THE WEARING OF THE GREEN

Evening Star, Issue 20511, 16 June 1930, Page 1

THE WEARING OF THE GREEN

CHANGED SUPERSTITIONS Tho colour of green, clioscn by Natures herself to clothe the earth, has throughout its history had more rises and falls in popularity than any other, fn tho middle ages it was tho favourite colour for all lords and their ladies in velvet doublets and silken gowns, and vassals in their. druggets and homespuns. It was singled out for royal favour by Good Queen Bess. It was the uniform of Robin Hood’s merry men. Even green eyes were everywhere acknowledged to bo a sign of personal beauty, and tho owner of them endowed in some mysterious way witli great good fortune. When describing the hero s rival, the old nurse in ‘ Romeo and Juliet.’ it will bo remembered, emphasised the compelling charm of his green eyes as a feature of iirst importance, and, as'other medieval dramatists and writers refer to this desirable personal possession, it has been thought that therein lay tho possible connection ot jealousy and envy being associated with the colour. - , Strangely cnougln however, as a'-wnter in the Glasgow 4 Herald ’ points out, for more than a century and a-liall green was looked upon—in Scotland, at any rate—as a most unlucky colour. How tho distaste, and in many cases dread, of it arose and spread so universally it is impossible to say, but oven to-day, when it is once more in the limelight of popular favour, there are many people in whom tho old foreboding 'lingers, and who cannot rid themselves of the fears connected with its use, an inheritance, doubtless, from their more superstitious forebears. In particular, green was strictly taboo at weddings. No bride was brave enough to face the dire results if she wore it. Indeed, for years it amounted to a scare, and during this time many quite sensible and practical people went the length of even forbidding the use of green vegetables at a wedding banquet, while green in any form—as furnisiugs or decorations —rigorously excluded from the bride’s now homo. At the ceremony itself, however, it the principal bridesmaid happened to bo an elder sister of the bride she wore —either openly or concealed—a green ribbon. This was partly a penalty f(>r allowing a younger sister to outstrip her in tho matrimonial race or for her lack ol enterprise, but it was tempered by the belief that it would eventually secure her success in the marriage market.

Superstitions, wo arc told, arc long a-dying, and if tho popular one regarding green is not already dead it has so little life left that it is quite harmless.