NOTES FROM LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 112, 13 May 1937, Page 19

NOTES FROM LONDON

(By Barbara.) LONDON, April 16. With the Coronation only a few weeks away London has become more than ever clothes-conscious. During the Coronation period itself there will be such a rush, of social engagements that no one will, have time to spend on clothes. Consequently wise women' are planning and buying now, so that when the busy time comes they will be able to wear the right clothes and forget them. Most particularly attention is focused on' evening clothes —for it is in the evening that the most formal of the festivities will take place. As well as their Majesties' Courts and the usual private dances of a London season there are to be innumerable, enormous charity balls, which will often be attended by Royalty and always by the socially prominent. In line with Coronation pomp eventag gowns for formal occasions are of rich materials. Many.houses are showing almost regal gowns of cloth of gold or silver. Puckered slipper satin worn over a hooped skirt makes an adorable debutante dress by ' Moly-

neux. The bodice is boned to stand alone without straps and has a flared, upward-standing cuff around the top. White crepe or satin worked with sequins or painted-with gold dust in formal designs are featured by English ■ houses.- Ball gowns in bouffant style—with widely flaring or gathered skirts —are at their best in white' and silver or white and gold brocade. For the older'woman there' are many classic gowns beautifully, draped and often with' accompanying coat or cape. Real jewels .are a feature of the seaSon. . " " . • As'if in contrast to this'restrained splendour evening frocks for less formal .occasions burst into brilliant colour. There is a gipsy, atmosphere abroad.' .'Marcel: Rochas shows a chiffon dress with : a skirt' of dazzling "Romany" stripes—they' run vertical/ly from the neck, where''they5 are caught 7at the shoulder and-to just below the knee, where"they change to a horizontal band. A rainbow .sequin belt'makes this the perfect party dress. Maggy Rouff uses 'a gipsy plaid with a wide, skirt and paillettes winking at the hem. Alix makes a rhumba dress'from three brilliant colour bands —one caught tightly around the hips to tie in front. . Dancing at the Savoy Hotel last night I noticed several frocks of patterned crepe that showed a new, conscious treatment of their printed de^ sign. One lovely midnight blue crepe was patterned with large,! curling ostrich feathers. It was cut high to the neck in front and had two of the feathers appliqued on the neckline and curling outwards towards the shoulders. In the same manner was a white crepe all blown about with white, and purple butterflies.' Also slender and slip-like, interest lay in the placing of the butterflies by skilful - .cross-cutting. The wearer enhanced the effect by placing two butterflies; in her hair. Still: aiiother striking patterned crepe was. a • slender./violet gown which had large white seagulls circling round it. The yel-low-red, of their beaks and the violet of-the background were reoeated in the folded shoulder straps. This 'gown had a straight hin-length'jacket which transformed it from,a.backless evening ;dress; into a formal 'dinner suit> Besides these motifs there 'were a _ number of glorious -flower prints. An Alix new lilac print had the skirt draped unWards to the waist in front and falling from there in folds to the floor it had a charming bodice that fitted closely over the ribs and was crossed to form a brassiere effect that met the narrow shoulder straps. A number of bouffant frocks, often gathered in bustle-like effect at the back and carried out in slipper satin or faille, are a feature of the new collections. These are right for formal occasions. Youthful dance frocks of lace, chiffon, organza; and net are shown everywhere. In my sketch you will see a model of crimson net with the new fitted and shirred bodice and a spreading skirt that is in itself an Ihvitation to the waltz. Large cluster^ of natural-looking poppies and cornflowers placed at intervals round the skirt are reminiscent of a wid-Victorian ball gown. My other sketch shows a formal evening frock turned into a dinner suit by the addition of a short, fitted jacket. The material is a pale blue satin with a shadow pattern of long, curling leaves. At the neck, on either sleeves, and at the top of the slit in the skirt are sewn lovers' knots of pale i blue glass, beads. The white organza"-jabot on the jacket is knife pleated and the buttons are of glass.

I had an interesting experience this week when I went with the young Earl of Dudley to the House of Lords to witness his oath of allegiance. It