MAINLY FOR WOMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1927, Page 10

MAINLY FOR WOMEN

NEWS AND NOTES. Speaking of dhess designers, the Czars of Russia would turn in their graves (says a “Sunday Times” correspondent) if they could know that Princess Natalie, daughter of the Grand Duke Paul qf Russia, and sister of the Grand Duchess Marie, is shortly going to marry a tradesman. He is M. Lucien Lelong, the wellknown Paris dressmaker. I am told that it is a real love match and Lelong is one of the best looking men I have met. He is dcsigiyng a bridal gown for liis prospective wife that Will be adoi’hed with real pearls and dianibhds.

Nagpur hds ii unique possession in armed aihazons ,whb, have joined the yanks ,df thq “Republicans,” the new term for non-co-operators. A large procession of Republicans each carrying, a sword, by five women also armed, marched to Sitabaldi, the European whgr.e a public meeting was. held. Tlie police watched .the proceedings and later arrested three Etayagahis (passive resisters), causing, intense excitement. The police then. attempted' to confiscate the woman’s sVords, but immediately met with resistance, and as an excited atmosphere prevailed they abandoned tlie task.

A\ husband aged 20, summoned at Highgate. recently, says a London paperj for ijeirik persistenly cruel to liis wiitej albd aged .20, confessed that Kd liaii put his wife across his knee anil spanked her., The Magistrate: A man wlidAVbitld do thr(t. to his wife waul'd do ahylhing. Defending Counsel: I aril afraid that if that is accepted as pdrsislept cruelty the Courts will pe drbWdM with cases. A large number of wbirien of the lower classes have been treated like that, and I cannot agree tljat it is any proof of persistent cruelty 1 . ,An order was made on the husband to pay the wife £1 a week. The couple were married last Deceriibef.

The danger of wearing -ill-fitting spectacles was illustrated at tlie Westminster Coroner’s Court recently when Sir Bernard. Spilsbury, the pathologist, gavq evidence about the death of Xiihie Cotnber, aged 64, of Lucas Street; Finsbury. Sir Bernard said that his examination showed death was due to syncope accelerated by erysipelas, probably set up by an abrasion caused by the glasses she wore. The woman’s husband said that ten days ago a little spot appeared on the bridge of her nose where the glasses a'ested, and later hex’ face becaihe inflamed and she could not open iiei- eyes. The verdict was death from misadventure.

Coloured felt and cloth make some df the larger handbags of the season, and their aspect is very smart and' specially appropriate with country clothes and tailor-mades. The bag may be of the pochette variety and bound with a very narrow strip of kid to match the felt, or it may. have a mount of amber or tortoiseshell, while the kid is found in a t’iriy, piping along the gores 1 . Tweed and hoinespiin in soft, rich colouring are materials also tunxed to the purpose of making handbags, some of them being of the carryall description and very practical for travelling. Loom-woven leather represents another fabric which is being used in some of the newest bags and it is found very pleasing in appearance.

A very good idea is the thin piece of an old sheet that many old ladies put on the top of their clothes when they have finished packing. By tucking it in well down the sides it not only keeps dirt which silts in from getting on to the clothes but also keeps the ligh-fingered from gently abstracting anything. When sending a suit-case by rail this little cover also serves anothei’ useful purpose. A well-filled suit-case is inclined to get a bulge in the lid, leaving the sides of the top a little bit open, and small objects could quite easily trickle out when roughly handled or even garments carefully pulled out, and this top cover thus protects against both the ihteritibnal and the accidental disappearance of trifles.

MUSSOLINI’S DRESS REFORM. An interesting story lies behind the report recently published that Mussolini was seeking to institute a reform fri women’s dress (says a writer. in an exchange). In the dim bygones several towns of Jthly had a ..prominent place in, the world of women’s fashions. Maritiia, Venice, Genoa, to say nothing of Florence arid Rome, . once able to issue fashion s deci ees even to France and Germany, Many beauties at foreign courts imitated the Italian ladies in the style of velvet corsages, and the exact line of lace “jabots.” The brocades, patiently wrought by skilful Italian hands, were world ftunous, too. Probably visions of those exqriisite garments, worn of old, crossed Mussolini’s mind more than once. All the riiorc so since there lives a genius in Florence who has literally given herself up' to the revival of ancient Italian fashions. She has secured' the old .secret of stamping gold designs on chiffon velvet, crepe de chine, and georgette. and worii.cn of all riati'onalitfes fl'dck to her salons in Rome and Florence. Incidentally it might be mentioned that her prices are not at all exorbitant; tlie other day 1 saw a lovely evening wrap, carried out in dove-grey- velvet and pale mauve georgette, covered throughout by. a cunning “Medici’; design of intertwined leaves and itos'es in soft mellow gold. The garment cost something less than £7 7s. The Duce went to that famous designer. Naturally, nothing lie does ever remains unknown to the public. The report spread that .H/ussolini was trying to carry through a reform in women’s dress. I made it my business to ascertain tlie true facts. Was it true that the women of Italy were to have no more freedom in the choosing of their clothes? Were .they all to dress uniformly, and vdfdt .Was thg, uniform to be? . My friend from whom I sought authoritative information laughed the questions away. “Yes, Mussolini did go to Madariie ,” meritionirig the famous designer by pairie, “and lie did consult her about the advisability of urging the Italian woirien to adopt soihe kind of a national costume. But, my dear, Madame is a woman to her finger tips. She is wise in her trade. She just told the Duce that the scheme was utterly impossible, and MuSsolini never again referred to the idea. She told him that he might go on’ changing, the igws of but mevey ,fh§-..liearl ~o£’jb' -single woman/ iHe wits wise enough to see that she right?’ , -■ •