FEMININE INTERESTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18627, 24 July 1930, Page 4

FEMININE INTERESTS

PERSONAL AND FASHION NOTES Siamese Royalty in London: The way in which foreigners keep au fait with the doings of the world is a never-ceasing source of wonderment to many people. To a person sitting in the cool green drawing-room of the Siamese Legation in London one afternoon recently, with Prince Damrong, of Siam, it was most difficult to realise that His Royal Highness had not visited England for nearly 40 years. His English was that of an Oxford man, rather than of an Extern Prince, who has never been to school in England; and he showed by his conversation that he was acquainted not merely with international policies and politics, but with the very intimate and domestic affairs of London. The Prince began by talking of the “Daily News” and “Chronicle” amalgamation, which he had followed with interest, and he said, with a smile and a twinkle in his brown eyes: “It would be impossible, I suppose, for two papers with different political policies ever to amalgamate—that would cause a Gilbertian situation.” He spoke most enthusiastically of the old “Westminster Gazette,” which he said was a favourite of his, and he always used to read it. Prince Damrong is very keen on art of all kinds, and was specially interested in the Haig statue controversy. “What is the latest news about it?” he inquired. And then he said that he had taken his two daughters, the Princesses Poon and Palai, to the Royal Academy that morning, and afterwards for a drive down the Mall to see the Memorial to Queen Victoria, opposite Buckingham Palace. “I was greatly impressed by it,” he said, “and another memorial which interested me is the Artillery Memorial. It is a break away from the old tradition. It is unique.” At this juncture the Princesses came into the room. They were bubbling over—no other word would adequately express it—with excitement and fun. No visitors to London this Whitsun enjoyed themselves more than these two Eastern Princesses. It was the first time they had ever left their home in Siam, and, as they both said, they meant to make the most of this wonderful holiday, which, for years, they had been trying to persuade their father to give them. They especially looked forward to lunching with the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace. Princess Poon, the elder, is the tiniest Princess ever seen—a “pocket Venus,” with her neat figure clad in a smart frock of fine beige cloth, her brown eyes and her mobile mouth all smiles, and her raven hair brushed sleekly back and curled round each ear. She is more vivacious than her sister, Princess Palai, who is taller and even slimmer. They both seem to live up to their romantic names, which the King of Siam gave them. Poon means “ever-increasing affection,” and Palai means “a picture.” Princess Poon spoke of their home life at Bangkok, where they live in a small house in the compound quite, close to their father’s palace. “But we spend most of our time with my father,” she added very sweetly and naturally. “I could not ever be faraway from him. He is my friend, my teacher, my companion, my everything —even my dictionary,” she said with a laugh. “Just now my elder sister, Princess Chongcita, is looking after things for us in Bangkok. My father calls her ‘the Regent’.” Prince Damrong thinks it is good for his daughters to have a house of their own which they can manage themselves. So, after they get up at seven o’clock, they breakfast in their own house, but they lunch and dine with the Prince. The day is never too long for them. They read many English books, and some French. “We love biographies and books of adventure—‘Treasure Island’ is my favourite,” said the tiny Princess, who did most of the talking, while her sister watched her. They are both musical, and play the two-stringed Siamese fiddle. Princess Poon writes, mostly on Buddhism, and her sister paints; they enjoy sewing and embroidery, and, above all, golf, which they hoped to play in England, too. After dinner in the evenings they most enjoy the cinema.

Neither of the Princesses could make up her mind what she had been most struck with on the Continent, and as they very truly said, they had not had time to form any opinion of London yet, for they only arrived the day before. They loved the German and Russian opera in Paris, and were looking forward to the Italian in England. Curiously enough, they were a little disappointed in the shops in Paris, for they found it difficult to shop in the crowds, which they were not used to.

In their own country, they wear their national dress, but here both they and their father have smart European clothes. “You see,” explained the Prince, with his irresistible love of fun, “we have come here to see all the sights, not to be sights for Londoners to look at.”

The Zoo in the afternoon, and a cinema at night—a “talkie” for preference—was their day’s programme.

Another thing the Prince particularly wanted to do was to pay his old tutor a visit. He is Mr Francis George Patterson, now 86 years old, who lives with his nephew at a vicarage in Worcester.

One of the things Prince Damrong values most is his big library of English books at his palace at Bangkok. * Cottons in Paris: Paris has reinstated cotton as a fashionable fabric for summer. The once simple, school-girlish textile is widely being used by the couturiers in very sophisticated ways. And it is not confined to morning costumes. It appears in evening gowns and afternoon ensembles, as well, while pique and organdie are übiquitous as accessory materials. Madame Agnes’s very newest hats are of cotton crochet, made like the old-fashioned stocking caps. You drape them to please yourself, and, if you want to be a little more formal, you add a bunch of large pansies against your right cheek. Pique berets, too, are smart Agnes favourites. Usually they are enlivened by a bow of blue or pink linen over each ear. Patou is one of the warmest champions of cotton. He makes charming afternoon ensembles, consisting of a dress and coat of sprigged cotton,! trimmed with scalloped bands piped: in a plain colour. He makes fitted j jackets of neutral cottofl crash and! huge starch hats of the same to wearj with some of his black satin afternoon frocks. Cotton is combined with■ flowered satin in some of hit most! successful beach pyjamas. Pique col- j lars, cuffs, plastrons and buttonhole 1 flowers trim most of his woollen, and! may of his silk day-time costumes, i while large cloche hats of starched pique or of braided cotton cordings are i notable features of his new mode. Worth was one of the first creators! to “sophisticate” cotton. He showed | some gingham summer dresses in his I collection a whole year ago, and this i season he is following up his success i with printed cotton frocks in pink,! blue or green, made with simple short- I sleeved blouses, pleated skirts and; white organdi collars and zouches. [ Channel’s organdie evening frocks'

are some of the sensations of the season. For some years past, organdie had been employed only for the occasional robe de style, and had been considered as essentially jeune fille in character, but in Channel’s hands it never looks kittenish. She uses it in pale and coral pink, in green, blue, white or plaid, and she cuts it into many complicated pieces, and builds it into slender frocks, that mould the figure and become bouffant only near the bottom. She makes lace-edged petticoats for these organdi frocks, when she does not mount them on entire lace foundations.

Cotton plays a prominent part in the summer mode of Suzanne Talbot. She makes some of the most delightful of her sports costumes in combinations of cotton and serge. A simple white pique frock, to be worn with a short cape of navy serge, and a wide sailor’s beret of white pique banded with navy blue, would make a useful addition to any seaside wardrobe, and yet is quite suitable for hot days in town as well. Talbot’s Kate Greenaway dresses of sprigged muslin, with their narrow frilled skirts and short sleeves, are very 1930 reminders of Directoire days when India muslin was considered among the precious and costly fabrics of fashion.

Trio of Society Weddings: Is the traditional white wedding gown doomed? Several recent brides have worn blue, and there has even been a bride in green. Now the latest was introduced by Miss Valerie Russell, who was dressed entirly in pink for her marriage to Mr George Gund, at St. James’s, Spanish Place, London, last month. Miss Russell is the daughter of the Hon. Mrs Cyril Russell, sister of Sir Alec Russell, and a niece of Lord Russell, of Killowen. The bride looked very attractive in her gown of pale oyster pink satin and lace, with a long pink tulle train and a veil of the same material, held by a wreath of orange blossoms and pink heather, and carrying a bouquet of pink roses. Oyster pink satin also compised the Kate Greenaway frocks of her five small bridesmaids, who carried Victorian posies of pink daisies and forget-me-nots, and the four little pages were dressed in Kate Greenaway suits to match. Countess Waldegrave lent a beautiful Brussels lace shawl to her granddaughter, Miss Favell Margaret Bevan, Lady Mary Bevan’s daughter, to serve as a train for her wedding gown when she was married to Mr T. van Oss. The bride’s gown was of beautiful deep cream satin, which blended most effectively into the colour scheme, and she wore the tulle veil worn by her mother at her weddink. The lace train, which was much admired, was carried by Master Christopher Bevan, the bride's nephew, and Miss Katherine Bevan, the bride’s sister, lead the procession of seven bridesmaids. The grown-up attendants wore long frocks of pale yellow and ivory flowered chiffon, and carried posies of garden flowers.. The three little bridesmaids were dressed all in yellow, and had wreaths of flowers in their hair. Lady Linlithgow, who was dressed in navy blue, and was accompanied by Lady Anne and Lady Joan Hope, and their brother, Lord John Hope, was at the wedding of Mr H. D. Makgill-Crichton-Maitland and Miss Armytage, "at St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge. The Dowager Lady Linlithgow, wearing black, was escorted by her grandson, Lord Charles Hope. The bride carried a posy of lilies of the valley, and looked very attractive in her pearlembroidered gown of ivory satin and beautiful pearl coronal, over which was draped her tulle veil. Her lace train was carried by Master Simon Fraser, wearing the Fraser tartan, and her four bridesmaids wore georgette dresses of Wedgwood blue. Princess as Stallholder: Princess Helena Victoria’s stall at the Royal School of Needlework sale, recently, included many items especially selected by the royal holder. She had for sale several interesting pieces of antique furniture, some exquisite household needlework, and a beautiful ivory figure, the body of which opens to disclose a three-fold picture. This unique piece attracted great attention. Cushions, screens, and glasscovered trays done it petit point were shown in a big variety of period designs, and many examples of the oldfashioned quilting, so much sought after at the moment, were made at the school. The Duchess of York is president of the school, which was founded by the late Princess Christian, and has done a great deal of beautiful needlework from time to time for members of the Royal Family. Princess Helena Victoria took entire charge of her table of attractive bric-a-brac, served many friendly customers, wrapped up thenparcels, and handed them their change. Susan Duchess of Somerset was at another stall, Lady (Edward) Chichester was a saleswoman, and so were the Dowager Lady Deerhurst, Lady Wemyss, Lady Edward SpencerChurchill, and Lady Alexander.

Lady Pentland’s Escapade: Lady Pentland was one of the wellknown people who spent their holidays in Scotland. She stayed with her father, Lord Aberdeen, at Cromar House, to keep him company during Lady Aberdeen’s absence at the Women’s International Council in Vienna. Lady Pentland made the most of her opportunities of renewing old associations with the tenants and retainers on the family estates in Aberdeenshire, and amongst other things she turned on the new water supply for the village of Tarland, where she spent some of the happiest days of her life. Lord Aberdeen has been tempted to tell some stories of his daughter’s youth, which go to show that she was something of a tom-boy. One escapade in particular made her a popular personage with the tenants and workpeople. It happened a long time ago, when the House of Cromar, on Deeside, was being built. Lady Marjorie Gordon, as she was then, was greatly interested in the work, and one day—so Lord Aberdeen tells—she persuaded the good-natured foreman to let her be hoisted up by the big crane, in company with great blocks of stone, on to tne roof—just to get a better view of the proceedings. Now, however, Lady Pentland is one of the most serious-minded of women. Good works and politics occupy most of her time, and, like Lady Aberdeen, she is especially devoted to the welfare of women workers. “Present Day opportunities for Women in Professions and Business” is the subject of a discussion which is to take place at a dinner at the Hotel Washington, in which she is interested. Princess Elisabeth Ward:

| A large parcel of toys, many of which had belonged to Princess Eliza- ! beth, were handed over by the Duke ; of York for distribution to the patients at the Queen’s Hospital for i children, Hackney Road, recently, | when he presided at the annual meet- ! ing of Governors, states a London exchange. Referring to the effect of the new Local Government Act on the public health services, the Duke said: “I think it is safe to say that institutions like the one we are considering to-day will always have a place in any system that may be evolved in future years. It is unthinkable that the spirit of personal service —the missionary spirit— that was installed into this hospital by the two young Quaker women who started it in .1867 should ever fail to secure sufficient supporters, not only to maintain

the institution, but also to develop it on sound lines for the bei>esfc of the. people.” For the last five years the hospital had paid its way, and in the year 1928 they had raised £IO,OOO for the building fund. This money was collected through the influence of Sir Edward Iliffe and Mr Thomas Young, and it was through their help that they were now in a position to commence the first section of their extensive scheme. They had also been able, through the generosity of Sir James Carmichael, to secure the longdesired enlargement of the Little Folks’ Home at Bexhill. Lord William Cecil announced that the Duchess of York had given permission for the new ward which was to be built to be named the Princess Elizabeth Ward. Pink Jewels are the Mode: Necklaces and bracelets, containing pink jewels, pink diamonds and topaz of the artificial variety are the most popular this summer, as Countess Pahlen was explaining to Princess Marie Louise at Lady Cable’s tea party in Berkeley Square, remarks a correspondent. This due to the great number of peach-coloured satin frocks that are being worn, and which flatter all women with their soft allure. Nevertheless, Princess Marie Louise, a very smart figure in a dark blue silk frock, trimmed with coral and pearl bead embroideries, chose a long chain of diamonds and emeralds interspersed with rings of smoky-grey crystal. Countess Pahlen is being kept very hard at work making bandeaux and small tiaras of the artificial pearls and diamonds that are cut and moulded for her in Paris, and which she mounts on silver tissue, for so many more headdresses are being worn with the more formal evening frocks, and people have not hesitated to wear artificial jewels even at the Courts. One of the most popular models is a little hip ornament of mock diamonds and sapphires that the countess made originally for the Duchess of York.

The Matching Background: Englishwomen seem of late years to have become not only experts in the matter of colour, but to have realised that a charming individuality can also express itself in the choice of frocks that harmonise with walls and furniture. Mrs Henry Mond, whose unusual decorations at her new home, Mulberry House, Smith Square, are creating so much interest, has chosen her season’s frocks with a view to their blending with the shades predominating there. Blends of yellow, the new turquoise and shaded blues, and also many greens, figure in her selection. This idea of the hostess’ frocks matching her background is actually an interesting revival from past periods of great elegance in dress.