TWO FOREIGN WEDDINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 60

TWO FOREIGN WEDDINGS.

SOME OF THE DRESSES. (Speciaxlt Written fob the Otago Witness.) LONDON, February 23. My fa«hion article this week is to be devoted mainly to describing part of the trousseau of a very important young bride — the Queen of Holland — of whose recent marriage with Duke Henry, you are, of course, acquainted. At the end will be a few words with reference to the marriage of the Princess of the Asturias with Prince Carlos of Bourbon. There was naturally great exciten>ent at The Hague, and indeed in all part 3 of Holland, on the day of the Queen's wedding, which took place in the morning ; the route along \v hich the wedding party parsed was decorated with large baskets of green plants, lightened by orange blossoms and white roses and tied with large white bows ; the decorations were everywhere profuse, and naturally consisted principally of the Dutch national colours, one of the mo?t conspicuous being orange. Great secrecy wa3 maintained respecting the -trousseau until after the wedding had taken place. The major portion of the bride's dresses, — at any rate, 32 of them — were made in Paris. The wedding gown itself was cut out in Paris and there made up, but all the wonderful embroidery which adorned it was manufactured in Amsterdam. This magnificent dress was of silver cloth ; the bkirt opened in front over a petticoat of pelisse white silk muslin which was embroidered at the hem with silver and looped with trails of orange flowers. Thf die3s was worked most elaborately in an. intricate design in real silver, the design being caught at intervals by silver-woven trails of orange blossom. The long train of this shimmering dre=s was scalloped round the edge and bordered with puffed white silk muslin. The bridal cape, which w.as cut in one piece, was also of silver cloth, lii.cd with white satin, and had an overlining of puffing* of white chiffon ; it had a Medici collar, and a big bow of tulle tied at the throat with long ends reaching halfway to tho knees at the edge of the cape. It is said now that the reason for the great secrecy attaching to the dresses of the troussoau was that the Queen, who is very patriotic, wanted to keep her own country people in ignorance of the extent to which she had placed orders in the French metropolis for her gowns — I caunot ouch for tho truth of this statement. It is further stated that Madame Nicaml, the costumier, took) an oath that on no account and in no circumstances whaiever would she rcrmit any one of the trousseau dresses to be displayed or described to outpiclert. So iho gowns were n.ade at a "mai=on fermp." which you may be interested to know is expla'nod as meaning a place where gowns are made in secret, and wheie the secrecy is '" genciallv "' maintained. Judging by hearsay, the bride must have had in her trou a seau a dress of every colour. A great many arc, of court-e, intended for State occi«ion c . Rome arc gieen — a colour of whioh the Queen is =aid to be very fond — ] and one of the most beautiful of the green set is m a pastel tone of satin, brocaded with a nca*" dosion of loupbud*; the .<-k.it is aiiav\ r eel in pleat< about t' - e hips and dimmed wit'i an npnlique of «il\ rr ombroidoiy, v.lnit. th"> Lent of Chautilly Lice is applique a'»o with s.lvc- arc! crcru^tcd with giren and s0 ve:-\\or';ovl silk !;a'izo Tho bodice 1* ri draped fher rmbroidere.l silk mu=hn. with elbow s'cp\ e=. It ii culent from tho drf"*"" that "siher and lfiro. a<s well as groc^--. air v,cafcnr«se> of Lei Majesty, for botli Ml\rr pud I poo a 1 "' 1 roiTstantlv mentioned in tit ant'iP: t c dr-Ci"'ptKms of the gown 1 - Airciis; ofl'rr n-iaicro'is c 1 lung cnvn* it is ro ">o. - ted t' a*. Ouc'ii Wilbelmina hj> i -p r> cial'v a'-r,r< ' rd Jv.o. and l( y m c dcstiibod thus: — " flue of v. Into =atm \-.\-, a knee fWmco hr.ll 'lv embroidered m apple blossom- r tho jltmnrp bring cunningly fashioned to become a pirl of the train at tho bac \ The roiM"l siu'pp of tlio clecollotactP is cVooi^trr l , front prd back, wit'i embioidored satiii rcallop-. The bodioo is made without s]oo\es. as a' •■> rtlnio-t a1!a 1 ! tlie e^cnini? row us in the I tuiii-tan Tito other is of > ellow and whito gda-e, uicei'ng >. jiitc til'v, with panels of nold

galloon oveilaid with an embroidery of white poarls." One of the most important dresses in the whole "rig-out" is the one v.^'ch the Queen, is to wear when blie opens, at Amsterdam, the great .State ball next month to mark her royal, entrance. It is, I am told, of white satin, brocaded with satin leaves, and trimmed with exquisite Alencon loce which belonged to her mother and is a royal treasure. " On. the skirt the lace is 20m wide, and forms two flounces straight round the skirt, which, at the left side, are caught up in a high bow with a branch of big lilies. The broad, green leaves, white petals and yellow stamens of the flowers are of velvet, and show the consummate skill of the milliner's art. A flounce of white tulle under the second lace flounce peeps out as the lace is lifted. The bodice has a pouched effect, in front developed it* spangled silver tulle, and the bolero of brocade is edged with a narrow ruffle of lace of the same pattern as that used on the skirt. Lace and brocade make a butterfly bow at the top of the corsage, and in the bow are fastened the stems of the lilies, whose leaves and flowers extend up to the left shoulder." Another very special and beautiful white satin dress is embroidered with gold. In the official description of this dress it ia gaid that " narrow panels of gold embroidered satin alternate with cascades of white embroidered mousseline running down the front of the skirt, while the slightly-trained back is composed of two fan-shaped flounces spreading out behind. The pointed bodice is embroidered and draped with mousseline, and the tight-fitting elbow sleeves were finished off with a deep frill." Pink is a colour which has not been forgotten, and is said to be a shade that " will well become the young Queen." Satin is again the material ; there 13 a Court train of. rich whfte satin, edged with roses made of puffed silk muslin, united by silver ribands, and edged with a puffing of the silk muslin. The plain-fitting bodies of pink satin is draped about the corsage with fiilk muslin which is caught at intervals with roses and silver applique ; the tiny muslm puffs which do duty for sleeves are held in place by jewelled bands. Mauve is the foundation of another gown which is mcrusted with rich Chantilly lace and veiled with painted silk muslin. Mauve — this time of velvet — lined with ermine, embroidered with gold and gems, and edged with mauve ostrich feather trimming, constitutes one of the principal evening cloaks. A grand dinner gown is of eau de nil satin ; about the skirt there is a great deal of ]ai_e, and it is bordered with a rich embroidery. It is really not possible to mention all tl s items in the Queen's trousseau, for in add.tion to the grand and costly dresses alreac"/ mentioned — the ttyle of which, by the wa; , one writer considers "is more in keeping; with the dignified garments worn by older women than by one so youthful " — the trousseau includes many simpler gowns for ordinary wear, such as tailor-made dresses, and others for skating, for the Queen has a grpat weakness for this pastime. Several tea-gowns are, of course, included in the outfit. Unlike the majority of her dresses, I believe that most of the lingerie — if not all of it — v/as entrusted to the inmates of Dutch orphanage schools ; it ia said to be of exquisitely fine quality, elaborately worked and embroidered, in addition to being trimmed with Valenciennes and Dutch lace. Each State gown has its own set of lingerie, as " exquisite and as carefully made as the gown itself." On her bridal day the Queen " was robed in f-oft white silk covered with delicate embroidery ; the petticoat for the wedding gown v/as of white taffetas, with an ac-cordeon-pleatcd flounce, much inserted with dainty Valenciennes lace." With regard to the dress worn by the Queenmother on the wedding day there are many conflicting reports. One, however, who claims to have authentic information concerning this dress, which few were privileged to fee owing to the "long cape worn most of the time, which covered so great a portion of the dres.s, says : It was of white satin and velvet of a deep violet shade. "On the ekirt the velvet formed a side drapery, caught up twice by clusters of purple ostrich plumes. The satin foundation thus disclosed showed a bold embroidery design of plique and silver The train fell from the waist without * suspicion of a gather, but its marvellous cut gave it a wide sweep. It was two yards and a-half long, and lined with white satin. The velvet bodice was pointed at the waist, but its front of white eatin fell from the shoulders in a round line, and the open vest of whito satin was decorated in tiny bouquets of violets, like those embroidered on the ekirt." The same writer describes the cape thus : " It was of purple velvet with a yoke coming from the shoulders to a point, outlined with ostr.ch tips. With it she had on a little toque of purple velvet and violets — although most of the descriptions declare that she wore & long lace veil." At one of the festivities connected with the wedding, the Queen-mother is said to have worn grpy brocaded silk covered with a large and striking pattern : round the lower half of the skirt theie weie fan-shaped lace case a'"" while lace also bordered the sides of the tr:n v ab well as the upper part of the bodice, wh^ci was draped across her figure. The guests present wer<* of course magnifcently attired, ma-ny of the costumes having come from Worth's. The Grand Duches-; Vladimir of Russia, for instance, is describe as ha\ing worn a magnificent Worth toilet! - of cloth of gold, which was coiered with rick embroidery in gold chenille worked on gold tissue studded with gold pailettes. The desciipiion continues: "The decoupe floral design foil loosely upon a flounce of point d'esprit which, in its turn, foil o\cr a flounce of gaze dor. A trail of yellow roses hung from one shoulder of the "embroidered corsage." The Grand Duchess Helene of Russia was in a Worth gown of " nastel blue drap d'argent moire— a mo-t exquisite glistening materialveiled with blue mousseline applique witn white crepe, the hem of the skirt bordered by a sihered laco flounce, the bodice draped with silver cjauzc, caught up on one side with silver übben, finMicd with diamond aeuilMW. Oi.e moie duss «s prh < .1 ; it "as worn hv i n Dvcho-e Jc.v.i Alb(i l ib Meck,rnb..rscHdnvoun; nn'l I u«.i.n tabo IVu- Wrtv o*. quoting the w liter, who iv= : "It « is ci &il,ci cloth, with trail* of Lugo ic=o->, cmbroulou'l ni 'live/ and wnite, 1 mining Icngth-w-r down the s-kirt. which was cut out in mn<-l* at the foot and bordering the full i-ou ulc d tram. The bodice, pointed in front, had a drop horthe of lace round the drcolle-ta"-p, v hiie ."traps of rose? formed the sleeves. ' u'iuu-t lie distinctly undeistood that I was poi pi -t nt i-t The Haa;ue en this gieat occamc.ii. c o T cannot \ovch for the accuracy o£ the details concerning the di esses abo\e refol rid tc. My information, howc\e'\ is quoted frmi two different souicrs, each of which is usually thoroujrh.lv reliable. A-boul th,- lecent Spanish wedding, wlnek 1, npoitod to bo so unpopular in Spain, but which happily passed off without the threatened disturbance, few paiticulara have reached Cu-land. But an English lady, prominent «v bOiuttty, who wab ia iliulml at the tim«*

Bends the following notes, which I here reproduce: — "Political dislikes and street anathemas should not prevent English ladies taking an interest in the lo\elie.~t of trousseaux, which the public had far greater opportunities of inspecting in the large banqueting hall of the Royal Palace — a beautiful room hung ■with wondrous tapestries — than is ever the case in England. Madrid ladies not addicted to getting up early were at the palace before 9. The crush was terrible, and se^ eral fainted, but the spectacle was well worth the squeezing to see it. The wedding dress of white satin had the fleur-de-lis and Louis Quinze knots embroidered on s'urt and be dice m silver, while there was a wealth of point d'Alen«on. entrancing to the feminine vision, and garlands of orange blossom. The lace veil had a deep fleur-de-lis border. White, yellow, blue, and pale green gowns met one's entranced vision ; but the immense quantity of the finest lingerie, all made in charitable schools in Spain, was really the feature of the trousseau. A description would require a large volume. There was an immense quantity of the most lovely shoes and silk stockings. The jewellery was abundant and magnificent, and the Blue Missal, the gift of the Archbishop of Toledo, deserves special mendon. The Queen Regent has been very liberal in her gifts to both bride and bridegroom." Next week I hope to tell you something about some prominent society weddings which have been keeping London animated during the past few days.