A London Letter

Southland Times, Issue 20523, 27 June 1928, Page 3

A London Letter

(From Our Correspondent.) London. The first night of the opera at Covent Garden saw the foyer crowded half an hour before “Rheingold” commenced, and a wonderful gathering of well-known women in gorgeous gowms and cloaks. There were not many tiaras, but the neatness of the lovely coiffures was notable, and the soft wave (the latest note in hairdressing) which has a pleasant look of naturalness, though it does not stay in long, w’as a feature of most heads. The turned-in curl was also much in evidence, and the “attachment” which so many women now wear as finish to their evening hairdressing. This is fixed in with invisible pins or tiny combs on elastic.

The Princess Royal wore a bandeau of diamonds that w T as very narrow with her misty grey georgette gown. With her were her daughter and son-in-law, Lady Maud and Lord Carnegie. All the usual Wagnerites were to be seen, and I noticed that the loveliest dresses were, many of them, beaded in new’ ways. There was a white gown made of lace with a detachable bolero, and the pattern of the lace was finely beaded in tiny crystal beads; the skirt, which was the usual length, came over the knees and dipped slightly at the back. It was a model of simple elegance, as it had no eccentric bits and pieces. There were a number of the new grey chiffon-patterned frocks, which are such favourites with grey-haired women. One of these was in two-tone grey, a dark and a light, and the pattern was of fernleaves, picked out in diamante—a very lovely gown. Another was patterned with red roses on a black ground, and this was also picked out in diamante. The new georgette flowers were seen used as trails on some of the plain-coloured georgette and chiffon gow’ns. These are now being made in sweet pea trails and in varied coloured roses tipped w’ith diamante. They are costly additions, but they can add a note of exotic beauty to one of the less elaborate gowns. One of the most amusing first nights that we have had for a long time was the production of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” in modern dress at the Court Theatre. It was made a fashion occasion, and the Court dressmaker, who was given the frocks to design, made them all in the extreme styles to emphasize their difference. This was not, perhaps, the Shrew that Shakespeare knew, but it was a very personable representation of a modern woman meeting a he-man and learning a sharp lesson at his heavy hands. Katharine had a succession of frocks, most of them in vivid colour to denote her vital temperament. She had a flame-col-oured georgette evening frock with a coatee

effect and shoulder spray of nasturtiums. The skirt was made with uneven hem and handkerchief side panels. Her taming was effected in a gown of bright emerald green marocain, with an inset of paler green panels at the side. A thrifty management did not like the idea of renewing the gown for every performance if it was dismembered with the “rough stuff” supplied by the dauntless Petrucchio. The wedding gown had a foundation of silver-striped satin, embroidered in gold spots; with it was worn an overdress of gold net, with long mediaeval sleeves, weighted with gold tassels and embroidered at the ends with a grape and basket design. All modern brides are partial to mediaeval fashions, and why not the “bonniest Kate in

Christendom” ? She wore no veil, but a cap-like head-dress, which formed a part of the gold net tunic, from which it was drawn at the back and held in front with a pointed bandeau of diamonds.

Jade, by the way, is immensely popular this season. It is being used, not only for pendants and necklaces, but for watch bracelets. The latest idea is to have a thick 1 bracelet of finely graduated pieces of jade, with a tiny watch sunk into the largest piece. It seems curious that, while Western nations give diamonds the first place amongst precious stones, in China jade is regarded as the most beautiful of jewels. Specimens of their work which have survived centuries are miracles of exquisite craftsmanship. There seemed to be no object too small for the exercise of their skill, from a mandarin’s cloak-hook in beautiful pinky jade to a spirit-gong for a Buddhist’s temple.