the skirts, smaller one in the blouses.

They are all shapes, too—square, pointed, round, diamond shaped—and they appear on both day and evening clothes, always managing to look just right.

Many of the new frocks have bodices that are full bloused at the back and skirts that concentrate all the fulness in the front. Loose nanels are also in favour and pinafore frocks seem to be making a bold bid for recognition particularly in sports clothes. A pinafore buttoning right down the front, princess style has several blouses to give it different ’ per sonalities. The skirt can be left open in front, revealing well-cut shorts Pockets are also featured on the pinafore frock and add to its general utility for snorts and beach wear.

Jumper suits are still popular Here again the colour contrast can be ’ intro duced with good effect or the lumper can be of the same colour and material as the skirt, contrast being achieved bv buttons. Buttons are varied in size, shape

and colour—they come in fruit, flower and bird and beast designs, besides other quaint shapes. The covered button finds equal favour though its washing propen sities are rather doubtful.

An attractive jumper suit I saw re cently was of yellow and white silk The coat buttoned to the neck where it was finished with a white sharkskin collar The buttons were of the same material as the suit with a white composition brim. Worn with a white hat and white shoes, it looked delightfully cool and fresh.

TWO tone shoes are as much worn as shoes of a single colour. They look cool, too, and are ideal with simple tailored frocks of the shirtmaker type.

White Oxfords have leather cuban heels and are most attractive with linen and cotton frocks. These heels generally meet with the strong approval of the male who says “Ah, women are being sensible at last”.

For formal afternoon wear, of course the stilt heel is still demanded and un doubtedly is correct. Wedgies, or plat form soles, are in favour for holiday wear and are voted marvellously comfortable Sandals always have their devotees and are good for hot weather wear.

Bags and gloves very often appear as twin sets. Would you have thought of gingham gloves and bag? I saw a blue gingham set the other day worn with a plain blue cotton frock and they struck a delightful and unusual note. It appears that whatever your whim is this season you will be fashionable—so if you use in genuity and colour sense you are bound to be a success.

Beauty—at Short Notice

AN excellent way to prepare your face for a hurried surprise party is to give yourself a quick refresher of egg white. This type of mask is quick and astringent. It will tone the skin, and, although it is not as efficacious as an ice massage it is more suitable for tender skins.

Wash the face in warm water, and then hold hot cloths to the skin, so that the porjs will be thoroughly opened.

Separate the white from the yolk of an egg, and with a small pastry brush paint the white all over the skin. So that you will be relaxed and refreshed for the evening, it is just as well to rest for a few minutes, during which time the white of the egg will set and harden on the skin. This will cause the mask to become astringent and will draw the skin tightly together and remove many of those small tired lines that have accrued during the day. After the mask has hardened, allow it to remain on for five or ten minutes, then remove with warm water. Apply make-up in the usual way.

Another quick and effective way of re freshing the face is to bathe it in milk.

This will give the skin a delightful matte base and make it velvety smooth for the evening.

Recipes

THE response to our request for recipes and hints for the mutual help of Islands women has been gratifying, and we hope that it will encourage readers to forward their pet recipes for the benefit of their sisters in the tropics From Mrs. E. Richards, Bulolo, New Guinea, come some savoury suggestions:— Savoury Prunes If wet-pack prunes are available they will need no previous soaking, if not then soak dry-pack prunes in hot water for one hour. Remove stones carefully; re place with blanched almond and a little

grated cheese. Wrap each prepared prune in a small thin slice of bacon; fasten with tooth pick. Bake or grill until bacon is crisp. Serve hot or cold.

Oyster Savouries Make cases of rich short pastry cooked in small tart patty pans;—Use 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, I tea spoon salt, a pinch cayenne pepper, \ lb. butter (or half butter and half drip ping) ; rub shortening into sifted flour and baking powder and if moisture is needed add a little iced water.

Oyster Filling:—One 8 oz. tin of oysters, drained and finely chopped. For the sauce, melt 1 tablespoon butter in sauce pan, add pepper and salt. Remove from fire and add 1 tablespoon flour. When well blended, cook for 1 minute. Remove from fire and add 1 cup milk, \ cup oyster liquor. Cook and stir till smooth and thick. Add chopped oysters.

Fill each pastry case with oyster sauce and serve hot. Garnish with parsley.

Spreads For Biscuits Grated cheese mixed to paste with anchovy or Worcester sauce.

Sardines mixed with tomato sauce and lemon juice.

One cooked kipper with bones removed pounded to paste with a little butter. 11T.D., Papua, adds her contribution:— ** Banana Jam To 12 bananas cut in round slices add juice of two lemons. Cover with water, bring to boil and cook the fruit. Then add i to i lb. of sugar to each pound of fruit and cook quickly until a little on a saucer jells. The less stirring the better, so add some sterilised silver coins to the mixture when the sugar is added to prevent burning.

Banana Porridge One tablespoon cornflour, 6 firm

bananas, 1 pt. milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and a little nutmeg. Blend the cornflour with a little of the milk. Boil the re mainder; add the cornflour. Stir until it thickens, then add sugar and mashed bananas. Boil for five minutes, stirring all the time. Serve hot sprinkled with nutmeg.

Haricot or Lima Beans Wash and soak dried beans overnight and boil until they begin to split. Drain and put into casserole. Bury a piece of pork or bacon in the beans, cover with boiling water and cook in slow oven for about three hours, adding boiling water when necessary (do not add water the last hour of cooking). Cook without the casserole lid. When nearly cooked put the pork on top of the beans to brown.

When finished the beans should have absorbed nearly all the water and be slightly brown, in colour. This is the ideal way to obtain tender tasty beans that are a pleasant change from quickly boiled beans.

E.J., of Rarotonga, sends in some uses for tomatoes: — Tomato and Pineapple Scoop out firm tomatoes. Cut pine apple into dice, mix with tomato pulp, add sugar if required and 1 dessert spoon orange juice. Fill tomato, cases, place on crisp lettuce leaf and garnish with whipped cream.

Tomato Jelly Heat a tin or pint of tomato juice, add 1 oz. gelatine dissolved in cold water, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice and a little sugar. Boil for a few minutes and pour in individual moulds to set. Serve on lettuce leaf and garnish

with parsley.

Tomato-Bacon-Cheese Butter rounds of toast. On each slice,

place a thick round of sliced tomato sea soned with salt and pepper. Over this sprinkle grated cheese. Place three thin short slices of bacon on top of each round and bake in quick oven until the bacon is crisp and the cheese melted.

Household Hints

fT\O use left over mashed potatoes, mix JL with flour and oatmeal and make into scones. Toast and eat hot with butter.

Do not allow soup to boil, but let it simmer slowly. Much of the liquid is wasted in evaporation and the best of the flavour is lost if the soup boils or is allowed to heat too quickly. The same thing applies to stews. Remember the old adage “A stew boiled is a stew spoiled”.

Surface scratches in furniture may be

removed with a little alcohol. Apply the alcohol carefully and wipe dry immedi ately. Use the same treatment for scratches on shellac floors.

Unbleached sheets become a good colour if, when first boiled, a tablespoon of turpentine is put into the copper.

To clean wash-leather gloves and pre vent them from getting stiff, wash first in soap suds and then wash again in soap suds to which a few drops of olive oil have been added. Do not rinse the second time, but squeeze and hang in the shade to dry, W.D. (Papua) says: Scraped coconut rubbed into bread tins, etc., saves drip ping—the flour will adhere to the nut grease quite well. Scraped coconut well rubbed into the hands will do much to keep them soft and white and will usually remove stubborn stains at the same time. Rice boiled in green nut water is pure white with a flavour all its own.

Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Cruise returned to Rabaul, NG, recently after spending a long holiday in Queensland. He is an officer in the Public Health Department.

Mr. A. E. Fuller, of the Fiji Post and Telegraph Department, visited Pitcairn Island during October in connection with the opening of a new Post Office.