A Section For Women

By "Therese"

NEW season’s clothes always are fraught with interest to every woman in whatever country she may live—and the present autumn fash ions are no less interesting to tropic dwellers than to their city sisters. This year the autumn palette is splashed with colours than run the gamut of every shade on the colour chart —Bedouin, pheasant, and harvest colours vie with pastels that steal their shades from the muted tones of Persian carpets.

Bedouin tones —dashing and new—are inspired by the surge of events in the East. Trooper blue, fortress tan, battalion red, oasis green and Caliph purple are their names. Pheasant shades, rich and glowing, include brown, which seems to be ousting black from pride of place.

There are yellows, with a hint of orange in them, bronzes, vivid blues, greens and deep reds, all as vital in colouring as the feathers of the pheasant. Harvest tones present a softer appearance—corn yel low, sheaf green, vineyard, husk beige, harvest gold and storm blue.

Fabrics are entirely new. There are jerseys that drape softly, boucle with a difference, angora soft as thistledown, camelton cloths (for coats) and novelty weaves a-plenty. Checks in striking combinations are exceptionally popular.

One check has brown and pheasant yel low as the predominating shades, with fine lines of lilac and tomato reds run ning through, thus giving wonderful scope for accessories. Tweeds are very “tweedy”, with a definitely English air about them that ensures success.

THE choice of style is legion, but, as always, jackets and ensembles lead the way.

Coats include box, swagger, stroller, plain, tailored and dressmaker styles.

New features are extended shoulders which give that square-cut tailored look, slim waists accentuated by the extended shoulders, front fulness, pockets and still more pockets, and stitched revers. Pock ets are in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the strictly tailored to the large pouchy ones softly gathered.

Necklines have become important over-night, and are the focal point of fashion. Woollen frocks like those of heavy crepe are bedecked at the neck line with beads and sequins; dinner frocks do likewise with delightful effect.

Fabrics for evening have never been more glorious. There are taffetas of incredible beauty with blendings of colour that rival Joseph’s coat; others are tin sel-woven in striped and floral effects.

Velvets are rich in colour and deep of pile, and are an ideal medium for the new pencil-slim silhouette with drapings and fulness in front. Evening frocks, in the main, have that pencil-slim line, but here and there the bouffant frock is seen—mostly evolved from taffetas and laces with taffeta foundations.

COLOUR combinations are clever for both day and evening wear.

Hydrangea blue and Persian pink are calculated to charm the heart of any woman. An evening gown of blue chalky crepe is topped by a jacket of pink moire with sequin embroidery in blue of a deeper shade ornamenting the pockets.

Lime green and clover shades find equal success. A lime green evening frock has the bodice cleverly draped. The skirt is plain from the waist to hips, from whence simulated pleats continue to the hem of the skirt. A huge cluster of clover pink flowers is thrust at the waist and the long gloves of fine suede are in the same pinky shade. To go with this lovely model, there is a coat of heavy crepe in a deeper clover shade than the accessories; both collar and pockets are heavily sequined in still deeper shades.

Caliph purple is an enchanting colour for evening wear. Silver is the trim ming note here, with perhaps a discreet dash of wicked red. One gown in this colour has epaulettes and bunchy pockets of silver sequins. The epaulettes strike a military note and this trend, by the way, is prevalent in both day and even ing wear.

SILVER kid is used cleverly on a hydrangea blue ensemble with

a swagger cape and slim-fitting frock.

The cape has epaulettes of kid and the pockets are trimmed in the same design.

Kid also trims dresses of every shade.

One suit of cocoa brown, cut trimly in military style, has the jacket edged com pletely with off-white kid, which also is used for the gloves and bag that accom pany it. Oatmeal-flecked suits have the same treatment but, as a matter of con trast, brown kid and brown accessories are brought into commission.

The military note is again evident in evening capes and in braided jackets and frocks. This is mostly seen in the same colour as the garment itself, but white braiding is exceedingly effective on black.

Leopard trims are also used. For the ultra-moderns, there are full coats of this fur fabric, but the conservative woman will be happy with little pieces here and there. A very attractive frock of heaven blue angora has leopard pockets and the hat is trimmed with a narrow band to match. The same fabric also forms the collar of a brown coat, the sleeves of which are cut balloon fashion.

Brown can be worn with many of the new shades and the brown frock worn with an emerald green hat which flaunts a scarlet feather is an indication of the trend towards colour.

ACCESSORIES play an important part in the scheme of things. There are handsome handbags, Australian made, too, that have all the precious details of the imported bags of pre-war days. They are in nappa, plain and fancy calf, patent leather, suede and even fabric to match or contrast with the general ensemble. The shapes are varied and whether you carry one of the pouch variety, an envelope shape, or one of the very new ones that look like miniature

portmanteaux, you will be “in the swim”.

Gloves are a triumph of simple per fection. Impeccably tailored, they have yet about them a softly feminine air— peccary, suede, wash-leather and kid are all present and correct. Delicate shades for evening wear add attraction to any gown.

Nowadays, you can have a hat to match each merry mood. There are velours, felts, and velvets, with wide brims, narrow brims, upturned brims and no brims at all. Also charming are sombreros, dashing and debonair, man nishly-tailored felts and others slightly more feminine.

Fobs for tailleurs or sports jackets are quaint and amusing. Pish, flesh and fowl disport themselves gaily on coat lapels and add a gay touch of contrast.

Household Hints

DII> you know that— Tannin inside a teapot is best cleansed with common salt.

The juice of a tomato rubbed over face, neck and arms acts as a bleach for dis persing sunburn.

When washing kitchen towels and dish cloths add a little borax to the water—lt makes them a good colour and removes all dirt and grease.

To get a good polish on a table top, wrap a velvet cloth around a cold iron to make a thick pad and rub up surface as though ironing. Old furniture treated this way will shine like glass and be free from smears and uneven polish marks.

Old shaving brushes can be used for applying polish to stoves and grates and are useful in saving polish and getting into elusive corners.

Sour milk is excellent for cleaning lacquer trays which crack very easily if washed with water.

When the kitchen is hot and stuffy and the smell of cookery lingers in spite of wide open windows, put a few drops of essence of lavender into a bowl of hot water. Oil of lavender is expensive but, being highly concentrated, only a little is necessary.

An excellent idea if you have gone without a meal and have that sinking feeling is a raw egg beaten up in milk, or if you cannot digest milk use the juice of an orange. This can be given to a child who is off his food and it often re stores the appetite.

Put a little pure glycerine on tea stains, then after letting it stand for a while, wash out and the stain will disappear.

If there is any painting going on and you don’t care for the smell of it, slice some onions in a pail of water. These are said to absorb the odour.

Add a little kerosene to the water with which your linoleum is cleaned: the dirt comes off easier. For the rest of the year polish your linoleum—don’t keep swamping it with cold water, if you want it to last.

If you keep copperware about the house, fill them with boiling water before polishing. You’ll be surprised how much easier it becomes.

Scratches on silverware can be treated with a paste of olive oil and putty pow der. Rub the paste gently over the marks

until the scratches disappear.

Wicker chairs can be cleaned —but not with soap and water! A rag dipped in

paraffin is best; polish with a soft cloth.

Use a mixture of ammonia and cold water to clean fibre matting; dry in the open.

Try wrapping your best silver in cello phane if you use it only occasionally— it never tarnishes this way.

Alan (“Bill”) Imlay —son of Captain N.

Imlay, late of the Treasury, Port Moresby, and now serving with Australia’s Machine Gun Training Battalion —made a splendid showing at the North Sydney Boys’ High School Swimming Carnival on March 3.

He won all six Age Championships in which he was eligible to compete, and created new School records for three of them. Alan, although only just turned 13. is in 3rd Year at the School.

Mr. M. Pitt, Assistant District Officer in the NG Service, was recently trans ferred to Madang.