NOTES FOR WOMEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18801, 2 March 1923, Page 8

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

GRACE AND BEAUTY. A CHAT WITH LADY FORBESROBERTSON. Lady Forbes-Robertson, the noted English actress, who is now in Australia, is (says a writer in the Melbourne Ape) as graceful in lier movements as Miss Mario Tempest. She is more winsome, she has a charm of manner that captivates at once, Hor beauty of face and form, as well as hor taste in dross, made it desirable to ask her for some hints on these alluring feminine traits tha.t would help girls to. , make the best of themselves. Lady Forbes-Robertson looked beautiful, yet she wore the simplest of pink sponge cloth frocks, the rounded neck and the slit sleeves of which had a narrow self fringe as solo trimming. Her simple white hat and white shoes and stockings made itpi a very pretty picture. Asked whether she could give any definite rules for proper dressing, she said: —“If you are willing to give the proper amount of time and thought and care to the subject, yon can succeed; but, like every other art, it is not something that can be lightly treated and fine results to expected. I do not give the attention one should to dressing in private life, since frocking does not. trouble me over much; but for the stage I realise the immense importance of proper stylo, end for that I do give it that serious attention it requires. My sister (Miss Maxine Elliott) understands the art perfectly. People only realise that she is perfectly dressed for the occasion, whatever the occasion might be. The reason for that is she studies every detail. She decides on colour,- material, style, trimming. She decides on the hat that must go with the dress, the shoes and stockings, gloves and all etceteras. The result is that the whole makes the perfection for which she is noted. Although I know it is wrong, I go and buy a pretty hat because it attracts mo; then I realise I have not got a dress to wear with it, and so I have to get the dress and then build up the toilet around the hat. I know it is wrong; and if 'a woman wants to bo really smart she must avoid this pitfall. She must think out the whole in detail before sho begins to buy anything. “It is a very safe plan for a woman who is not sure of herself to keep to one colour for a turnout. Supposing she decides on blue; she must make a success of it by getting blue for dress and hat, gloves, shoes and stockings. Sho might then introduce some touch of colour dexterously when the whole is considered. But if sho buys one colour hat, and another colour gown, which is trimmed with yet another colour, how can she hope to look well dressed at the end of it ? Then she must decide what style suits her individuality best. .My sister does not follow’ the rage ' of the*moment; sho knows what suits her, and she dresses in tire style that becomes her best. It is a mistake to wear a thing simply because others arc wearing that style, and not because it is right for your own style.” i This grace of movement that was so much discussed when Maud Allen was here —not when she was on the stage, but when she moved among the people every day; and Miss Marie Tempest’s perfection of movement —are they acquired? “Yes,” said Lady Forbes-Robertson. .“They were disciples of the Frenchman Delsarte. He perfected a system by which grace of movement could be achieved. It was like the slow movement of the kinema; ©very smallest motion of the body or limbs was given clearly, so that a pupil, practising them carefully, could learn how to make every movement beautiful. But it was fearfully hard work.” Lady Forbes-Robertson rose from her chair and showed some of these exercises Sho raised her foot as carefully as if she were afraid of disturbing a sleeping child, the while she poised her body very beautifully and easily. The rigour of the exercise made her abandon the exhibition quickly. . , , , ; “I used to do it for hours,” ,she laughed. “It was part of our training, and a very important one. But, although it was so rigorous, we used to get lots of fun out of it, for it seemed so* artificial to put ourselves into all sorts of attitudes and make all sorts of gestures. When we had learned the lessons we promptly forgot all about them, for there is nothing so destructive of beauty and grace as a hint of artificiality.” Sho recalled an incident of a young man who had not, forgotten the training, but who carried the exaggerated and slow gestures on to the stage, while the company stood in the wings laughing hearlity at the exhibition he was making of himself when he thought he was pathetic, binceritv must bold its own, the artificialities of training must bo forgotten once their [usefulness as aids has ceased. And beauty of face? This, too, can come to the woman who ardently desires to bo beautifuj. Lady Forbes-Robertson’s beauty recipe is not an ordinary one. Sho does not recommend powder and paint for the fresh young girl; she recalls how horrified we should have been only a few years ago over t his phase of modern life. “I shall never forget my sensations,” she said, “when one afternoon in London I saw a girl calmly take out her mirror and powder puff and wipe her face• over. I have never forgotten that ini- | pression, although the ugly practice is so common to-day.” It offended against her sense of beauty. “Beauty is really an atmosphere about a woman.* There are some women who create such an atmosphere that you dread to be in their company. They are usually the gossips. They mav begin to talk quite easily; but presently they are tearing somebody to pieces, they are criticising unkindly; they are telling things they- should not; they are blackening somebody. These women cannot expect to be beautiful. -They create in their acquaintances a dread of being in their company; and surely that speaks against their being beautiful. I remember one woman of this sort; one was positively frightened of her for her lack of charity. Something happened to her— I do not know what; but she was completely metamorphosed. There was never on unkind or cruel thing said by her again; eho became beautiful. It is so easy to suppress the ugly remark; the uncharitable judgment tif think kindly instead of critically; and these things betray themselves in the face, and beauty follows.” Lady Forbos-Robortson is accompanied to Australia by her second daughter, who has evidently benefited by hor mother’s precepts; and who was as simply dressed and as tastefully as her mother believed girls thould be. The eldest daughter has just gone with her renowned father for a throetiion tbs’ holiday to Italy; two little daughters of 12 and seven are still in' England! The exponent of beauty forgot maxims as she showed the portraits of hor treasures, and her own shyness was also lost in a laugh at her father’ ridicule of her desire to go on the stage. “You are too shy to let your voice he hoard in a room; how could you go on the stage?” “X did, though,” she said, “and forgot my shyness in my great desire to bo with my wonderful sister.” LADY OF LETTERS. RETURNS AFTER TWENTY YEARS. Dora Wilcox (Madame Hamelius), who has returned after 20 years’ absence to renew acquaintance with Australia and her birth-land. New Zealand, is (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph) a vivid personality. Before going to London Mrs Hamelius taught for two years at the Girls’ Grammar School at Armidalo, and sho was a piquant contributor of verso to the Bulletin. Sh© is the widow of a Belgian professor of English literature, who was at the Liege University. Madame Hamelius has contributed two volumes to literature - “Verses from Maori land,” and “Rata and Mistletoe,” the latter being impressions of New Zealand and England. Sho is also a writer of short stories for the English magazines, and sho has a play to her credit, and, as an art authority and critic contributes regularly to English artistic and literary publications. Research work in art has been another avenue ’of Mrs Hamclius's energies. .She has traced the connection of* Charles Meryon, the eminent French etcher, with Australia and Now Zealand.

Mrs Hamelius declares the study of Meryori’s life to have been most fascinating. She found that ho was the son of a French woman and an English doctor of Huguenot origin. Ho came to New Zealand as a midshipman on a French shin, Lo Rhin, in 1842, and stayed for nearly four years at Akaroa, where there were French’ settlors. This fact' was doubly interesting to Madame Hamelius, ns she knows that part of Now Zealand well. Mrs HnmeHna makes a thrilling story of tho tragio life of tho French etcher, who gave up tho sea to be an artist and then discovered- that he was colour-blind. This -woman of many parts has found lime for itumanitariaa work. Durina the

war she allied herself to the Red Cross and did nursing work, which she continued, voluntarily, when hostilities ceased. She works in the East End of London, helping tho doctors who try to alleviate the sufferings of the sick poor. Mrs Hamelius is visiting friends in Sydney before coming on to Now Zealand. LUXURY MEALS OF THE WOMEN DINERS-OUT. BIGGER MENUS THAN THE AVERAGE MAN’S. “Women are the epicures of to-day.” The head waiter of a famous London restaurant made this remark to a Daily Chronicle representative during a discussion on the increase of luxurious habits among women of the middle classes. “Tho average woman orders more than the average man,” he went on. “But I do not suppose that in a dav she eats. more. Women who dine out on most nights usually have a light lunch. But I notice an enormous increase in the number of women who dine out in tho capacity of liosl esses, either entertaining women friends or bringing with them men escorts. “Last night a woman ordered dinner for herself and a woman guest. She asked first for dry Martinis; she looked carefully through tho wine list, finally choosing a certain vintage claret which showed she had a delicate knowledge of wines. She rejected the table d’hote menu, selected the dishes she wanted, and mado a very well balanced and attractive meal. “Neither this woman nor her friend were in evening dress. I imagine that they were professional women or tho wives of professional men.” Visiting several restaurants tho Daily Chronicle representative discovered that many changes have tasem place in tho dining-out habits of women. Tho little Soho restaurant, where it is still possible to got a dinner for two shillings and threepence, and a small bottle of chianti for a little more, is beloved as it always was by the woman with limited acquaintance with West End restaurants and prices. There is a noticeable change, however, to bo observed in those cheap, popular restaurants whore wine and spirits are served, in one such restaurant many young women finished a good meal with a glass or two glasses of port. . , The “and coffee conclusion to an order for an evening meal is not the almost invariable rule it used to be in the case ot women. When bobbed hair came in cocoa and coffee went out, and port and cocktails took their place. In tho more expensive restaurants, once the resort of those born in luxury, are to bo found many women who make occasional excursions into luxury.

These women are mostly wives who aro tired of superintending the cooking in their own homes, and who find it delightful to go to a good restaurant and order the Kina of dinner they want. Not so many years ago the limit to ttio luxury which such women permitted themselves was reached with an ice-cream or coffee and cakes at a pastry shop.

OLD FASHIONS ON YOUNG

FIGURES

One© upon a time, and it really does not seem so very long ago, when young gins wont a-dancing they wore frocks m the delightful shades which have boon associated with youth since the mid-Victorian days: white, pale pink, sky blue, and delicate primrose, all of these were considered ap propriatc, and the effect of a young people s party was that of a flower garden in springtime. But to-day youth endeavours to show how it can triumph over old-established traditions even in the matter of dress. The proof of this can be seen in the dressmakers* advertisements in the BiigTish papers; for one roads of bargains m black chiffon velvet party frocks suitable for young girls and debutantes.” Many of those who are out of touch with school girls will hardly believe that such advertisements are to bo taken seriously, but it is a curious fact. Last winter, in Melbourne (says tbs Argus), at the dances for young folk, of which there were an unusual” number given, dozens of girls who bad not left school wore frocks of colours and materials which a previous generation would have regarded as fit only for their mothers or grandmothers. One debutante wore at her coming-out dance a frock of fairly dark blue satin, with a petuniacoloured overdress. Black chiffon taffetas brightened by a jet girdle and fringe wore quite popular among the “flappers” of 16 years. Indeed, it is not exaggerating to say that there were not more than six debutantes who “came out” at private parties dressed in pure white. It was different at the suburban mayoral balls where the “debutante sot” is a recognised feature of the entertainment, for in such cases the white frock is “do rigueur”; but at all other parties such shades ns old gold, delphinium blue, fuchsia, persimmon, red, and jade green, in quite heavy materials are much preferred by the sophisticated young person who regards the dainty delicacy of the soring colours in ephemeral textures as being “too insipid for anything.” PRINCESS MAEY AS A HOUSEWIFE. CLEANS HER OWN SILVER AND DUSTS. The good wishes of all women will he with Princess Mary this month (says a writer in the Sunday Express). Already her favourite curtains—blue and gold brocade—have been hung up in the cliuing rooms at Chesterfield House awaiting her return. Princess Mary has been busy for some lime in making “little garments," which are designed very simply, and “finished” with bows of blue satin ribbon, her favourite colour. Some of the tiny garments have been made by the Royal School o> Art Needlework. The preparation for the happy event has brought pleasure to the Queen, too, wim has arranged that Princess Mary shall be attended bv her old nurse. Princess Mary also has her own housekeeper at Goklsborough Hall, who has known the Princess from a baby When in residence at Chesterfield House Princess Mary is the busiest of house wives. She dusts and sews and “tidies up,” and even cleans her own silver. There is no department in housewifery that Princess Mary is not export in. Tim Queen believes in economy, and has taught her daughter to keep her household accounts with great accuracy. Princess Alary even designs her own clothes. TWO MEN, ONE GIEL. MARRIAGE LICENSE COMEDY. Two men, both of whom wished to marry the same woman, obtained marriage licenses at the register office in Henrietta, street, Covont Garden, early this year. The first, man, who is middle-aged, appeared at the office gn a J.londay, gave all necessary particulars, including the name of liis prospective bride, and explained that the wedding would probably take place on | Thursday. I On the Tuesday the registrar was called upon to enter the same woman’s name on | a second marriage license. Just 24 hours ■ after the first man had made his application : the second man. an amusement director, who is 10 years younger than his rival, appeared, bringing with him the prospective I bride, a pretty girl of 21, who had recently i appeared in revue in the West End. As I their application was perfectly in order the registrar could not do less than give them a license. They told him that their wedding will take place next day. The first man, a West End dentist, told a Daily Mail reporter that ho had known I the girl for two years and had been oni gaged to her for some time. “ Three weeks I ago we had a difference of opinion, aim ft : was then that I learned for the first time i of the other man,” he said. : “ I was determined to marry her, so I ! RO t the license. When I told her what I ; had done she resented my action and said j she would not marry mo. Wo had tea j together and talked the matter over, but i she has made 'tip her mind to marry the | other man, so now, so far as I am con- ! corned, the matter is at an end.” j The woman admitted that she had lieen engaged to the first man, - and added: “Recently 1 decided that I could not marry I him, and told him so, but ho would tint 1 take 'No ’ for an answer. I am sorry he I did not take me at my word, but it was by no wish of mine that he obtained a license to marry me.”