WOMAN’S WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 9

WOMAN’S WORLD

[Bt VIVA.)

IVOMEN'S WORLD IN LONDON. THE RETURN OP THE PRINCE. [By Cynthia.] THE COURTS. Tim,last two Courts were held on two cor-rnilive nights, and were extremely brilliant affairs. Those attending the first, whi -b fc'l on the evening of the day the Pi in re returned, were very disappointed to find Unit he was not present. He was too tired, I was informed by ono who knows, and spent a quiet time at York House, and got up early the next morning to visit his stud of polo ponies. He was playing that afternoon at Rimelagh, and seemed in the gayest mood. Princess Man* was not present at this Court cither, though most of tV society papers described' her gown. >She and the Prince both attended the nevf- night, much to the jubilation of everyone. The last function was naturally a very gorgeous finale, but a terrible gloom lias been cast over London and its social life by (he dastardly assassination of that splendid soldier Sir Henry Wilson. We lire all horror struck, and many functions have been postponed. The King's dinner party on the Prince of Wales’s birthday (Juno 23) was put off. This was part of. the homecoming celebrations, and there has been a. great falling off of gay doings, for the world of London realises the gravity of the present state of affairs. 1 must tell you about the dresses at the two last Courts. They were wonderful. though the debutantes were most simply clad. One girl friend who was presented by her mother, the Countess Sondes, looked particularly lovely in her Court dress, which was composed of hazy white tulle over silver tissue. Ruches of shaded pink roses adorned the skirt, veiled in tulle, which had a very delicate effect. The train of silver tissue was also veiled with tulle, the end niched with the same lovely shaded blossoms, and she carried a posy of roses. It was quite one of the prettiest f rocks Her mother wore a most beautiful combination of silver lace and nattier blue tulle, embroidered in diamonds, the train being of nattier blue velvet. edged with diamond embroideries, and she carried a bouquet of mauve orchids and wore wonderful diamonds. The Queen was stately and beautiful, in blue and gold brocade, and wore lovely jewels, while Princess Mary, I was told, looked most charming and pretty in a frock of tulle, embroidered with sapphires and gold crystal, over an underdress of blue and gold shot lame, her train being of heavy gold transparent lace. These lace trains, both of gold and silver, and priceless antique lace, have been quite the rage at the Courts, and are far lighter and easier to carry than the old massive affairs. Another friend of mine who was presented on her marriage looked wonderful in an exquisite gown of pale grey satin duchesse, embroidered all over in diamond wheel#, and elaborated with deep fringes of diamonds and pearls, the train being of silver lace and tissue. She carried a goody-ear eheaf of arum lilies, and wore beautiful emeralds and diamonds. I was told about a very lovely frock worn by Miss Barbara Bowker, of Sydney, Australia, who wasjo-esented by the Marchioness Curzon oi Kedleston. It was composed of heavy cloth of silver, with overdress of marquisette, beautifully embroidered in silver, the manteau de cour being also of the silver cloth, and she shone and gleamed as she moved. One lovely dress I saw before it went home to' tits fortunate wearer. This was designed in palest wistaria mauve georgette, a shade very popular just now, with the skirt, almost entirely of rich silver lace, with a charming drapery of georgette at the side, and the long waist effect enhanced with dainty girdle of flowers of silver tissues, and georgette, with gleaming, amethyst centres. The train was of cloth of silver, lined with pale mauve chiffon, and draped entirely with wide handsome flounces of Brussels lace, caught, with trailing-sprays of silver and mauve roses. This was indeed a thing of beauty. Another which came from the famous house of Reville, in Hanover square, was composed entirely of white jet, over cloth of silver, train of jade green velours, souple lined with silver lame and bordered! with skunk. Could anything be more beautiful? Palest green was much worn at the Courts, and though ye,How is a very fashionable tint, there were not so many dresses of this shade as at the first Court. Well, the excitement of’ all these is over, and 1 lovely debutantes can now talk for all time of “how they went to Court,” and you may he sure a crowd of less fortunate friends will eagerly listen to every detail. THE BALL OF THE SEASON. The assassination of Sir Henry Wilson was the cause of Royalty being absent from the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. It had steadily been rumored that, as the day was the birthday of the Prince of Wales, ho would attend 1 the ball, for it is well known that the family of the Duke and Duchess and the King’s sons and Princess Mary have always been on the closest terms of intimacy, and, of course, the Duchess being Mistress of the Rohes, she is a great personal friend of the Queen. No Royalty, however, was present, and the big birthday dinner party, which was to have been given by the King to his eldest son was abandoned, and the Prince dined quietly with his parents at tho Palaco. Entertainments the famous and wonderful Devonshire House, which still stands a forlorn and forsaken landmark in Piccadilly, have always been great events in London. On this occasion the now town house of the Duke and Duchess, 2 Carlton House terrace—a beautiful place, but with nothing like the grandeur of Devonshire _ Househad 'to christening, and a distinguished gathering of young people were charmingly entertained. The dance was for Ladv Rachel Cavendish, who wore the lovely silver and lace frock she wore as bridesmaid to Princess Mary, and looked extremely pretty. There are many of the wonderful fittings from Devonshire House jr. the new home. The priceless marnelpieces, the great crystal chandeliers, and, of course, the equally priceless paintings are 'all there; hut the crystal, marble, and gold staircase, such a feature of the old homo could not, naturally, bo moved. THE CHEAT NEW WIMBLEDON. All the lawn tennis world is at Wimbledon this week, and as in the midst of it mv epistle will be speeding to you through the fathomless blue water* I shall have to give vou details of the play in my next. Meanwhile advance notes may be interesting. All eves (in woman’s world) are naburallv turned on the great Lenglen. Here I may whisper that, though certainly the greatest woman exponent of laavn tennis ever seen, she is no favorite on the courts. A player who cannot show a sporting instinct when losing is, in the opinion of a real sportsman, no sportsman. That the great champion must win is necessary to her, and people and papers here are full of the interesting meeting with Mrs Mallory, which must come about, »nd what uill happen then is a_ matter of Speculation. Zuzanne Lenglen is a beautiful player of the all-court-game, her great point being her masterly and superb tore-hand drive, which has strength, length, and accuracy, while her knowledge of the geography of the court and extraordinary fleetness of movement make a very stubborn combination to get over. She has a curious strategy—a French attribute—and, added to this, uses brains and arm together, and plays with such ease that jt all appear? - child’s play and the simplest thing in the world. Undoubtedly her weak, shots come from her back-hand returns. I don’t pay they are not hard and sharp, but they are not her winning strokes, and are generally employed in manoeuvring an opportunity for getting in

Reports of social junctions will be welcomed for this column. “T%a" Will also answer all reasonable questions relating to the home, cookery, domestic economy, and any topic of interest to her sex. But each letter or report must bear the writer’s name and address as , a guarantee of r genuineness, and questions that do not permit of a public reply cannot be answered . Questions should be concisely put and the writer’s nom di plume clevly written.

a fore-hand return, which generally does the trick. She has played since she was fourteen, and at that ago was an unbeaten champion of Picardy. Her father had coached his daughter as few could, and (or practice play had the courts marked showing the exact spot where the balls must fall in returns. The game has been worked out to a science never before attempted—certainly not by a woman. AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY. I am glad we are on much_ better terms with France. Since tell visit of M. and Mme Poincare, who came to see the Verdun Polo Cup contested for by English and French teams, things have been greatly improved, and another step of wisdom and prudence is the better understanding between the Americans and this country, which was greatly advanced by, first, the presence of so many Americans at the Courts; and, secondly, by the improved cordial relations at the American Embassy, when the King and Queen dined there with Mr and Mrs Harvey. This honor has not been bestowed on any representative from other lands for a long while. I hear the dresses were very beautiful, and the Queen’s jewels nothing short of marvellous She' wore a superb tiara of diamonds, with an immense single emerald in the centre. Hex dress was of shimmering gold “ lame.” Mrs Harvey was beautifully gowned in pale blue satin, gleaming with diamonds and crystals; and Lady Curzon of Kedleston, wife of the Foreign Secretary, was a blaze of color in old gold brocade with widespread diamond tiara. Old gold brocade was also worn by Mrs Lloyd George. Peach-colored velvet brocade was worn by the Duchess of Buckingham and Chandos, with huge high diamond tiara. Gold satin was selected bv Lady Lister-Kaye, who wore her diamond coronet low on the brow, a charming fashion greatly in vogue this season. There were two tables for the guests exquisitely decorated with pink roses and flowers, and the Queen sat at one with the Ambassador, the King at the other with Mrs Harvey. His Majesty wore the lovelv jewelled garter, with the broad blue ribbon of the order; and all the men, except the Americans, were in frock drees—this means knee breeches. Mr Taft was one of the important guests. Ho is greatly attached to this country, and was present with Mrs Taft at one of the Courts. WOMEN'S DEGREES AT CAMBRIDGE. ATTITUDE OP fii GOVERNMENT.' The women from the Cambridge colleges of Girton and Newnham have demanded and will continue to demand admission to degrees and university membership on the same terms as men (says a writer in the London ‘Observer’). Not long ago some 2,600 of them signed a petition to this effect. The reply given by the university has been confused and unsatisfactory. Within the past two years Cambridge has voted and counter-voted. on various proposals. The 'only proposal which it has actually carried —and to this practical effect has not yet been given—is that women who are qualified (apart from sex) for degree status may obtain “ titles of degrees,” but not real degrees. In making this half-hearted offer, Cambridge is proposing to treat women just as it formerly treated Jews and Nonconformists, whom also it tried to satisfy with the titular degree until Parliament stepped in and compelled the university to abolish its discriminations of creed.

' Cambridge" might have continued for some time to spin more or less fantastic schemes for women students, were it not that Oxford has meantime acted. Oxford has admitted women freely to its degrees and university membership. At Oxford the whole question is finally and cheerfully settled. But the wisdom of Oxford has caused discomfort at Cambridge, and Cambridge women are “ feeling the draught.” The pioneer women’s colleges at Cambridge are placed for the first time at a great disadvantage. For the sake of their founders, for the sake of their students, past, present, and) to come, they cannot possibly let the matter rest where it now is. Their whole prestige, all that they value, is at stake. Consequently were the members of the Cambridge Senate to refuse women equal rights again the agitation could only become more embittered and prolonged. Meantime the Royal Commission, whilo wishing to limit the number of women students at Cambridge, has definitely recommended that women be “ admitted on the .same terms as men to membership of the university.” Tlifia recommendation Ithereforo takes its place alongside of all the proposals on other university questions contained in the Commission’s report. Parliament, to whom the Commission has presented its report, will now act. Mr Fisher, as Minister of Education, received recently a deputation consisting of members of Parliament, the heads of Girton and Jfewnham Colleges), and other supporters of the Cambridge women’s demand. The proceedings were private, hut it is understood that Mr Fisher, on behalf of the Government, expressed the hope that a Bill for the purpose of appointing a Statutory Commission to give effect to the Royal Commission’s report would be brought before Parliament during the present session. The Government has all the more reason to find 1 time for this measure, inasmuch as the Council of the Cambridge Senate has passed a resolution urging that “ tho questions raised by the recent Royal Commission should be settled as soon as possible,” and l has even said that “it would welcome the appointment of a Statutory Commission for Cambridge,” though it adds a proviso that it wishes the university and colleges to be allowed to give evidence. There is little doubt that the justice of tho women’s claim will be recognised by tho present Parliament. A few Cambridge Diehards will mutter tho words “University autonomy.” These words never had much meaning, since the universities have always been the servants, not tho master’s, of the nation; but now that tire universities come for money to the men and women taxpayers the words are quite devoid of sense. A Parliamentary Committee has been formed) on behalf of the Cambridge women’s claim. A majority of the Cambridge resident men teachers and' workers are in favor of the reform, and among the opponents there ■are probably many who, though they cannot give way themselves, would tee! a secret satisfaction in being overruled by Parliament. PHILOSOPHY OF CLOTHES. It is absurd to imagine that the clothes we wear, or the clothes other people w;ear when in contact with us, have no effect on our moods. Their effect is colossal and sometimes devastating. Women know_ this. Men know nothing, but are subconsciously affected. Man accepts destiny, woman accepts design. Woman with her skirts ent to the knees is equipped to leap. _Sho js realising ascendancy in new 1 directions. Before this century none of us had flown. Man has conquered the air—a significant achievement. Woman will exhibit her eternal response; she will develop new mental flights and lure man back,*4o earth. Only one woman in history succeeded in making a name for herself without the aid 1 of clothes. But for becoming bare Lady Godiva would never have become famous.

In the history of any civilised nation the story of its development in art, dress, and manners forms a truer record) of its progress than a dreary catalogue of its wars, pestilences, and famines. The discovery of the use of wool was a far bigger step in the progress of the world than the invasion of Britain by Romans,

A she-d'evil in Flanders discovered the art of starching cambric, _ and added to life a new misery from which we fools of

men suffer until this day. Another fiend in England,, by name Mrs Turner, gained notoriety by inventing a recipe for yellow starch. Sire was afterwards hanged at Tyburn for another crime.—From ‘The Eternal Masquerade,’ by H. Dennis Bradley. MEN WHO INSPIRE EXTRAVAGANCE [By Mrs Gordon-Stables.] While men deplore the tendency to extravagance in their women kind, they are, for the most part, directly responsible for it Not because, as is often suggested, women dress for their menfolk (for we know very well that the_ majority of women, cast on a desert island, would wish to preserve a certain neatness and decorum of garb for their own satisfaction), but because husbands and brothers have an obstinate way of demanding that when they squire their abroad 1 , those women must out as creditable n figure as anyone else present. Watch at any reception, tea party, or theatre, the peacock pride of the man who is in attendance on the supremely welldressed dame, and the comparatively hangdog look on the face of him who accompanien the little frump in last year’s toilette. It is probably because fa'shion has so rigidly limited Ills own opportunities in sartorial directions that he insists so strongly on due attention to smartness on the part of his wife and sisters—to say nothing of his mother, whose garb he begins to criticise even in his public school days. From the time he respects the of Jones Minor and Smith Major, he is critical of the appearance of hie family when they turn up at his cricket matches and prize givings, and woe betide them if he comes to the conclusion that their hats and wraps do not reflect sufficient credit on himself. The ordinary male Is not slow in frankly comparing tho garb of his own womankind with that of hia neighbor's. He is brutal in his inquiries as to why Mary cannot look as well groomed as Mrs X, although Mrs X has control of just double as much dress allowance as tho unfortunate lady he browbeats. He is outspoken in his admiration of Paris models, well outside the reach of those whose wardrobe he is inclined to despise, and has much to say m praise of furs that his own feminine relations can only afford to copy in bunny. Hence tire encouragement to outrun the sartorial constable and incur extravagances not justified by bank balances. If men would but moderate their ideas of what women should be able to compass on a small allowance, they would be surprised to discover that a good many of them would be relieved not to have to seek after dress deals beyond their means.