Melbourne’s Gala Season

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18581, 15 December 1934, Page 10

Melbourne’s Gala Season

IN its history of entertaining, Melbourne has never before had such a period of luxury and extravagance, as that through which the city has just passed, writes, a correspondent. Hostesses’ playecTa"prominent part in the centenary festivities which culminated with the arrival of the Duke of Gloucester and the Melbourne Cup gaieties., Melbourne society leaders who are noted for their exquisite taste in dressing have, nevertheless, this yea# excelled themselves, many of them having brought back from abroad the clothes they intended for this gala sgason, and, exercising great strength of mind, kept them until the round of parties and balls began. Outstanding features of this gala season have been the lavish materials employed and the complete sophistication of the dressing, not only by matrons, but by young girls. Nearly every second head in Melbourne society was crowned with a tiara or a diadem for the more formal functions. The return to the fuller feminine lines has been more marked in evening modes than in day, and it must be noted that, for the most part, luxury in dressing belongs to the evening mode, for here it is that the most expensive of fabrics hnve been used, the very long trains, the bias cut which can run away with yards of material, the lovely line that falls full from the waistline at the back into the rich folds ,of the train. One saw more of these glamorous damask patterned tissue brocades in silver and gold, sometimes interwoven with a lovely pattern in roses, at other times showing just a conventional fleur delis design in silver on a pearl satin ground with motallasse backing showing through with every move of the wearer, than any other, though, to be sure, some of the most successful gowns were carried out in brocaded taffetas. Vtery little plain chinon was used. Two types of laces were used extensively, and these were shown not only in the evening modes, but for garden party wear. A type of millinery very much favored by the young girl in Melbourne is the bonnet type, sometimes seen in straw, but more often in velvet or sntin, fitting snugly on the head and exposing the face to the sunlight.