LADIES' GOSSIP.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3954, 22 March 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' GOSSIP.

Dear Louie, —I know you aro longing to; hour of our race meeting, which [ promised to send a long account of to you. The day, broke beautiful and fine, arid many summer costumes were worn in consequence, although March is the beginning of the autumn season. I must first tell you of our trains. To reach the course a journey of twelve miles has to be undertaken, and you •jan form but little idea of what a narrow guago lino means either as regards jolting or the carriages. Though Lho drains only carries" about three thousand persons to the: races, the crush was as great as it is with: you whenCaulfield or Flemington happens to be your trysting ground. . The'eorriages— when you do get a seat—do not trouble you with their cushioned hacks, but you face one another as in a bus. in carriages similar to your second class. If not fortunate enough to get ii seat you travel in a, cattle truck, whero good costumes look, as you may ima- : gine, very much out of place. If you suffer discomforte in tho travelling, you havo but little fault to find with the beauty of the scenery through which you pass, on the one side you have a broad expanse of ocean, and on the other tho mountains crowned with purple, very different to tho road to Flemington '.with its blinding dust, hundreds of : vehicles racing along causing you to fear and

tremble with their reckless driving. The courso is all that could be desired —prettier far even in its surroundings than your much vaunted Caulfield — the green sward contrasting greatly with your dried -up hay - looking substitute. In size our stand and lawn can only bo compared to the Members' stand at Flemington with its little plot of ground, but Ted, who as you know is a bit "horsey," declares it is a compact little place with many conveniences. The saddling paddock I did not see, as there was an extra charge for admission, and as no ladies visited the enclosure Ted declined to show me round, so I missed what I have always considered a treat — viewing the horses before the start, which so many ladies on your side find pleasure in doing. The lawn being partly monopolised by the gentlemen, ladies do not seem to go in for promenading, so I havo not tho advantages I would have on tho other side in describing the dresses as tho weavers promenade up and down the lawn. A slight shower may have had something to do with so many keeping their seats. I have no dresses of worth, or the five hundred guinea ones occasionally sported by the denizens of your fair city, to write of, the ladies appearing to attend the races for enjoymont and not for tbo purpose of showing racy costnmos. Cream dresses were greatly worn, also the Henri hats, whicli are so suitablo to many faces. The Princess bonnets also seem to remain in favor, although they have been in so long. They are so becoming that their popularity is not to bo wondered at. Ono beautiful dress worn by a dark lady, which excited much admiration, was a ruby satin, kilted skirt, over which a brocaded silk redingoi.e of the same color fell in graceful folds, Henri hat of velvet and long feathers completed this elegant toilette. She was accompanied by a little girl in black satin, dress and cape trimmed with point lace, and a cluret silk Granny bonnet. Another lady wore a pretty bronze silk, flounced with lace at the edge to match, white hat and large ostrich feather. Two fair girls, the elder wearing white handsomely trimmed with four rows of dark blue velvet, waterfall back, Princess bonnet trimmed with three rows of velvet reaching the front in a point nnd finished off with a wreath of marguerites and lace ; while tho younger wore white, trimmed with cream Valenciennes insertion and lace lot in and round tho edge, pale blue ribbon and chenille balls looped across the back, Princess bonnet bound round the edge with black velvet, on which rested a wreath of email daisies covered with silk and white strings, that trying white which so few can wear, but which seemed only to enhance the young lady's fairness. Both had many admirers. A lady of tho same party wore a crushed strawberry bonnet, with feathers and velvet of a darker hup, and a very handsome mantle. Two sister, swore cream dresses, flounces edged with lac'o, resthetic looking sashes, bunches of red berries at the neck, Princess bonnets trimmed with cream plush and pins. A young lady wore a dark blue dress with dark hot and feathers. Two sisters looked well in steel grey, with Cardinal sashes, lace falling over the nock, white straw Henri hat*,'with two bands of black velvet and ostrich feathers. Another dress was a deep kilted black, short jacket body, white fancy straw bonnet trimmed with navy blue and pale blue tips, suiting the wearer admirably. A dress of brown satin and kilted flounece up tho front, full draped back, brocho dolman, brown bonnet with lighter shade of ribbon and dark brown feathers, was ladylike in the extreme. Another lady wore a prune velveteen skirt, on which theve wore two killings of repp round the , bottom, body of same and panniers, with white Princess bonnet, prune ribbon, and finished with horse-shoe pins. Her little son in sailor costume of white flannel, light blue trimmings and black tic, white hat with blue ribbon. Another dress was of black grenadine flounced skirt, broche capo, black-beaded bonnet with a wreath in front. A very ladylike costume was one of coffee brown silk, kilted bottom, sash crossing front with bncklo, full draped back, fancy Princess bonnet with canary ribbons. A young lady in the same party wore a cream dress, paio blue collarette, lavge whito hat feather and flowers. A most becoming dross was of black, with three kilts and scarf, short, jacket body, bonnet trimmed with black ribbon and steel ornaments. A dress of lavender, with white hat, black velvet and plush ornament, suited the wearer. A check dress of black and drab, trimmed with black lace, flounces and panniers, black hat and ostrich feather, was worn by a young lady. A young married lady wo r e a fawn dress made with pleated body, water-fall back, trimmed with crushed strawberry sash and bows, large hat and feathers. Accompanying the latter was a lady wearing a black kilted skirt, and a black silk, redingoto, which suited.her handsome figure to perfection, a black velvet bonnet with blue feathers and strings completing her toilette Two pretty costumes of cream were worn by two eistci'3, trimmed with coffee brown sash and bows, one wearing a white hat with ostrich feather, and the other a brown velvet hat with ostrich feather. I also noticed a little girl in black velvet underskirt, white overskirt, cut in battlements, puffed sleeves and white hat, which suited the fair little wearer. An elegant toilette, was a black kilted satin skirt, over which a tight fitting jacket of brocaded velvet, white hat trimmed with black velvet and a large whito ostrich feather, completing tho tout ensemlle. Another lady wore rich black silk, a laco capo trimmed handsomely with bugles, white bonnet with fruit. A yonng lady with her wearing a fawn dress, trimmed witli silk of the same color, pink collarette, and a lavge whito hat. You may think I might have explained more fully the styles in which the dresses were made, but it was impossible, as so many wero crowded of both sexes in bo small a space and in consequence many becoming toilettes I have been unablo to notice, but you forget the dresses when you look into tho merry faces all so bent on enjoyment. Tho day ended as it began, in sunshine, and four favorites winning many seemed content. Of course, as usual, my horse ran second, and I once more rosolved to refrain from—but I won't pay, for I am afraid whon tho day onco more comes round I shall bo like many more, unablo to resist more especially as Ted is sure to have a certainty—you will recollect he had more than one " Mistaken " certainty—in fact certainties with him aro as common as race meetings. Tho Kennedys are horo for a week, and as usunl in splendid voice, tho girls' costumes being superb, but as of courso you have seen thorn I need not describe what like they are. On their opening night many ladies wore their race costumes in tho circle. Are you going to have ono of tho fashionable appliquo dresses for tho winter ? I hope you won't forget to send me any little items for my ladies' gossip, as you have the advantage of so many mails. By tho way " Lα Mascotto " opens on Saturday evening, and as Ted has promised to take me I will tell you more about it in my next.—Yours, Edith.