Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Stage 8

Cut off superfluous fulness, and neaten as in stage 2.

Sew the lace on to the top brim, about an inch up (see stage 3).Cut the lace out of the head, I in. from the head wire, then snip up as illustrated in stage 4, and sew on to the inside coronet as illustrated in stage 5.

Veil the inside brim with the black net in exactly the same way. The brim will then appear as in stage 6.

Take the remaining piece of gold lace and veil it quite evenly with the black net, pinning well all round, so as to keep the net in position.

Pleat and pin artistically about I in. from the edge wire, allowing more fulness at the back as seen in stage 7.

An occasional tack here and there, as fancy dictates, will be found necessary at this period, but great care must be taken to stitch very lightly, so as to prevent the net from losing its freshness.

The next important question to be considered is the velvet bind round the edge of the toque. Take the black velvet, which being one quarter of a yard on the cross will be found to measure 9 in. long at the selvedge end, and 7 in. through the centre.

Stage 9

Cut in half, and this will give two lengths 3 1/2 in. wide (stage 8).

Join the two lengths of velvet together, and pin on to the edge of the brim, the wrong side of the velvet facing the worker. This will afterwards be turned back, and will leave the edge quite neat. (See stage 9 for position of velvet.) The bind will be found more becoming if a small pleat is made on either side of the brim ; this is to slightly widen the brim at sides, and gives a softer appearance.

When the velvet has been carefully fitted round the brim, and the pleats put on either side of it, leave just sufficient velvet to join together on the cross, and cut away the remainder.

Back-stitch the bind, then turn the velvet back on to the brim, the right side facing the worker.

Take the centre-front of toque and place a pin I1/2 in. up the velvet in the front, 2 in.

at the sides; and 3 in. at the back,- then turn over. The bind is now I1/2 in. deep in the front, 2 in. on either side, and 3 in. at centre-back. (Stages I0 and I I.)

Slipstitch the bind loosely and lightly on to the lace, or a fine stitch in the front will answer the same purpose.

The illustration of the completed toque shows the position of aigrette, which has been sewn on to an ear as was explained and illustrated in a previous article. (Vol. 2, page I354.)

Stage 10

The illustrations given show the toque made of light fabrics ; but the same methods can be successfully employed in the case of such materials as velvet, silk, or satin, with a brim turned back with fur or marabout.

The large percentage of Englishwomen who wear toques are rather apt to get the "all-round " shape, without sufficient curves to give individuality or style.

Then, the last touch of trimming, whether it be flower or aigrette, must be placed at the exact angle to suit the wearer. Toques often look "squat" or " top-heavy," and the turban shapes are apt to envelop the wearer altogether.

Trimming. One of the most successful and practical decorations for the trimming of the small hat or toque is the pompon, that delightful, old-world cluster of silk or even wool, in all sorts of quaint colourings. Neither wind nor weather affects the pompon. It is soft and becoming, and rarely fails to give a smart appearance to a toque.

Stage 11

This section forms a complete guide to the art of preserving and acquiring beauty. How wide is its scope can be seen from the following summary of its contents :

Beautiful Women in History

Treatment of the Hair

The Beauty of Motherhood and

Old Age The Effect of Diet on Beauty Freckles, Sunburn Beauty Baths Manicure

The Beautiful Baby

The Beautiful Child

Health and Beauty

Physical Culture

How the Housewife may Preserve

Her Good Looks Beauty Foods Secrets Mothers ought to Teach their Daughters

The Complexion

The Teeth

The Eyes

The Ideal of Beauty

The Ideal Figure, etc., etc.

By Pearladam

F there is one thing more interesting to the majority of humanity than a wedding, it is an elopement ; and there have been couples in history who would never have been heard of but that they secured immortality for themselves by eloping.

Among those immortals is Dorothy Vernon, of Haddon Hall, about whose elopement history is reticent, but well established tradition is eloquent. Many versions of the story have been told, but in all the main facts are the same, and they are romantic enough to satisfy the most exigent of novel readers.