WOMAN’S WORLD IN LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 12

WOMAN’S WORLD IN LONDON

THE ROYAL WEDDING [By Cynthia.] LONDON, February 9. Since my last epistle was written there have been, several new arrangements with regard to Princess Mary’s wedding, and as this is the great topic of conversation in London just now it will naturally interest women all over the Empire. 1 believe I told you the Court had returned to London, and there has been a new order issued with regard to ladies' dross at the. wedding. After all, Court dress is not to bo worn, but morning dress audy hats. How delighted dozens of women will he, lor, as the ceremony is fixed for 11.30 a.m.. it would have meant arriving at 10 o’clock, and- sitting and freezing in Court dress for one whole hour, The reason given for the order is the influenza and the danger of taking cold. Though tho Court dressmakers were bewailing their lot, they find it will be better for them in the end, as new hats must be bought; and the spring dresses are very beautiful and elaborate, and with jewelled trimmings, to say nothing of rones of pearls arid) diamond ornaments, with rich furs, the ladies will be just as gorgeous as though they were in Court muffled up in furs. Gone is the day of the litlfc girl’s frock for the quarried woman. Dress is now far more dignified ; and this is a. step in the right direction. It is only quite young girls who still cling to the short skirt'; women of older years wear their dresses longer, and look infinitely better for it; and for evening dress tho narrow train is reallv very graceful and distingue. So there is no chance of mutton being dressed as lamb at the Royal wedding. Also I. hear that the small hat will he chosen, which, I am sure, everyone will he pleased to know of. as, however becoming the big hat is, it is most inconvenient in crowded places, t have been told that swathed sort of turban headdresses in gold and silver tissue, with aigrettes, will be very popular, and _ these will doubtless bo immensely becoming. The route the wedding procession is to take is now arranged. On its return from Westminster Abbey it will go back to Buckingham Palace by way of Piccadilly, a much longer way, which will give additional thousands an opportunity of seeing tho Princess. Seats are being eagerly snapped up, and those with houses on the route will probably make a big harvest. STATE ENTERTAINMENTS. There is talk of a State ball in honor o£ the event. These functions were greatly favored in Queen Victoria’s time, and were awfully horcsomo affairs, so stiff and ceremonious with State quadrilles that nobody enjoyed them. The Prince and Princess of Wales, afterwards King Edward and Queen Alexandra, had to do duty for tho Queen on these occasions, and when King Edward came to the Throne ha speedily did away with them, and used to denounce their dullness. Tho Prince of Wales and his brothers, who aro all topping dancers, will see things run on very different lines, and if the ball is given it is sure to be gay and bright. There aro tho courts, too, which will be specially crowded affairs; so things must bo gayer this year than they have been since the war. MRS ASQUITH IN HEW YORK. Women generally take an interest in the doings of “Margot” here, whether their opinion is flattering or tho reverse, and her recent unfortunate failure as a lecturer has caused much comment on this side. Tho American women will not put up with what they term frauds if we do, and it seems they considered her lecture, which they described ns "readingextracts from tho diaries,” a fraud. Also, they could not hear what she (seated in picturesque fashion in a comfortable chair and wearing a big hat) said. There were pointed remarks made in no mild fashion, and half tho audience rose and left the theatre, and stormed the box office demanding their money back. Five dollars had been paid for seats, and hundreds turned away. The denunciation of tho Press was most amusing. It appears that Mrs Asquith is not daunted, but intends to continue giving the so-called lectures. Everyone is very sorry for Lady Shackleton in her great loss, hut people are asking why Sir Ernest found it necessary to make these explorations after all he had done in that direction. It seems ridiculous to my mind, when no earthly good to commerce or trade could come of further news of tho Polar regions, to say nothing of tho cost, I am told by an old personal friend that Sir Ernest simply could not stay at homo. It seems strange, as ho had a charming wife and two fine boys and a pretty daughter. They live at Eastbourne, one of the popular South Coast towns. A very strange accident happened to tho daughter when at school (I think she is jnst about leaving now). She was walking on the downs with her school fellows, when they saw an adder (though they did not know what it was) hanging from a tree, I suppose Miss Shackleton went too near; but, at any rate, she was bitten by tho viper almost before she was aware of it. With commendable presence of mind she sucked the wound the whole way home till she saw a doctor, and luckily this averted any serious consequences. Adder bites are rare in England, but they have been known to prove fatal. Lady Shackleton takes the greatest interest in the Girl Guido movement in Eastbourne; her daughter is a prominent Guide. MUSIC AND SEWING PARTIES. Music and sewing parties were started by the mayoress of a largo and popular South Coast town to make garments for the children of the unemployed, and now there are several in London. Ladies who have tho leisure meet once a week to make the garments, and one of them undertakes to provide a concert to amuse them whilst so doing. Vocalists give their services, and pianists, and sometimes reciters, and tho afternoons aro really delightful, tea being served at the close. The number of garments turned out is astonishing, but they barely go round, for the unemployed seem to increase every day. I often wonder how they live, with families to keep. Tho idea is a good one, and very great help for these unfortunates has been provided in this way. There aro plenty of idle women now, those who have money enough to live in comfort in spite of taxation. The Bridge Club in all its glory is rising up again all over London. These institutions waned while, tho war was on, but one sees women playing every afternoon and evening again just as they used to, and on the other hand women workers aro many, who cannot afford to live an idle life, DRAWING ROOM SHOPS.

These are very fasionable now amongst ladies whose incomes arc depleted by taxation, and who have arrived at this idea as a medium for making money without any great outlay. Naturally they are women with clever fingers. A friend of mino who owns a. nice house with barely sufficient to keep it up, and is a clever milliner, has turned her drawing room into a shop. She was always fond of millinery, and took a few lessons, and has turned out some charming hats, has had her cards printed, and is doing quite a good trade ali off her own bat. Then a friend, who is also hard up, has joined her; she has a knitting machine, and turns out lovely stockings and socks at a most moderate figure. Every now and then they have a show day, and invito friends to tea. It pays them, as they always get orders in this way. 'Then another friend makes beautiful lingerie, and sets out her drawing room most attractively. Boudoir caps, dainty dressing jackets, and cushions and all sorts cf charming things are on sale. I know tf several families who by this means have kept their home and increased tieir incomes. COMING GAIETIES. Always before and after the‘opening of Parliament there is a good deal of entertaining going on in London. and one hears of many dances and dinners >.n the near future. A wonderful reception was given I last night by Lord Earquhar, who you

may remember, was a warm personal friend of King Edward. It was a political affair, and was given to meet Mr Lloyd George and Mr Austen Chamberlain. Many dinners were given for it—men for men, and women for women. All _ the Government were there, and a friend told me the dresses were beautiful. Lady Parquha.r, the hostess, was in mole velvet, and wore a tiara of diamonds and rubies. Of course, Dame Margaret Lloyd George was present; but she is one of those homely beings who do not study dress. On the other hand. Lady Birkenhead, the wife of the Lord Chancellor, was a brilliant figure in a gold gown with rivers of brilliant light diffused by wonderful sequins, which literally blazed as she moved. The wife ojt the Secretary for Scotland. Mrs Munro,' a bride, was radiant in vivid pink; and Lady Gurzon of Ke dies ton, wore cyclamen pink, with a huge orchid at the waistline. The Duchess of Sutherland wore magnificent diamonds, and Lady Hylton’s emeralds were superb. You may imagine such a political party brought together a host of notable people. THE KING AND QUEEN AT WESTMINSTER.

It was a bitterly cold day, freezing hard, with a biting nor'-easter blowing, for the opening of Parliament; but nothing daunts the British crowd, and it waited in its thousands to cheer their Majesties as they passed. This time a new route was followed, and instead of entering Whitehall by the Horse Guards’ "Parade the Royal procession entered by way of Admiralty Arch, where a line of Household Cavalry in their brilliant equipment crossed the lower part of the square. The mounted! escorts and 1 bands made an imposing array in their splendid colors. Plashing bayonets, busbies, and glittering brocade were all that most people could see between the scarlet cloaks of the superbly-mounted Life Guards. A salute of forty-one guns boomed from Hyde Park, and the grand old 1 State coach, with its magnificent team of eight black horses aroused cheer upon cheer. One felt they were genuine .cheers offered to a beloved Sovereign and his consort. George V. is not more than any subject in his realm perfect, but he is a white man through and through, and there never was a cleaner Court and never a Royal Family who strove to please the people as they do. The Queen was wrapped in ermine to her chin, and wore a crown of diamonds, with upstanding fleur-de-lys and Maltese crosses. The King wore a field-marshal’s uniform. WITHIN THE LORDS.

Brilliante lit up the grand interior of the House of Lords. The doors were open at 10.30, and five minutes later the distinguished assembly had filled every seat, yet it was not until the stroke of 12 that the Royal procession entered. There was a blaze of color from the ladies in Court dress, all wearing wonderful tiaras and gowns of every hue. Numbers wore their tiaras low on the forehead, and many, including Princess Mary's great friend, Mrs Hope Morloy, wore wid-e brow bands of glittering jewels. Queen Mary is really a remarkably handsome woman, and looked magnificent in a superb rob© of ivory satin with faint lines of gold and wonderful diamonds on the corsage. The King wore his robes of royal ermine and his crown, and, of course, the Queen was also attired in the state robes. It took a few minutes to arrange those, and when all was ready the Speech from the Throne was read, the King’s voice being clear and steady. Its import was naturally wired to the ends of the earth in a few minutes. The King looked very well—bronzed and healthy—but Queen Mary was singularly pale, which seemed to add to tier attractiveness. The Duchess of Devonshire, who stands as Mistress of the Robes on the Queen's right hand, was handsome, with a sparkling diamond tiara and ropes of pearls, worn with an old gold gown hazily veiled in exquisite black lace. The other ladies in waiting—Lady Ampthiil and Lady Joan Vermy—wore very striking creations, the ifonner in grey and mauve and the latter in vivid jade green, with lovely jewels. PrinrO'S Mary was not present. The only child of the King ami Queen attending was the Duke of York. Lord- Lylton and Lord Crawford, as tho bearers of the 'Sword of Slate and Cup of Maintenance, were prominent figures, also Lord Lincolnshire, hearing the V/aad of Oliicc, who cleverly and gracefully performed the ceremony of walking backwards without a hitch or false step, and once again in their wonderful dmaea looking like a

pack of playing cards in real life, heralds and pursuivants supported the _ brilliant procession with, the utmost dignity. The venerable Yeomen of the Guard always fascinate ma with their old-world dress, and they arc a brilliant group always at State ceremonies. Then, when the procession had vanished the peeresses let their tongues loose, and, gathering their sumptuous wraps around them and picking up their trains, with all tho rest of the wonderfully dressed throng, made their way slowly out, and thus was one of the * most momentous Parliaments opened. We hope and pray its decisions may bring relict to the sorely tried British nation.