LONDON ITEMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 88, 15 April 1910, Page 9

LONDON ITEMS.

[from oun owar correspondent.] LONDON, 4th March. The movable umbrella and sunshade handle is meeting with patronage. A clip is pressed, the- handle is free, and another one is substituted to suit the dress and the occasion. All these movable handles are more or less jewelled, or are of fluch colours as would swear at any dress of a colour differing fiom the handle. It is rather alarming to meet in the dark an umbrella handle of gems, shaped like a r.nake, which has a forked tongue and basilisk eyes. The flat watch is still liked, tometimes with outer casing of brilliants, at other times of coloured enamel, ihe enamel watch i* often worn suspended as a locket, and it is so small tlt.it only the initiated know that the ornament is a timepiece. AH the enamel is of exquisitely delicate colouring. All through the winter, ornaments of lapis lazuli and turquoise were asked for ; there were hatpins with heads of evunly matched matrix set in gold, there were also silver wuistbelts sot with the same, to say nothing of hair ornamonts. Of lapis lazuli them are obtainable some beautiful cuif buttons as well a> sets tor tbo tailor-made shirt. Dark blue enamel found revival for ornaments of various descriptions, including belt-buckles, while there. hava : been slides of it /or the fashionable ribbon watch-guard or fob. A combination of rubies, and emeralds sounds daring, but it is growing in favour. 'I here are antique brooches and pendants set with these stones, though sometimes the two colours are broken by the use of a few pearls. Clasps of vanity bags aro ornate and gorgeous, set with jewels. Many of these bags are of gold of the Uncut mesh — so fine as to be suggestive of satin in the distance ; they are long and full, shaped like the old-fashioned reticule, and drawn up at the top with a golden cord. *or the lady motorist there is a tiny whistle, coated with and much studded with jewels ; the whistle, which can be hung to the watch chain, has the 1 leputation of being able to emit as much sound as an ordinary siren — its warning note may be either a whistling shriek, a deep hoot, or nny other form of making the car'ft presence known that may be popular at the moment. 'Ihe chamois reticule is a novelty made in the shieldlike shape of a pan 1 of bellows ; on the outside there is set a watch; inside there is evci\ thing that a vanity-bag ought to contain, including a memorandum book and' a purse. Many of the new purses aie of roomy dimensions, and if separate from the bag they are f aetened to long chains which are worn over the arm, and 'they hayo a very strong clasp which occasionally is finished with long tnssels. A . novelty of the week, just chronicled, takes the form of a silver draw-ing-room watering can. Its shape is described as being like a teapot, but its top ia flat, also its lid, and there is an exaggeratedJy long spout, which at ouco proclaims the- iuct that it is not a toapot. Its duty is to supply water to the drawing-room vases and plants, and it is recommended as a novel wed-ding-present. Another novelty for a similar occasion consists of a stand of silver, round which it circled a number of custard-glasses, with silver spoon for each — the principle ia as for an egg-tt-and; the notion is excellent, and is suro to be liked. Some priceless plastrons of old lace are still studded with pearls or Brilliants, and they instanty transform a plain dress, say, of velvet, into one of regal importance. Ihe duty of the "saillant" motif is to make the most of the wearer's best point. Thus, a womah who possesses sloping shoulders will place on.- one, or both, a Boillant motif ; the slender, willowy girl will probably wear hers below the waistline nt the side. These motifs aro of necessity prominent in design us well as in colour, and it is mentioned that a gold rosebud on a velvet chou, n small and scintillating sequin snako en coil, and a tiny f=quirlcls head were some* of these latest imitations of *the blnck silk beauty patches of the age of our grandmothers. More gems are set in platinum than in gold ; the former shows many of the colours off to far better advantage. Clear stones aie much preferred before opaque kind*, although opals are perhups an oxoeption. Quito the latest ornament is said to be the plaque, but it is not expected to have a long run of favour ; its idea is too rigid. A circle of platinum, worked very finely , it varies from the size of a half-crown to the size of a crown-piece ; it hangs low on the chest from a thin thread of platinum or a long string of pearls ; it bears various designs in jewels, but the- plain round limits the general effect to that of a disc. ». reaths of leaves enclosing a spray of flowers are often seen on them. Fashionable hatpins are fashioned after the same idea, and some are convertible into a brooch or pendant, or slido for the velvet neckband.