YOUR UMBRELLA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20474, 28 January 1930, Page 17

YOUR UMBRELLA.

THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

Two Frenchmen have been talking about the umbrella: M. Andre de Fourqbieres, lite Bcmi Brum moll of modern Franco, and M. Maurice de Waleffc, ; the upholder of knee breeches for men's evening dress, states a London writer,

M. do Fourquicres thinks that the umbrella. is not only a necessity for men, but also a sign of elegance, if proporly carried.

All Englishmen of the old school have a gift for making an umbrella look "right:" He regrets that men do not have grey umbrellas, as they have grey hats, or brown, or blue. Tho umbrella might, he thinks, match the, hat. It should be carefully rolled when not in use, and be very slim, but not femininelooking

What M. de Fourquiores forgot to point out was the "elegant" way in which Frenchmen of the old school use their umbrellas and sticks at weddinps. You see gallant, manly figures in a wedding cortege, carrying their tall hats on tho handles of their umbrellas or sticks. Held lligh, thore is something very debonair in the act, and it needs a man of brooding to carry it off well. M. Maiirico do • WalefTo endorses tho opinions of M. do Fourquiores, adding that it is bettor to bo dry than damp evory time.

For women, the umbrella is acknowledged to be a coquetry as well as a protection against rain: . - The Tom Thumb was an exaggeration which htis disappeared, but _ the fchort, stumpy little umbrella, which can be packed into a suitcase, is still the shilpo that women like best. There has boen a revival of the long handle this season, but it hns to~bo kept for home use, not for travelling, since few girls will be troubled with that old-fashioned thing, an umbrella travelling case. They like to have belongings which will go iiito a suitcase or the trunk at the back of the car. Wjibn life runs swiftly luggage has to bo sim-1 plified, and for youth life runs very swiftly. Where the current is slow it means a backwater, and who that is young likes to spend her days in a. backwater? The umbrella then is made for youth. Sometimes girls neglect their umbrellas,_ which is wrong from the aesthetic point of view. If they but knew how it, shocks tlio eye to see a girl very well turned out in every detail but her umbrella, they would take the matter In hand • , There is a fashion rule which says that the umbrella should match the ensemble, but to follow it a whole stock of umbrellas would be needed. It is heller to have the Umbrella to match the shoes and b.ig. And the handle should bes pleasing to the eye. There arc many handles in inexpensive but pleasing woods, which might be used by the fastidious girl, and let us .temember that it is fashionable to lie fastidious about small things.