The Queen Buys Bargains

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Queen Buys Bargains

Their Majesties Visit The British Industries Fair

(By

Fenella)

. , London, March 4. JJOTH the King and Queen have been enthusiastic visitors at the British Industries Fair at Olympia and Earl’s Court. In this article, a London correspondent tells of their tour of inspection, which was not merely a formal gesture, for they stopped and chatted to exhibitors when anything specially interested them, and ordered goods to be sent to them.

'T’HE Queen stopped in front of some "** pretty patterned cotton material. “So- nice for the children,” she said, and she ordered dress-lengths for Princess Elizabeth and Princess MarOne was a many-coloured floral design on a white ground at one shil-' ling a yard, and the other a pale pink printed cotton shantung at the same price. Scarf squares of Indian silk also caught the Queen’s, fancy, and she ordered a number to be sent to the Palace’so that she might make her own selection. Nottingham net for curtains and Irish tweeds for a suit for the King were among her other purchases. She was also verj' interested in the fashion parade. Looking at a beach scene with a male mannequin sitting on the “beach,” the King remarked : X “I think that modern bathing wear is much more sensible than it used to be.” He was rather concerned to see a mannequin wearing a gown of waterproof material who stood under a shower of water in order to demonstrate. “Is the water warm?” he asked her. “Alas, no. Your Majesty,” she said. The King then pointed out to Lord Derby,* who was touring the Fair witli’ him, there there was one less manne--' quin on that day than there had been previously. “What has happened to her?” he asked, and was told that she had caught a cold. At a toy stall the King and Queen were amused to see some most lifelike dolls representing their little daughters and Prince Edward of Kent. Seeing a number of “cuddly” animals, the King turned to the Queen and

said: “Thank heaven the children are not here. We would never have got them away from this stand.” The Queen looked charming, I thought, in an outfit of deep rose velvet consisting of a simple dress and three-quarter length coat collared with fox fur. She wore a velvet turban hat trimmed with matching feathers, and her hair was waved in soft, loose curls against her face. Her bag, gloves and suede court shoes were in the same shade of soft greyish beige as her fur collar. I enjoyed the fashion parade at this year’s Fair more than I have ever done before. The clothes were simpler, but not in any way dull, and the fabrics were all perfectly lovely. Cotton dresses for summer, instead of being rather dull and overall-like, have exciting and becoming bloused tops, trim : petersham belts and soft skirts, either gathered or pleated. There are also any number of gay little boleros. > As for the fabrics themselves, there were a large number of artificial silks and rayons which are being widely used by Paris designers,- such as grenadine jersey, -which is excellent for draped evening gowns,' and knop, jersey,'which has a delightful 1 “scrunchy”texture and drapes beautifully. I liked- particularly the artificial silk ninons—one in a many-coloured stripe and another with tiny raised metallic dots which would make the most lovely wedding dress. Flowers run riot over evening satins —sweet peas and wistarias and huge splashes of flower colour in pinks and purples, while cotton prints have more formal designs of wild flowers and tiny. sprigs.