A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

A ROYAL KNITTER.

SOCIETY CAFETERIA-

'ffgtoax Oar London Lady Correspondent.)

There is a rumour in the clubs and fet the cocktail bar*) that the Manhattan, the Bronx and the dry Martini are not as popular as they- were —with women. Even the artistically coloured aperitif, with the sentimental name is not ordered as often as it was, and, especially before luncheon, all the calls now are for "plain orange juice." Women have never been guilty of drinking as many cocktails as rumour and the temperance reformers put down to their account, but in the last few weeks there has been a definite falling off in consumption. Three reasons are given for the change. Firstly, the cocktail was a craze, which came to us from America and which, after a very good innings is beginning to wane. Secondly, many women are on a slimming diet — and cocktails do not help them to get thin. And, thirdly, the ingredients of which cocktails are mixed are not the best things in the world for clear eyes and fresh complexions. THE PRINCE'S KNITTING. 'How does tie Prince of Wales knit? Everybody will soon be asking the question, for among the big of warm clothes which members of her family have presented to the Queen for her needlework guild this year are scarves and a pair of woollen cuffs which the Prince has made with his own hands. TTih knitting is even and firm, and if he ,; dxopped any stitches he must have picked them up skilfully, for there is no evidence of them in the two scarves he has made. One is done in plain garter stitch, in dark red wool, and- the other in stocking stitch, in a nice warm slate shade. And if the Printe's knitting is good his crocheting is even better. He has made a blue scarf in a simjjle treble stitch, has kept it reasonably even, the edges neat, and the loops of uniform size. Prince George has evidently been competing with him, and has managed a knitted blue scarf and a crocheted red one. A FEAST OF JEWELS. ' There was a dress and jewel parade ijl London the other day, which the big browd of women who saw,.it will hardly forget in a hurry. Fairytale frocks, worn by beautiful French "mannequins, were made additionally j by tie most marvellous jewellery- —chiefly pearls and diamonds—sent over from Paris for the occasion, and-the Audience gat spellbound while slender figures in rich satin 7 and softly-draped velvet, wearing .necklaces" worth thousands of pound3i and''bracelets worth hundreds, walked leisurely about-ithe ballroom of tjie.-May fair Hotel. The parade was arranged to aid French charities in London, and four of the best-known Paris dressmakers',,. collaborated with a cele- ,;? birated diamond specialist in Bond Street .-to • make it the most perfect . ■ function of' its kind. They succeeded Wonderfully, and the parade is likely to be the most-talked-of affair of the little" season; v,' -, fjl . , j THE /TORE LUNCHEON." »A new fashion in quick lunches has -'••'iTjeen set in London by Lady.' Harcourt,. a smart' l American hostess inter - ested iniicharities, who is a'"personal - friend of the Queen. Anxioua v tp .meet" the> .-members, of her committee, which is arranging 1 a "Lucky Ball,'' she' in- : vited them to a "fork-iihicheon? at the ; /i. Hyde Park Hotel, whioh.was through in about half . the. time that an 'ordinary luncheon would ' take.' 1 was set Tipcatbiie end;' the; room," and dishes containing>h6ris/id'oeuvre of every kind, numerous . patties Vand sandwiches, individual cups' ; of' fruit salad, and petit fours placed upon it. Guests helped themselves to plates "and; forks, selected the foo<2 which appealed to them most, and carried it to~ their own tables. Only one waiter, in charge of trays of cocktails, was on duty, and not only was precious time saved, but the atmosphere' was much more free and informal. Lady_ Rosebery, wearing lovely camellias in her black coat, was one of the guests, and Lady Hillingdon another. THE FASHIONABLE WALK. Bond Street is London's smartest" and most fashionable walk these days. The celebrity hunters revel in it since the Christmas shopping began, for during the crowded hours they can rub shoulders with a duchess or a countess, a well-known member of Parliament— male or female—or one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting just as easily as with a- favourite actor or \ even a quietlydressed Royal Queen. For everybody goes on foot in Bond Street these days. To get from one end to the other, or even half-way along, in a car means the expenditure pf more patience than most of us possess. In any case even queens and princesses are human enough to -be attracted by ths shop-window displays in this most elusive of" all shopping thoroughfares."" Bond Street may be more democratic^thin it was in ■" but it-r'etains its airits expensive!, well-bred* luxurious atmosphere*' /•;' V •"

; LIPSTICK UP-TO-DATE. Paris has sent over its latest lipstick container. It is a. wonderful ruby brooch, worth several thousands of pounds and worn on the corsage of the evening frock, The lipstick, in its tiny gold cas?yT ! slips into a 7 cavity in the. brooch from which it can be removed Suite easily; when its -wearer needs to do It was the thing, more than any- other,, which excited hundreds of women who attended the big dress and jewel - parade, and the mannequin who wore it played up in the most dramatic way to their feverish interest. She took a leisurely.- stroll across the platform in the centre of the temporary "saloon," unfastened the brooch with a touch of he/ fingers, extracted the lip-, stick, touched' : up her mouth, and then continued her' e troll—-through the big room. After the parade all the inquiries were about the* lipstick brooch— whether it would be made in a cheaper style, whether it could be got in London, and how it "worked." ROOF MOTOR MASCOTS. The smartest saloon cars seen about the West End have been fitted with the latest thing in motor mascots, which is useful as- well as 'a mere adornment. This new mascot is made of glass, and is usually designed by soma well-known sculptor. Its position-is. on the roof of the car,, over.tha driverV head, instead be ftn°L fl and " the car Thif f *" om inside S T eacon makes it a 5pS ? out car after theatre i -or in a crowded; r ear nnrV Sw y Tf mascot, is of kn ungual aes.gn. It is possible to-have one of these mascots specially produced with +-h n T sAra^ teo T th . at 18 delusive, > and - . that no .duplicate. will he sold./