THE CORONATION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 154, 27 March 1937, Page IV (Supplement)

THE CORONATION

Coronets and Colours “Dominion” Special Service.—By Air Mail. (By FENELLA.) London, March 1. Modern hair styles have made headdresses so precarious to wear that elastic is being advocated for wear at the coronation ceremony in May. The elastic will be attached- to the coronets of peeresses in much the same way as an elastic chin-strap is attached to a schoolgirl’s hat. Instead of being worn under the chin, however, it will pass round, the Sack of the head and the hair will be arranged so that it will be invisible. The peeresses carry their coronets in their hands for the first part of the ceremony. They do not put them on until the Queen is crowned. As this act is performed, every peeress places her coronet upon her own head. Therefore, 1 feel a little apprehensive about the elastic band suggestion. Elastic bands are difficult enough to control even when there is a mirror to look into.

Another problem iu connection with the coronation which is being keenly debated is who will be the four duchesses chosen by the Queen to hold the golden pall over her head as she is crowned. The Duchess of Sutherland and the Duchess of Marlborough are considered very likely to be chosen, but no definite suggestion for the other two Duchesses has yet been made. One difficulty is that all the Duchesses must be about the same height and they must also be capable of supporting a very considerable weight for some time. Each will hold a silver pole from which the pall is suspended. The “drag” of the pall without counting the weight of the pole itself is heavy, especially as the Duchesses will have to stand absolutely still while the crowning ceremony is in progress. Colours which will be seen at the coronation were on view at a dinner I attended given by the British Colour Council. The council, which aims at anticipating well in advance the demands that will be made for colours of all kinds —thus helping manufacturer aud dressmaker alike —is sponsoring eight special coronation colours. They are: Coronation blue, green, gold and red, and four pastel shades, all named after Royal residences: marlborough blue, holyrood green, buckingham lilac and saint james’s rose.

I also believe that garter blue aud silver will become popular colours, since they will be much iu evidence in the coronation ceremonies. I saw an example of how attractive they can be when a mannequin appeared wearing a dress of “cloth of silver” with a mantle of garter blue, the ensemble being completed with an ostrich feather fan of the same colour.

Visitors to the coronation from overseas can learn all about these colours before they leave home, for the British Colour Council now has more than 1000 members not only in Great Britain itself, but also all over the Empire. Other colours, chosen by dress material manufacturers for their “speciality” weaves, and announced this week, have a distinctly Empire flavour. There is Indian corn, a rich yellow, almost buttercup shade; golden ember, a fiery red colour; danubia. deep sapphire blue! flamingo, a pinkyred; royal flush, which is a bluish purple; golden rain, a very pale yellow; green herald, a jade green; blue heaven, a mediterranean sky colour; and magnolia, a soft ivory shade.

To avoid all danger of rust in buckets, bore a hole in the lower rim and keep the bucket hung on a nail, upside down.