Ladies' Column.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14221, 11 June 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

Ladies' Column.

3he engagement, j;; announced n f Miss Lyons to Mr Leslie Orbell, the Levels. Mrs H. Grimes (Christchurch), is at present staying with iier mother in iSrown Street. The Arts and Crafts Exhibition closes .on Saturday after a very successful ■season. Numbers of people have visited the exhibition, and quite a number »i pictures have been disposed of. It must be very satisfactory and encouraging to xhe workers and supporters of the Society to know that they have jnade such a splendid beginning, and it speaks well for the next exhibition.

Some of the shop windows at present pre veritable fairylands of lovelv colours and bright jewels in silver Jnd irokl sequmed trimmings. J. B. Baflantvne's evening dress window is worthy ot notice. The beautiful pale colours iii blue, pink, heliotrope, and rose, and the idrapiugs of silver gauze, and embroidered chiffons are euough to strike envy into any feminine heart. Velvets seem to be much in evidence this year for evening dresses, especially for" the princess cut. A print-ess gown of iamythisc velvet, with bertha of rich lace or gold, makes a beautiful and effective gown for evening wear. The fame idea also carried out in violet. golden brown, and the new Tokio blue is also very charming. Gold berries and roses, also silver flowers, are very jiinch. worn at present, and suit almost any coloured dress.

The following were among those present at the Tui Hoekev Club dance : Mrs Bran, rale blue silk voile: Miss Dorie Zieslcr, bluish pink silk sleeves of ecru net and sequin trimmings; Miss Eraser, creme Lousienne silk; Miss Alice Gnnn, Saxe blue Lousienne silk; Miss Nellie Gnnn, myrtle green silk: Mrs MeCrae. pale grey glace: Miss McC'rae, white silk muslin ;~_MissMabin. white silk : Miss Chapman, ehampaigno ninon: Mi=s Gordon Wood, Saxe blue tou'.ette: Miss Ivy Green, creme dress: Miss Crombie. ivory silk gown: Miss MoAteer. white silk with dress of net spangled in gold: two Misses Palleson. dainty white dress of nainsook ami Valencieue lace: Miss Richards, pale Thine erystaiiiic. The gentlemen present were as follows:—Messrs Cran, Dug. Eraser, Gtmn, Mabin, Vincent Clarke. Aspinall, Crombie, Hart, MoSweeney, F. Knowles. Beeoham. Mcßeth, Henderson, and Lawson. The drawing♦■oom was arranged on the stage, and looked very effective, with large pots Jf Erin lilies, tall ferns, and green joliage. The supper reflected great irredit on the ladies of the Tui Club.

The Timaru Fire Brigade held their annual bail on "Wednesday last, and as usual it was a great success. The room was artistcaily decorated with evergreens and flags, and about fifty couples danced to Mrs Ma3o's delightful music. During the evening presentations wore made to Mr and Mrs MeCaa and Mr Hilton. Mrs McCaa received a handsome ring, and Mr Media a saddle and bridle. Mr Hilton received a gold albert for twenty-one years' service. Amongst those presentwere:—Zifrs McCaa, wearing a handsome black .silk gown, trimmed with lace. Mrs Hilton, black seouined net over black glace silk, made princess style. Mrs E. Uissel. lovely white brocade, suitably trimmed with lace. Mrs Campbell, black satin and lace. Mrs. Thompson, cream silk, with lovelv lace trimmings. Mrs Anderson, pale blue silk, relieved with silver. Miss Hilton, _ beautiful dove-coloured corded silk, trimmed with rich lace. Miss J. Casey, handsome pale blue chiffon taffeta Empire gown, the bodice trimmed with Oriental embroidery, and gold insertion. Miss Tvreft. prettv white muslin, trimmed with lace. Miss Ferdinand, cream silk gown, bodice draped. Miss Jacobs, lovelr pale pink ninou over glace silk foundation, with cream lace bertha. Miss Moore, white ninon trimmed with silver. Miss Manning, heliotrope glace silk, relieved with silver.

THE MATINEE HAT. The headgear of a fair feminity Has Df late figured as an object of derision, a flouted and much-belittled—though not in point of size—article of wearing apDarel. And this particularly with reference to the hats worn at the theatre. As a matter of fact any c-ort of a hat can he an abominable obstruction to the view of somebody else, even the modest little tmtrimmed sailor variety, with its harmless black band as a sole adornment. I have even knewn a man's bowler, on more than one occasion to prove a black blob in the scienic arrangements, much to the inartistic effect effect of the same. As for the picture hat. the widespreading brim, with its upturned curve further furt!">?r enlarged with! feather and plumes, I am bound to confess assumes the proportion of a. goodly-sized tentray to the wretched individual behind, who trists and turns and cranes as aching neck in a vain jendeavoxir to catch a plimpse of the scene. This is a boneless baulk, of course, to any possible satisfaction from the play, and so, in the main, are all specimens of head-covering. Even the email and unoffending bonnet will boast or an upstanding plume sufficient to obstruct comfortable view. Vet I think matrons particularly object to being asked to remove * their bonnet, by reason. I suppose of the comparative smallness of the article.

It has gradually become a recognised thing that women should remove their head-wear at- the theatres, and some few make it a rule to do so before the request can be proffered. But where one woman will willingly and readily take off her hat. several will demur, and others will refuse outright. As a matter of fact the comfort of sitting out a play with one's hat on is very doubtful, and generally quite tiring, yet the ma purity of ■women —excepting these in evening dress of course —will resort to any excuse to avoid complying with a universal desire. Not, lam quite sure, out of a real feeling of disobligingness, but from a sense of vanity mainly.

A matinee is the principal scene of this evil. And, of course, as most women are wearing afternoon frocks the picture hat is almost an inevitable ■accompaniment. The question is not at all easy to solve, because women will not jaunt through town in unbecoming head-wear, as any hat it bound to be that is really suitable to wear through a play, and guaranteed to be non-ob-structing to the view of those sitting behind. Fancing lunching with a smart party at a restaurant in an infinitesimal hat. I don't think the average woman would entertain the idea for a moment of wearing other than the conventional "dressy" hat for an outdoor lunch, and as a matinee i> the usual after-effect there is bound to be more or less discontent among the audience.

Or even putting: lunch out of the '■ question .who among us will dare face the glare of sun or lamplight of Lou- '■ don streets or the brilliancy of a public tea-room after ihe play in such ' guiseo as the desirable theatre hat • should prove? Not I, no you, and : not half the women in London, yet. ; nevertheless .the question of the mnti- : nee hat has to be fought. There is a ricrht and a wrong in most cases, and the very distinct "right" in this is ! ♦hat if we choose to wear a large hat j to tbe play the only possible course to follow it to remove it in=id<» the theatre. But t ! >on conies th" considers- | Won of the coiffure. The lint has ber-n j »ora some hoars during n mornio"-'s | shopping mnvbe. and the liiir h.T; n--- j come pressed down and disirrnnind. : Ite §*rfectipn of curl and decoration {

i* not in its wonted order and iho mistaken idea prevails thai- the,.- audience will i rouble itself ms to the set of its neighbour's head with n. play jn po-

This is unfortunate, as the average woman proves somewhat determined when it is a question of her personal appearance, and the looks and remarks of those around her are powerless in effect in such cases. The probability, however, that it will become a rule that hats must be removed, in all parts of the house, invites theatregoers to a consideration generally of the question.