WOMAN’S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1926, Page 19

WOMAN’S WORLD

A MAJD IN MAYFAIR.

GOSSIP FROM LOW DOM TOWN. STIIOPriNjG EARLY. (From Our Lady Correspondent.) London, Nev. 11. Tlioeo' establishments that beg the Christmas crowd to “shop early” have a royal ally in Queen Mary. Her Majesty makes a point of observing this courtesy io harassed shopkeepers, and moreover, frequently insists on taking things home instead of having them sent. Within 24 hours of the Queen’s return to London she was hurrying down to the Imperial Institute to plan out her Christinas distribution of clothing to the poor. And the fact that every "Royal Warrant” shop is looking specially “posh” just now is another indication that Her Majesty is “shopping early.” The antique dealers in particular have had many visits; for not all the purchases Queen Mary makes are for her own cabinets. She likes making gifts of choice specimens to those of her friends who share her own tastee in this direction. This year “the little Duchess” is accompanying the Queen on several of these seasonable expeditions. A PROUD COMPANY. While “the little Duchess” is busy shopping both for her Piccadilly home and the all-important baby, many of. whose garments she stitches with, her own hands, other feminine fingers are plying the needle on Her Royal Highness’s own account. For the Renown, in which the Duke and Duchess of York are to set sail on their tour a band of busy women are putting lovely work into table linen, The ship’s crest is b4ing need as a motif for some of these exquisite table sets—souvenirs on which many a collector’s envious eye will gaze in vain. Souvenirs at once eo intimate and historic will be among the ship's own most treasured mascots. THE HOSTESS. No young society hostess, giving her first big party in London, is more excited at the prospect than is the Duchess of York at the thought of the large reception which she and the Duke are to give at St. James’s Palace to the Imperial delegates the week after next. So far since her marriage, the Duchess has had few opportunities of displaying her grace and charm as a hostess, and this party may really be said to be her first important public venture, although she has, of course, entertained her personal friends at White Lodge and at her mother’s house in Bruton Street. For a year or so before she was married, practically all the duties of entertaining at Glamis Castle fell to her, however, owing to Lady Strathmore’s delicate health, and it was at Glamis that the Queen, visiting the Slrathmores from Balmorel, was so pleased with her prospective daughter-in-law’s tact and thoughtfulness for her parents’ guests. EX-KAISER SCANDALISED. A private letter from Koenigsburg tells me that, according to well-authen-ticated reports from Holland, the exKaisejf is perfectly horrified about Queen Marie of Roumania’s American visit. The late All Highest takes all the keener interest in outside happenings, particularly when they concern Royal personages or distinguished people, since he is himself an exile from the world’s affairs. And he is terribly impatient, as a firm believer in the future of the monarchical system despite set-backs, at what he regards as a vulgar surrender to plebeian mountebank instincts. He does not cease to express his indignation, when ho regularly reads the newspaper accounts of Queen Marie’s tour, at proceedings that reduce sovereignty to the level of a travelling elfcus or a film stunt. And he is very satirical also on the subject of Republican America’s eagerness to rub shoulders with princes. MUFFS. I saw with amazement to-day in a Bond Street shop an array of muffs. There were muffs of all shapes and sizes —slender muffs that looked like the sleeve of a coat that had come out of its socket, and muffs that looked like a pair of gauntlet gloves joined together. They were most unlike the Victorian and Edwardian muffs that one thought had gone for ever. But they were muffs—unmistakable muffs. And later in the day, when I consulted an expert, I was assured that muffs really are coming back. Everybody who is anybody will be wearing them before the winter is out. Perhaps it means more than it seems to. Not for nothing was the muff such a popular garment in Victorian days, pnd the days of “deportment.” You cannot swing along like a soldier, and like Miss 1926, when both hands are in a muff. Surely the muff, requires a mincing step. Perhaps its return heralds the return also of the j days of “deportment.” KILLING THE KILT. Though the Paris shops are bravely 1 displaying—and likewise selling—exquisite little jewelled dirks that are ■ copies of genuine Stuart relics in the museums —destined to bo thrust into the top of a thick knitted stocking rolled below the knee and worn with a "pukka” kilt, I do not think the Highland mode will catch on. Boldly the designers label it, "pour de fg>ort” but so far, I have seen the costume worn only at a saloon mannequin parade. The one French girl who “tried it out”’in the open air was literally mobbed! It was only the intervention of. one of those perfectly sweet gendarmes that saved her from violent hysterics. Somehow, I don’t think bare knees will be exploited on either side of the Channel; not even “pour le sport.” The .powder puff would play such havoc with the kilt!

TRAGEDY RECALLS ROMANCE.

Perhaps the , saddest aspect of the Roscoe Brunner tragedy is its inevitable rcpercuMion in the Lichtenstein family. Princess Ferdinand de Lichtenstein, nee

Shelagh Brunner, made a most romantic marriage, the culmination of a meeting with th© frince when she was riding unbroken steers after the Wembley Rodeo performance. Her amazing horsemanship roused his instant enthusiasm, and her beauty and charm did the rest. An intimate friend seems to think that this tragedy of the Prince’s parents-in-law, and th© publicity that has been given to it, may ruin his life. It seems only the other day that poor Mrs. Roscoe Brunner was telling some friends at the Forum Club what a good time “the children” were having on a deer shooting expedition through Czecho-Slovakia and Austria; and how proud she was of her little grandson, who was to be known under an old title specially reserved for him—that of Count de Reitberg. THE PRIMA DONNA TOUCH. Mrs. Stanley Baldwin is one of those rarely fortunate women who can speak ex-tempore at any function and on any sort of occasion. She does not indulge in oratorical effects, but has none the less a real Hair for those unstudied little speeches that “get home” by their very unaffeetedness. The Prime Minister’s lady is likewise blessed with a beautifully clear diction and a complete absence of nervousness. With unfailing sincerity is combined a quiet but telling sense of humour. I like, too, the prima donna touch in the way she holds her hands. Each time I have heard Mrs.. Baldwin speak she adopts the same distinctive gesture, her hands held before her like a singer of the operatic stage. . But there the histrionic. resemblance begins and ends. Nothing is more remote from Mra. Baldwin’s methods than staginess. "From one woman to another” is the spirit that animates her spoken and written word when addressed to her fellow women. A DUAL REVIVAL. Presumably coincident with the revival of "Romance,” wherein Doris Keane’s monkey, the famous “Adelina,” plays so engaging a role, is a revival in the fashion for keeping these quaint little animate as domestic p>ets. I learn from a London “dealer in wild animals” that the demand has never been so brisk. £5 to flO is asked—and paid without demur—for one of these email Simian visitors. This despite the fact that London’s climate is such a sore trial for them, and that their domestic life, as a rule, is painfully short. Many purchasers appear to be quite unaware that these little monkeys are extremely delicate. Nearly always, to the grief of their owners, a. fatal attack of pneumonia is their sad and untimely end. THE FASHIONABLE DOG. The fashionable dog of the moment te —the mongrel. Walk in Hyde Park any morning and you will see dozens of them trotting along at the heels of their mistresses; but you will find' it hard to put a name or a breed to any one of them. I was amused the other day to notice a fashionably dressed womap taking the air with a pet that was half Chow, half terrier. When the dog had taken sufficient exercise the lady walked calmly towards a super motor car and handed him over to an immaculate chauffeur. The chauffeur’s expression was an object lesson in perfectly trained solemnity. Madame also finds it “amusing” to drees down to her pet rather than to have him dyed to match her own toilette. A woman in Bond Street was the subject of a good deal of admiring comment, for she carried in her arms the tiniest chocolate Pom I have ever seen. From the crown of her hat to the tips of her toes her dress matched exactly the soft woolly coat of the little dog.

A. ST. MARGARETS’ WEDDING. A Society bride and a Royal Princess as guest will always draw a huge crowd to a wedding at St. Margarets, Westminster, eo Eady Irene Pratt had to go through the customary ordeal of being nearly mobbed when she arrived there on Tuesday for her marriage to the Hon. Archibald Lubitt, Lord and Lady Ashcombe’s second son. Princess Helena Victoria was the Royal guest at the ceremony, and she Went on afterwards to Lady Caledon’s house in Carlton House Terraco, where Lady Camden held a reception before the bride and bridegroom left for the South of France. Lady Irene, who is very much an out of door person and happiest in a riding habit, made a picturesque bride in her ivory mediaeval gown embroidered with pearls and silver threads, and a Court train bordered with silver leaves whi:h was veiled by Aieneon tulle; but six tiny five-year-olds who attended her captured the imagination of the crowd. They wore frocks of rose coloured silk which reached their ankles and pearl embroidered Juliet caps, Miss Fiona Pratt, the bride’s sister and the only grown-up bridesmaid, being also in rose colour. “BLACK SHUFFLE.'’ Fashions in dancing, like fashions it, everything else, seem to move in cycles. A few years ago we shuffled and shimmied and wriggled through our daneea, with plenty of vigour but with little grace. Afterwards it became the custom that only the feet should move, while the whole body remained perfectly poised and still. That fashion held the floor for a long time. Then the Charleston came. It is a banned d.inee still in many London dance places. Only the other evening I saw a notice "Charleston forbidden,” though, when the dance began, the prohibition was generally disregarded. Rut now we have gone a step further. I saw this week, at a demonstration in the Empress Rooms, the latest dance borrowed from the negroes, in which even the Prince of Wales is said to be taking a keen Interest. It is called the “Black Shuffle.” Onee more, it seems we are to dance with the hips as well as the feet— the whole body moving in time to the music. Somehow; the return of the tango seems to have had small influence on daneing style. One. hoped that the development of dancing would have continued on the road towards a graceful and flowing style, such as the tango demands. But no—the negroes have returned stronger than ever. .. " •

COOK-TAILS.

I received an invitation to-day from the wife of a well-kndtvn baronet to attend a reception at her London houee to discuss a scheme for the benefit of an excellent charity. The card was in the most correct style, and above the letters “R.8.V.P.” was written, presumably in the lady’s own hand, the word "Cock-tails.” The proposed meeting, I should explain, is to be held at noon. I have heard much more than I have seen of the eoak-tail habit, and this is the first case I have come across in which a hostess thought ie necessary to bait her line in this manner. Does the interest of the benevolent really need stimulation in tliis way? I do not suppose that the charity will suffer much in consequence, but personally I shall be absent from reception. COAL RATIONS. In these shivering days large country houses are particularly hardly hit by the flat rate of coal rations. They shelter a much larger number of people (including servants) than the cottages, yet their ration is the same, while even the cottagers urge that their supply is none too adequate. One frequently hears the suspicion expressed that “the rich get all they want.” As a matter of fact, the rationing is proceeding on cast-iron principles. To illustrate this,’ I was talking yesterday with a lady of the Royal Family, who remarked, very good humouredly and philosophically, that she could not get her house warm, but was, at the same time, very sympathetic regarding the very poor who could not afford to buy their quota at present prices. I asked her whether eho stood in the same position ae everyone else; whereupon she replied, “Of course, it would be disgraceful to attempt to get epecial consideration. It is up to us to give sympathy, not to ask for it.”