Frills and Flowers

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 43, 21 February 1938, Page 11

Frills and Flowers

FASHIONS OF YESTERYEAR DRESSSES IN “VICTORIA REGINA” Fashions of the Victorian era are faultlessly reproduced in “Victoria Regina” which is to be presented by Fay Compton and J. C. Williamson’s London company on Monday and Tuesday next. Were Victorian fashions ugly? No one who saw “Victoria Regina” would agree in any wholesale condemnation of them. Their frills and their crinolines, and their many petticoats and lace caps may not appeal to the sporting girls of to-day as practical garments, but from the . moment when the Duchess of Kent (Mary Charles), with her trailing gown of crimson velvet with its deep cream lace frills at the neck and wrists, interviewed the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham, to the last scene (when her descendants clustered around the old Queen on the occasion of her diamond jubilee, the clothes worn by Fay Compton as Queen and by the members of the Court, caught the attention of the first-night audience. Also —c quaint Victorian settings won applause before even an actor or actress made an entry.

Set in a room upholstered in crimson and grey, with gilt chairs and wax flowers under a glass shade, the young Queen wore a dainty hooped white muslin frock with blue embroidered frills. Prince Albert in this scene was a colourful picture in a waisted coat of blue.

Negligees at the beginning of the ‘forties were truly elegant garments, and. in this scene Miss Compton wore a marvellous confection of pale pink satin and brocade with much lace about it, while the Prince was in a dressinggown with blue and red velvet facings and frog fasteners. One of the daintiest frocks (if one could give pride of place to any one) was the daytime frock of white tarlatan, with its green stripes and little hard green cuffs and collar, and as she subsided into the sofa, her skirt showed a green flounced petticoat. Another lovely outfit was the royal blue afternoon dress with its basqued jacket of matching blue velvet and tassels of pink. The bonnet of blue velvet with a cluster of aigrettes was finished with a small white veil.

Exceedingly beautiful was the ball gown of wave white crepe satin with its touches of gold lace, gold fringe and crown of diamonds, which made such a contrast to the elaborate deep rust satin velvet and lace gown worn by the Duchess of Sutherland (Ann Codrington). Sophisticated simplicity was the keynote 'of the sky blue frock with draperies around the bottom of the hooped skirt and huge clusters of pink roses and lily of the valley worn by Lady Jane (Hayley Bell).