A MAID IN MAYFAIR

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 224, 21 September 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR

racing women.

clamorous reminiscences,

(from Our London Lady Correspondent.)

jliss Dorothy Paget must be regarded one of the luckiest owners in the r acin" world. She has already won the t coveted prize in steeplecliasing, the grand National, with Golden Miller, and her two-year-old Bossover colt, "hich won the National Breeders' Plats Jhe other day, is being unofficially quoted t 6 to 1 for the next year's Derby, the blue ribbon of flat racing. One of Miss Paget's most serious competitors mon ( 'st C her own sex is Miss Madeleine Tark°a clever young owner-trainer, who has her gallops at East llsley in Berktire. Her sterling 'chaser Bachelor prince was one of the only six to finish . Aintree last March and is regarded with admiration even by the Golden Miller stable. Let tlio best woman win next spring.

LONDONDERRY AIR. When Parliament rises the Marquis an d Marchioness of Londonderry lope to have a real rest after what has been for them a very strei uous season. They intend going to Ireland and, if the weather is good, will probably fly across. Since her two sisters were married Lady Mary Stewart is tho only daughter left at home in the Londonderry family and she will accompany her parents to Mountstewart. This lovely house on the borders of Strangford Lough is always a bracin" spot and enables the family to do a good deal of sailing. Lady Londonderry is often seen, in flannel trou : sers and a beret, out on the lough with the younger members of her house party. Golf is another favourite sport, the Londonderrys usually playing on the Scraho links high on tlio hill beyond Uountstewart.

. CONCHITA SUPERVIA. The other night at Arundel Castle, amongst other famous artists, Conchita Supervia sang. Her reception was affectionate and tumultuous. This glamorous artist has sun<r her way into the heart of tho British public in a remarkable fashion. She is a striking ficnire with an arresting personality. She wears amazing colours and affects whimsical decorative touches. Her Titian hair calls for green and white and black for a background, but Conchita wears brilliant scarlet and gets away wjth it hy very audacity. In "Carmen" she wore a pale blue gown, voliuninously frilled, a navy blue mantilla and a high scarlet comb and looked charming. She Eang operatic and folk songs at Arundel to an enraptured audience, wearing a simple dress with a ridiculous but bewitching blue bow on her flaming head. PARASOLS. Parasols have returned to fashion with a rush. In the Edwardian days they were part and parcel of every woman's summer wardrobe. Fearful and wonderful some of them were, as the illustrated papers of the time show. The Queen is one of those who always affect a parasol in sunny weather and she must possess a large number, for she always uses one that exactly matches the gown she wears. She dislikes tho over-elaborate variety and generally chooses a plain silk, occasionally with an embroidered edge. At the Royal garden party she carried a rose pink sunshade that slied a most becoming glow on her lighter coloured dress. I noticed several extraordinary examples of this pr'etty fashion, one parasol being made of spotted lace, which entirely defeated its purpose and gave its owner the effect of having contracted some dread disease. Another, about nine inches across, was in frilled pink taffeta and not more thah half the size of its owner's hat. A Chinese lady carried a parasol suggesting the lines of a pagoda. It formed a charming frame for her pale Eastern face.

FASHIONS IN WEDDING GIFTS. Fashions in wedding gifts change from year to year. Our Victorian grandparents specialised in household Jinen, which always arrived in "dozens," and in elaborate silver and other massive ornaments. The home and all therein formed the centre of Victorian life, and household wedding gifts were universal. The personal touch was generally absent. Later, in the pre-war days, there was a vogue for bric-a-brac and gimcrack table ■ware, and it was no uncommon thing for a bride to receive 15 cfuets or a dozen sugar basins. No one ever dreamed of suggesting that the gift might be exchanged for one more useful. Modern brides are fortunate in that their gifts combine,utility and beauty. During the last few days I have seen such diverse items as a whole suite of stainless steel cooking utensils, a dessert service of sapphire biue glass, a Chinese porcelain tray, a statuette in white jade and a silver galleon that spelt romance.

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT HAT? There are some extraordinary hats to he seen at society functions these summer afternoons. At the Koyal Garden Party some women wore hats so immense that their friend 3 and escorts found conversation with them amounted to an acrobatic feat, and the wearers thereof certainly found keeping them on their heads a whole-time job. At the other end of the millinery scale are the Jack Tar sailors that smack of ships, and occasionally sealing-wax scarlet is the favourite colour. One lady of high degree appeared at a cocktail party in a minute upturned sailor, complete with an outfit of nautical persuasion. . She was conspicuous amongst the languorous chiffons of the other guests. The queer draped' turbans inspired by the great Garbo. in the "Painted Veil" are having a tremendous vogue, but it is to be regretted that some of the women who wear them overlook that they do not possess the classic features of the famous Swede. LADY CHARLES CAVENDISH. . One of the most attractive of the actress peeresses is Lady Charles Cavendish, who is a striking example of how women of slight stature ought to dress. Lady Charles was well known to London theatregoers a few years ago as Adele Astaire, when, with her brothe. Fred she danced har way into the hearts of the public. She and her brother aie tremendous friends and she follows .us stage and film career with keen interest and sometimes sisterly criticism. sue is an unaffected person and chooses a rare simplicity as the motif in litfr dress schemes. She abhors the elaborate confections and fussy details that characterise what has been called the bit? and pieces brigade." Plain colours, plain lieavv materials,, unusual and tiequently amusing hats, a vivid touch 111 jewellery or accessories, and you nave as distinguished a little figure as 1 would be possible to meet.