Australian Beauty Expert Brings Fashion News From Across the Tasman

Evening Star, Issue 25941, 5 November 1946, Page 9

Australian Beauty Expert Brings Fashion News From Across the Tasman

TOPICS FOR WOMEN

Hats In Australia had passed the “silly” stage and had become picturesque, lavishly decorated with ribbon and flowers, said Miss Doris Harper in an interview to-day. Miss Harper, wh’o is the, consultant to a well-known Australian cosmetic manufacturer, is visiting the main centres

in New Zealand to advise women on beauty problems. • ' . < The hatless fashion was passing, she said, now that hats were coupon-free. Hats were'being worn ofi the face, to show ‘'the hair line, and were most often seen flat on the head, instead of at any angle. New Zealand hats, she thought, were a long way out of

‘ What the Ear Doesn’t Hear ’ is the title of the original short story which 1 won,* the Donovan Cup, for Miss A. I McDougall, of St. Clair. The competition is held annually by the New Zealand Women Writers and Artists’ Society. of Wellington, and is open. to members throughout the Dominion. Membership is available only to those women who have had a story, or verse published. , Miss McDougall ,won the original .story ' competition of the Otago Women’s Club with this work recently. She has submitted stories in previous years to the Women Writers , Society, which have been very highly commended. ‘ At the official opening of the Otago Ladies’ Bowling Association’s greens last Wednesday afternoon,. the ceremony took place in . the pavilion owing to inclement weather. The president, Mrs R. Li Morrison .welcomed members, and. visitors, and, in declaring the greens open spoke of the help the as; sociation had received in putting the, greens in . order. Mr W; 0. Clarke, president of the' Dunedin Bowling ‘ Centre, was also'p'resent and extended greetings and best wishes for a successful season. Those present were the guests of Mrs Morrison at afternoon i tea, after- which trump whist was ' played. j At the monthly play-social of the Repertory Society, which. was held in the Concert Chamber last night, the following three .one-act plays were presented:—An extract from act lof ‘ Arsenic and Old Lace.’ The cast: Abby Brewster (Cecily Short), Martha Brewster (Margot Earnshaw), Teddy Brewster (Beverly Reid), Mortimer Brewster (Louise Harris), the Rev. Dr Harper, -(Shirley Walker), Elaine (Christine Denford), Mr Breby (Leslie Knowles), Mr Kleen (Ngaire Hinton), Mr Gibbs (Jean McKinlay). This was presented by St. Hilda’s College

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

date. The only clothes in Australia now requiring coupons were frocks aiul coats and materials. Since the war Australian manufacturers had . produced some very line clothes, with a cut and style equal to many overseas firms. , New Zealand women were not nearly so cosmetic conscious as the Australians, said Miss Harper, and she had been amazed at the number of women in the north who _ used no make-up, not even a lipstick. Yet many of them were anxious to learn what to buy and how to use it properly. Skins over here were inclined to be dry, with a tendency to scali-' ness, which could be corrected by the use of creams and the limitation of a wash in water, to once a day, in'Australia a woman without make-up would he noticed in the streets, but in Auckland she was astonished to see ‘so many entirely natural complexions. Young girls could perhaps dispense with*cosmetics, but older women whose skins had faded and coarsened were always improved by the judicious use of rouge and powder. Four French mannequins who were touring Australian cities with model gowns from such famous houses os Schiaparelli, Molyneux, Jean Paton, Lanvin, and Lucie n Belong had aroused-tremendous interest, said Miss Harper. The opening parade in Sydney, for which seats cost £2 2s, had been a brilliant function. with men and women in. full evening dress, rivalling a first night at the opera. The mannequins showed two types of evening wear, one draped and one crinoline. Practically all the evening gowns were worn completely off the shoulders without straps or sleeves. The afternoon and cocktail frocks struck a note of simplicity, but at the same time there was plenty of draping and pleating. The shoes were interesting, too, in many colours, mostly wooden wedgies and platform soles, trimmed with suede. They were an occupation fashion in France when no leather was available, and were so beautifully designed that leather shoes had gone out of vogue.

Fourth Form, under the direction of Louise Harris. 1 Jade,’, an original play by Mrs Roberta White, .produced by Mrs John Hamer. The cast: Marta (Sylvia Seelen), Truda (Harriet' Hamer), Frau Grett Schmidt (Roberta White), Karl Mezer (Dave Silverstonej, Paul Schmidt (Ray Wallace!. ‘ Dark Brown,’ a one-act play by Philip Johnson, produced by Grace Douglas. The cast: Mrs'Collins (Jean Turnbull), Miss Tasker (Mrs Hey), Jeannie' Brown (G, Froude), Bella (Noelene Henderson), Fred (George, Ritchie), Arthur Brown (Dick Reynolds). , Some interesting comments, on prices of American foodstuffs are included in a letter received in Dunedin from a former resident of this city, who has something to say about the prices of fruit in sunny California. “ The markets where I shop are wonderful', but 'confusing,” she writes. . “ The fruit’, is endless, but except for grapes at 15 cents a pound it is about the same price as in , Dunedin—which is ridiculous. I have not seen .bacon for weeks. The price of meat is terrific —6O cents a pound for mince, 69 cents a pound for a rabbit, etc.—and it is hard to get.”