SOCIAL GOSSIP

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 692, 4 October 1913, Page 16

SOCIAL GOSSIP

<; • v >r-•;• . . > • -••• - ■- r 1 'i'j. ; • *->; T;, *f * - ,1"- '.vK\ '' ' By Ohrlstateol. "

','M ■' ADAME-v, Nordica- 'believes .-in-, hav:-.., '|wi ing^agood-background for. her; * concert stage; no doubt her dramatic training has taught her r the value of a stage aetting. At her debut' 'at the Town r JOM last week, ike first noticeable thing Was that the ugly bare- ; ness of the . cboir seats wafi hidden.: A' 'green lattice work shut them off on- . either side of the stages, and green velvet : ' tcurt'aiios' hungv between at ' the entrance;... Lycopodium was lightly entwined in,the ; s i lattice, * and; emgle ' yellow daffodils. were: . '-thrust throughj having a very delicate -effect, while > palms 'decorated the .'steps at each side of and on> the stage- itself; '"■* * * » * ■ Madame's dress oa this occasion ■ was -tfhite, 'most --beautifully embroidered j ; with .small garlands ,of ilowers*, over a petticoat of tulle, and lace. The 'corsage, • .also embroidered," was-entirely encrusted with crystal trimming. And she wore -r jewels ■ and jewels and 'jewels !•;.We have -certainly never seen* in r Wellington "so 'many jewels on one mere woman- at one i time. .Her hair was dressed high;,. and -she wore her tiara,•• as they have been .worn ; lately , in. England—-flat against her hair instead of standing' up crownlike round her head. « * « * ?■ Saturday; night's concest audience saw ; . singer in the cerise :dress which was '. interestingly, described.'by, 'Stona;," my i Sydney oorrespondenti'; in- her., weekly - 'budget 7 to . me. v • Heavy crepe-de-c!hene . of a -beautifully: rich'snade was - looped. . over- an underskirt of delicate embroid-, ' ery, which showed touches of gold; the . : icorsage and sleeves were" of! white crystalj .but the chief charm' of the > gown was ; -the scarf of black ninon, ending in tas-. sels which fell from one _ side. It was 1 ' fastened on the .left shoulder and . again ;

- at the waist, one end fallmg nearly the length- of the ~ gown, and "the" other thrown back from- the 'corsage of the fjsil.to ohe waist.v There was no ' tiara : this -time, =but ' higE? ; black ospreys : were arranged widely on side of her ■ hair. • And,- jewels/ were numer- . ous. :• A large diamond .crescent was worn, a long: diamond chain, and rings, bangles, ana. breast ornaments, all of diamonds. * " * '* * In this occasion fche yellow flowers had •. disappeared -from , ihe' trellis, and white ; and just a few .pink ones took their place, •while - arum lilies leat their whiteness as a contrast to Madame's gown.- Even the bouquets handed to the Diva, and which placed on;.ithe floor till the : / end of the i evening, were ,of pink, white, and red, and tied with -cerise ribbons. : , x * * * * 'M. Dufault, .the tenor of the company, - scored as much as ever,' and is always certain of: much feminine applause, for his handsome appearance as much as his ■ voice,-and, as for the violinist, his dress suit must surely "be the very latest shriek ' . ,in "Fashions for Men." :He was a most ; immaculately garbed young man. * ■ - A dressy, young Melbourne matron, . >. .who. has but recently returned fifom a / jaunt through the. Old. World : fashion . centres, haf" been the cynosure' of puzzled •. glances from, her! many friends. Writing , <)f her re-appearance in a Melbourne L street, a . correspondent states that her . . hair, seemingly, is: turning grey. Yet • it- did not look* like, the'grey hair of age, but-, had an indescribably soft and -youthful look. ."Was it a ! wig ?" a couple of , her friends asked each other. Then they had : another' look. And—"powdered"— they whispered in sheer surprise. So it r was. Not. greyed all over, but softly whitened in' most effective streaks and •; waves. 7 Her gown was a delicate _grey charmeuse, and on top of her ash-tinted ' •? hair was perched 'an infinitesimal hat -of .black tulle' bristling with in shape like a bunch ©£ crackers all going off at once. ■ Fearfully French! Slightly powdered hair," it seems, was" an exclusive ! . toilette 'cli'arm .adopted by a few of the most chic of Parisiennes at the - assenK bling of fashion's most fashionable.at the Auteuil races: during the just-passed summer season. ( * « # « There are interesting rumours, afloat , concerning the health of Queen Mary, . , according :do ' a • well-informed correspon- ' dent of a London society weekly. She has. consulted all. the Court physicians in

turn, and put off her proposed visit to Germany on their advice. Several people have suggested massage her tendency to obesity, hut I believe it is a fact that Her Majesty does not look upon massage with a favourahle eye. That Her Majesty is-becoming —well, er, more matronly in her - figure, is borne oufcby the snapshots of'her we see in the topical gazettes at the-picture shows.' '" **- # a l The second (and last for this year) Senior Assembly, organised by Mrs. Morton Clark, took, place in theGoringstreet Hall on Thursday of_ last week, and proved as enjoyable aB -its predeces- ' sor. The hall was -gailv decorated. Mrs. Clark wore a gown or opal tinted silk with spangled overdress to tone, and the other chaperones were Mrs. D'. C. Bates, v in blue charmeuse, Mrs. A. C. Gifford, * in grey silk and white lace, with touches of deep pink. Mrs. C. E. Matthews, in black. Mrs. OP. M. Behner, in black jetted net; Mrs N J. "W. Wallaße, in cream

satin draped with, gold tissue. There were also present Mrs. Senner, Mrs. Bothamley, Mr.- and Mrs. Darroch, Mrs. - T. Wallace. Mrs. Black, Mies Borlase, and several other mothers and unofficial . chaperones. ' . J & # « o These being the very, last of these dances, except the fancy dress fluttelr, with wEich the Junior Assemblies will end up presently/ all; the gjrls wpre theis . -> very .best frocks,-jEtnd the scene Was very; bright and pretty. "Miss Clark' was in ' , white silk, Mies Myers wore. cream ' and chiffon trimming, Miss Garland white satin and < lace, Miss 0. Smith black crepe de chenev with beads .and ? combs in her fairrihairi Mi® ; Otterson; ; white satin, with; delicate embroideries; : ; Miss Turton grey nin<m>over pale pink, Miss . Black white., satin with lace-drape-' ; ries, Mjss.Vauge golden with a tunic of a deeper u tone, > Miss Pilcher pale grey ninon, simply made without - trimming, Miss Haywood CRalmfersfcon