Dresses, both in number and style, vary according to the
station and the individual. For morning wear, in the cold
season, a light, or heavy, tailor-made tweed is best, the
warmth depending on the destination of the wearer. But
whether in Madras the material is beige, or in the Punjab a
Harris tweed, the style is much the same. In the hot weather
print or mousseline de lainc tea-gowns, nithout trains, are invalu-
able. The great feature of Indian society is, of course, the
daily tennis party, where, in large stations, costumes suitable
for garden fetes are worn, and even in small ones a dowdy
dress is the exception. For those who play tennis, at least
213
Housekeeper and Cook
two really smart costumes are necessary, and in addition two
white flannel skirts to be worn with various bodices. Indeed,
for young girls nothing is so becoming for tennis as the plain
skirt and loose bodice, smocked perhaps with some dainty
colour, with a broad sash to match. Here, again, the Indian
dhobi’s fatal facility for washing out even ingrain colours must
be 1‘emembered. For those who do not pHy tennis we recom-
mend in the hot weather pongee silks or mousseline de laines.
The latter wash most beautifully, and last clean much longer
than any cotton fabric. In the cold season cashmeres, vicunas,
and all kinds of fancy cloths are suitable. In regard to all
day costumes, it is a good plan to bring out, unmade, sufficient
stuff, buttons, &c., to make a rej)lica in style, but not neces-
sarily in colour or texture, for the dirzies will copy a dress
without much fear of failure. Thus Avhen the original dress
is put aside for morning wear, you can appear in a new one
in the afternoon. A few, and for small stations, very few,
good evening dresses should be brought out, if only for the
reason that on the occasions on which they have to be worn
you naturally want to appear well and fashionably dressed.
This you cannot hope to do, unless you are a millionaire, if
you get more than one good dress at a time, since they will
go hopelessly out of fashion before you have a chance of
Avearing them. On the other hand, there is a vast amount
of friendly entertainment in India, Avhere pretty demi-toilette
is required. For this the married lady Avill find tea-goAvns
very suitable, while girls are the better for at least two simple
but nicely-made dresses of nuns-veiling or pongee silk. Ball
dresses are a necessity, and one should always be ready for an
occasion. On the other hand, nothing suffers more from the
voyage, and for girls especially it is better to have at least
tAvo silk bodices and slips, one white or cream, and to take
out net, lace, ribbons, flowei’s, &c., for various trimmings and
skirts. In addition, a black lace dress should be in every outfit.
A habit is a necessity, and it should be made by a good
tailor of moderately thick cloth. For camp work and, in-
deed, for all real Avork, hop-sacking is best. TAveeds are
at present fashionable, but they need to be very dark and
of an even mixture, or they look speckly. Breeches and
topboots are far preferable to trousers, especially for rough
work. In the morning rides in camp, when a Avife accom-
214 The Complete Indian
Page 148
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Dresses, both in number and style, vary according to the station and the individual. For morning wear, in the cold season, a light, or heavy, tailor-made tweed is best, the warmth depending on the destination of the wearer. But whether in Madras the material is beige, or in the Punjab a Harris tweed, the style is much the same. In the hot weather print or mousseline de laine tea-gowns, without trains, are invaluable. The great feature of Indian society is, of course, the daily tennis party, where, in large stations, costumes suitable for garden fetes are worn, and even in small ones a dowdy dress is the exception. For those who play tennis, at least
Housekeeper and Cook
two really smart costumes are necessary, and in addition two white flannel skirts to be worn with various bodices. Indeed, for young girls nothing is so becoming for tennis as the plain skirt and loose bodice, smocked perhaps with some dainty colour, with a broad sash to match. Here, again, the Indian dhobi’s fatal facility for washing out even ingrain colours must be remembered. For those who do not play tennis we recommend in the hot weather pongee silks or mousseline de laines. The latter wash most beautifully, and last clean much longer than any cotton fabric. In the cold season cashmeres, vicunas, and all kinds of fancy cloths are suitable. In regard to all day costumes, it is a good plan to bring out, unmade, sufficient stuff, buttons, &c., to make a replica in style, but not necessarily in colour or texture, for the dirzies will copy a dress without much fear of failure. Thus when the original dress is put aside for morning wear, you can appear in a new one in the afternoon. A few, and for small stations, very few, good evening dresses should be brought out, if only for the reason that on the occasions on which they have to be worn you naturally want to appear well and fashionably dressed. This you cannot hope to do, unless you are a millionaire, if you get more than one good dress at a time, since they will go hopelessly out of fashion before you have a chance of wearing them. On the other hand, there is a vast amount of friendly entertainment in India, where pretty demi-toilette is required. For this the married lady will find tea-gowns very suitable, while girls are the better for at least two simple but nicely-made dresses of nuns-veiling or pongee silk. Ball dresses are a necessity, and one should always be ready for an occasion. On the other hand, nothing suffers more from the voyage, and for girls especially it is better to have at least two silk bodices and slips, one white or cream, and to take out net, lace, ribbons, flowei’s, &c., for various trimmings and skirts. In addition, a black lace dress should be in every outfit.
A habit is a necessity, and it should be made by a good tailor of moderately thick cloth. For camp work and, indeed, for all real work, hop-sacking is best. Tweeds are at present fashionable, but they need to be very dark and of an even mixture, or they look speckly. Breeches and topboots are far preferable to trousers, especially for rough work. In the morning rides in camp, when a wife accom-
214 The Complete Indian