A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LONDON

TOWN.

DEMOCRATIC QUEENS.

i From Our Lady Correspondent.)

LONDON', December 8.

Queens prrow more and more democratic. Queen Victoria of Spain and her two Princess daughters have been seen more tlinn oueo recently walking about in the shopping liirought'ares of Knightsbridgo and Kensington, and Queen Maud of Norway, who is in London for a little while doing Christmas shopping, loves to rninglw with crowds. I saw her onft morning shop window-gazing in Piccadilly, and later strolling in the Green P,irk, accompanied by a friend. She "wont, qtiile unrecognised, even when she ■w;ih admiring motor cars in a showroom window nnd pointing out various gadgets which were new to her. Prince Olaf, to whom sho is devoted, drives her about, a good deal, and has probably taught her much about cars. Labelling Playwrights. People who had been struck in that clever study of suburban narrowness, tho play called "Distinguished Villa," by its close observation and penetrating insight, were surprised to find its writer • young and lovely girl in a fascinating pearl-embroidered evening frock, wearing her dark hair in a most becoming 3''ton crop, and with the glowing eyes and complexion of a true Irish girl. Miss Kate O'Brien, entertained at dinner by tho Irish circle of the Lyceum Club, and modestly loth to speak, protested •gainst tho relentless labelling of playwrights by critics, managers, producers, and what-not. Because she had written a successful play about suburbia, a later one concerning an entirely different elass was given no quarter. She was assumed to have staked out a claim in suburban types and must not try to find another one. She added that the only bit of a dialogue taken from real life was the bit the critics declared to be tinnaturaL Studio Realism. Fashionable photographers, up against fc new proposition in the form of very workmanlike sports suits worn by Some of their most important clients, and the difficulty of providing • suitably realistic background, have been set an example of up-to-date art by oue of our foremost Bond Street camera-men. In his studio is a piece of Teal moorland. It has literally taken root there. IJeal heather and a real tree, with the living nucleus duly embellished with the aid of a celebrated landscape artist. This is the present seasonable background for camera studies of charming sportswomen. It la the photographer's intention to change the scenery with the changing seasons, and already he has brought the ■an to his studio—by artificial means. I am assured this constitutes a wonderful stimulus to joie-de-vivre, and captures a happy expression on the faces of clients who are perfectly delighted with the innovation. In Defence of the Flapper. Commenting on Lady Fhidlay's recent fcpeerh at the Scottish Unionist Association conference, in which she humourously referred to her etymological iweewrohes into the origin of the word •flapper," a nice, fair-minded person insists that the term is complimentary. . In her young sporting days, says this staunch champion of modern young ' femininity, she often spent hours walk- i big through the bogs of Ireland in : search of flappers—this being the name given to fledgling wild ducks when once they are well on the wing. And she bae no doubt that this is the true origin 1 of an appellation that quite unjustly 1 has fallen into disrepi te. ' Paris "Buys British." i One of the features of the season is ' ■tfie boom in British tweeds, which in 1 their newest textures and colourings axe I a triumph of the weaver's and dyer's allied aa-ts. Manufacturers have broken 1 clean away from the old traditional ' monotony, and wonderful blue-gneene, green-blues and the most fascinating Wends of grey and blue are in the front mnk of La Mode. Elusive patterns of ft chameleon character have been produced by artists working enthusiastically in this new medium, and it is part I of tfhe charm of these up-to-date fabrics that t/he piquant design is revealed at ft fresh angle with the wearer's slightest movement. Paris has "fallen for" these •weed novelties and, ae font as new Assigns come out they are bought up and monopolised by the leading fashion pouses in La Ville Lumiere. Sporting. One wonders what must fcava been 4be subsequent emotions of a certain slhop assistant who, failing to recognise Queen Victoria of Spain, when she called to buy a hat, assured Her Majesty that it would be impossible to let her have it on approval unless sho"had an account. •Have I an account here?" asked the Queen of her companion. "I don't think I have!" "No," replied tie lady-in-wait-ing; "but it can be put down to me." Nevertheless, the assistant was adamant. "Madame could have a hat only , on the one condition, that she herself had an account." With a charming smile, the Royal shopper assured the saleswoman that it did not matter; • she woul{| call again next day and make the purchase. A promise she i duly fulfilled. i Leader of La Mode. J Like Queen Victoria of Spain, Princess j Alede Colonna, one of Italy's foremost i •ociety beauties, is a supreme leader of f la mode in her southern country. A j taste she shares with Queen Victoria is i ner love of pearls. Princess Adele has t a magnificent double rope, which suits f er statuesque beauty to perfection, and enhances the loveliness of a throat set < on Junoesque shoulders. The Princess c WlwiV I ? ® rst sponsors of the c in v C £ fash . ,on - which has super- i a Pi. g society at home and i abroad the erstwhile übiquitous shoulder I Parts Week-end Visitors. 1 «,lw ,CO i ICCtif, , nß '' J draw "basing I ■limber of week-end vi.->n., s to Pari* The cross-Channel trip is regarded as I II mere nothing these days, and is made •Imply and solely with the one objective of buying clothes. Miss Joan Buckmaster had a great time there recently, haunting the shops with W mother, Mrs Gladys Cooper. Ottor distinguished visitors were r Louis Jlountbatten, Lady Cohriaa, who "fell for" a lynx-trimmed ■gecta coat, Mrs. Bichard Guinness, much attracted by black velvet afternon frocks; and Lady Crewe, whose selection was a wonderful pinner gown of red chiffon.