GAY DAYS IN THE RIVIERA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1102, 15 April 1911, Page 11

GAY DAYS IN THE RIVIERA.

ENTER-"KING CARNIVAL." THE FLOWERS AND FASHIONS. [Bt Amoti Rctiikhford.] Light-hearted Latin Folks. The season on the-Riviera was at iU height when 1 saw it, and each town was on fete for days. Now, the carnivals' in Rome and Venice exist only in the perfumed pages of old-time writers, but King Carnival lives, and it is only on tho shores of the Mediterranean that he is to be found. Much there is in it which is sordid and stupid, but much, too, which enshrines the immemorial light-heartedness of the Latin races, and which, for a few brief days, brings to the surface a true honest equality. A Nice carnival—more than any other function in the world —proves that we are all men and women, even if we behave as children, and that Jack can ho as good as his master for a short space of harmless fiin and merriment without in any way trenching on forbidden ground. Tho Sunday corso was a really wonderful sight, especially in the evening, when without doubt, the finest effect was produced, the artificial light toning down tho garishness of the scene. 'We saw Madame Carnival, gracious anrl smiling, her large hat outlined with electric light, as also was the body of. the car. All the cars were animated, the figurantes dancing to music (?) provided by a scratch brass band, whose music was of the most primitive order. Many of the big cars were so complicated that some explanation was needed in order to understand what tljey represented. It reminded mo of the the Nicp market, where the fislnvomen sell their wares. Over them l?s elegantes are purchasing flowers, and, in tho n-ar, are tho Chateau ruins—too much detail! Of foot groups and single maskers there wero thousand , ;. They moved in and out among the cars and contributed to tho picturesqueness. One coukl not help admiring the patience and ingenuity employed in turning out these masques, for the dual purpose of amusement and the chance of a small prize. These people danced in the Place Massena until dawn. Trio Battls of Flowars. Tho Battle of Flowers took place, on tho Promenade des Anglais, and.'.y'pry good fuii it was, too! All the carriages and cars were beautifully decora ted--/ the prize car was a mass of pink and mauvo carnations and lilies, ami twelve girls in it wore white frocks and whice hats with pink and mauve tulle. I'.Tho hundreds of people on cither sido of the promenade pelted the occupants ;of the vehicles with tiny, bouquets and vice versa, and, needless to Eay, it was the finest thing I have seen. To my : rnin-rl it seemed a pity that the bouquets, which did not reach their destination, were trodden down by the horses, 'and, as girls were mostly the bowlers, you can imagine that a good many flow- ' ers were strewn on the pavement. Caste and the earning. It is curious that people in Nice—as well.'as in Monte Carlo—find it almost impossible to keep away from tho casinos. However hard they may resist, their friends always drag them there in the end. Each new arrival h<l3 a. woll-worked-out system—systems don't answer—and I heard one lady remark that she wasn't going to gamble a;iy more, but watch the wonderful people gathered round the tables. Eccsntrio Dressing and Harem Skirt. There is no place in the world where eccentric dressing by ladies can bo seen to such perfection as tho Riviera. The hats and gowns are startling, and tho iv.earers walk ~by .with . affected, nonchalance, though all tlio time aware of the sensation which they are creating. There are only two topics of conversa. tioa down here —firstly, the casino, and secondly, tho harem skirt, which I believo has been worn at Monte Carlo. Whenever I have been over there,' the lady of tlie Turkish trousers has been absent Certainly nobody can accuse lis of being conservative in our fashions. At present we arc revelling in the Japanese kimono blouses, and iloppy sleeves. We have also a fancy for things' Russian. Coats, blouses and caps as worn by the Slav on his native snows arc daily to be seen in the streets, and now we have turned to Turkey—not for carpets or cigarettes, but for skirts! Women of fashion have been in many minds on the question of this new garment, and extremely opposite opinions are being expressed by those most keenly interested in the modes of tho moment. It is unfortunate that tho Englishwoman has had so, many distortions of the pantalon-pipe presented to her, for these have naturally called forth a good deal of adverse criticism, whereas this style, as known to the Piirisienno,' can be made really artistic. The harem skirt proper made its debut in London from the French capital. The full trousers are of coriso silk, "fastened closely to the ankles, and falling over sufficiently to disguise very largeiy the fact of the division. The overdre?s is of dark narma violet ninoii, edged with gold fringe, and girded round tho waist with gold cord. Gold insertion m front of the badicp, and violet sho=s complete a creation of rich colouring in which a toll dark woman—there are *o many in Wellington—would look charming, and even those with a prejudice cannot fail to appreciate it as • beiU thoroughly artistic and in perfect taste!