FEMININE INTERESTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18537, 7 April 1930, Page 3

FEMININE INTERESTS

PERSONAL AND FASHION NOTES. An Occasion for Trains: Several of the women who attended the brilliant reception at the French Embassy wore trained dresses which in this connection—with their blazing ■ jewels and orders —seemed to vindicate the new fashions. Very dignified they looked in the vast ballroom hung with wall-tapestries. Lady Patricia Moore, Lord Drogheda’s only daughter who is not yet officially “out,” must have been one of the youngest of the people there. Her long sweeping frock was of green chiffon. Lady Cynthia Mosley’s black satin gown was relieved by a cluster of diamonds on the shoulder and diamond necklace and earrings. One Japanese woman had an exquisite kimono of soft pink silk, with a sash of cerulean blue. Most of her compatriots, however, were in Western dress. Beautifully Housed: Lord and Lady Winchester, who are obliged just now to spend a good deal of time in London, have, probably, one of the most palatial and artistic flats to be found in the whole of the West End, says a writer in an exchange. It has been likened to a corner of an Italian palace. There are silver gates to every room, beautiful renaissance tapestries hang on the walls, Persian rugs lie on the paved floors, and pictures and furniture are all art treasures. At a dinner table there the guests sit at a wonderful old refectory table in polished wood, choir stalls which were once used in a Spani.su church, and the hostess presides in a carved ecclesiastical throne resembling a bishop’s chair. Sometimes a dinner service of Georgian silver is used; at other times the plates and dishes are of gold. Lady Winchester’s bedroom, which has golden walls, boasts a magnificant four-poster bed. copied from a Cromwellian one in Hampton Court Palace, and a carved vestry door from a Spanish church leads from this room to a golden marble bathroom. Fashions in Handbags: New bags are being shown just now in London’s exclusive shops, The most original are in black antelope with modernistic mounts in black ana coloured lacquer. Others have novel belts and buckles around them making a firm clasp that is often of maracsite and silver. In real shagreen a handsome bag was made in tones of green and the skin was rendered supple and easy to the touch. This made up with morocco gussets in the same shade and had a plain mount. A pouch Pag is a new and favourite shape and has a galleon maracsite on its flap as decoration, or fastens with an ornament button. Another bag in black morocain was bound in silver leather, and had a belt of itself also bound in silver and a buckle of silver and maracsite. Other new bags were in crocodile in colours, some in red, and some in bottle green, and others in white. Here again the buckle and belt fastening was seen in great numbers and placed diagonally on the bag. A new travelling bag about the size of a small jewel esse is made with two sides; one opens to show a carefully packed set oT travelling toilet requisites and the other shows a place for passport and purse. Another new bag has a mirror on a leather strap which fits ii>o a section at the back of the bag and can be slipped out very easily to see how one’s complexion is looking without opening the bag. This bag is in putty coloured morocco which is a good neutral tone for wear with morning clothes.

The new fashions are so distinct for morning and afternoon that all accessories are also distinct, and shoes, bag. gloves and hat are all specially designed for wear with either morning or afternoon clothes.

A “Husbands’ Party”: The Sydney Arts Club “Husbands’ Party” was one full of surprises, but the most surprised person present was the club’s president. Mrs Florence Taylor. She was quietly piloted into the centre of the ballroom floor, and hailed as the “Mother Hen of the Club,” and, under an avalanche of fluffy yellow chickens, thrown by her members, styled “A jolly good fellow.” A farmyard dance, in whch the dancers were divided into groups of pigs, sheep, cattle, and ducks, with each groyp mimicking in turn the animal it represented, called forth a weird variety of sounds. Another novel diversion was a whistle dance, with the dancers supplying their own music with tin whistles. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, whistling musicians are not encouraged; consequently the melody was agony, althought the hilarity was abounding. “Betty” Again: Another charming little story of Princess Elizabeth has been told by a friend of the Duke and Duchess of York. The gardens of the little Princess and the eight-year-old daughter of the Marquis of Londonderry, Lady Mary Elizabeth Stewart, almost join. Sometimes Lady Mary plays with Princess Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth takes a friendly interest in the people who watch her playing in her garden. One day she adopted the attitude of one who had a pleasant surprise for them. She ran away and came back leading Lady Mary by the hand, and brought her proudly to the railings. "This is Mary,” she said. So then they all knew each other. Countess’s Daughter Flngaged: Lady Rosemary Baring, elder daughter of the Earl and Countess of Cromer has become engaged to Mr Dennis Frederic Banks Stucley, eldest son of Sir Hugh Stucley and Lady Sutucley of Affeton Castle and More ton, Devon. Lady Rosemary, who is 22, came out three years ago, being one of the most attractive debutantes of the year. For 18 months she- underwent a course of training as a gardener at one of the Government centres, using an assumed name she did all the hard manual work. with, the other pupils.

Mr Stucley, who is heir to the Stucley baronetcy, and who was educated at Harrow and the R.M.C., is a lieutenant in the Gredadier Guards. He is a year older than his fiancee. The Earl of Cromer has been Lord Chamberlain of the Household since November, 1922. He married Lady Ruby Florence Mary Elliott, daughter of the fourth Ealr of Minto. THE QUEEN GOES SHOPPING. AT THE BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 20. “The King was in the counting house Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey. . . .”

The queen, as a matter of fact, was not in the parlour eating bread and honey. With Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood, and the Duke of York, her Majesty was shopping at the British Industries Fair, when the nursery rhyme, played on a postcard gramophone, made her pause to listen and smile. The record was given with a children’s book, which was among the Queen’s large number of purchases. Her Majesty spent almost three hours at the Fair, visited more than 100 stalls at Olympia, and made more than 100 purchases. While many of these were intended for her personal use, the remainder were added to the stock in her own cupboard at Buckingham Palace, to which she turns, when she wants to give an unexpected present. Wherever she stopped she showed a keen sense of shopping values, and a sincere interest in the welfare of British industry. The Queen wore a long coat of violet purple cloth, with collar and cuffs of silver fox, and a violet purple toque, with small diamond and ruby earrings. Princess Mary was dressed in a nutria fur coat over a black silk dress and a black felt hat, trimmed with black velvet.

On the ground floor in the Empire Hall, the Queen purchased glassware as well as two tea-sets and a coffee-set oi Oriental pattern. She also visited the exhibition of the Moorcroft Potteries, and then, at a neighbouring stall, admired a vine-patterned breakfast service, similar to one presented to princess Helena Victoria during a visit to the Midlands. She also placed an order for a small dinner service in the new Moonbeam glass. The Queen afterwards visited stands on the upper floor, where leather goous in a bewildering variety of colours were exhibited. At the stand devoted to the Papworth village settlement, the queen bought a wardrobe shoe travelling case, in blue vulcanite fibre, priced at £4 17s 6d. Then her eye caught sight of an array of tiny handbags in a multitude of different colours at a neighbouring stall.

“Aren’t those fancy leather bags pretty little things,” the Queen remarked. “I must have a dozen of those.”

Then as the Duke of York and Princess Mary, after examining the bags, which were made especially for little girls, ordered a dozen each, the Queen said: “I think I will have three dozen; a dozen will not be enough.”

Continuing her tour, the Queen ordered a nest of attache cases in fibre ranging from, Bin to 28ins long; she was told that these cases nad been designed especially for export. It was understood that she intended to give them to the Prince of Wales for use when travelling abroad. Next the Queen ordered women’s handbags in pin deal and Morocco leather priced at 18s 6d. “Wonderful value,” Her Majesty remarked. “I do not know how you can do it for the money.”

At another stall the Queen ordered an assorted dozen of women’s handbags at varying prices; then, on hearing the Duke of York refer to the bag designed to foil bag-snatchers, she ordered two. These bags have a band through which the wrist can bo slipped so that they can be held close to the body with safety.

“That is a very good idea indeed,” was the Queen’s comment. At one stand, the Queen bought some boxes made of moulded wood and containing stationery. She showed her appreciation of practical gifts by remarking, “I like these things. The boxes will be useful afterwards for the kiddies when the stationery has been used.”

“How wonderfully clever they are.” exclaimed the Queen as she caught sight of patent bookrests for invalids. “The King has found them very useful.” She purchased another model. Other orders quickly made by the Queen were for needle sets; manicure sets; shopping lists covered with moire silk; two dozen floral powder puffs; a shagreen tray, clock and powder bowl; and a manicure stand in a coloured non-inflammable material like celluloid. Before a brief visit to the Overseas Buyers’ Club the Queen spent some time among the exhibits in the Empire Marketing Board section, where she

was greeted by Lord Passfield, the Dominions Secretary. A long time was spent at the Ministry of Agriculture, stand, examining flour, eggs, and other market produce w'hich were sold under the National Market scheme. “This is a real service that the Government is performing for the benefit of the pubiicJ’ the Queen told one of the officials. 7 “I do think it is of practical value to housewives to have a guarantee that they are getting home-produced goods. It is a real help to agriculture in these difficult days.” At one big toy stand the Queen remarked on the wonderful value of an electrically-lit doll's house made in Britain, and sold for 8s lid, and order-

ed one for Princess Elizabeth. She also bought a “puff-puff” engine, an electrically lit caravan, a timber lorry, a tip-up wagon, two metal pole carts, and an old fashioned hobby horse. The Duke of York bought a miniature tennis racket for Princess Elizabeth, and a blue pouchette for the Duchess. Princess Mary’s purchases included an iridescent pouchette, two wardrobes, and other articles.

The Queen is rather like a fairy in respect to her store cupboard. A great many surprise gifts are made to her children and grandchildren from time to time, and Princess Elizabeth and Princess Mary’s boys could tell thrilling stories of the secrets of “Granny’s” cupboard.

Church bazaars, sales of work for hospitals, on behalf of the unemployed and for other charitable purposes, senu the Queen to her store cupboard, and at Christmas time a great many of the things which have accumulated during the year are found to be just right for this recipient or that.