The Ladies Column

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 37, 28 May 1881, Page 401

The Ladies Column

— Round waists are coming in again. Ladies will do Avell to look up their gold and fancy waist buckles, as they Avill be Avanted for the round waistbands. Spun silk is one of the latest revivals in dress. Artistic costumes to imitate old family portraits of two or three •centuries ago are the rage at home for dinner and evening dresses.

— The fashion of divers stones is all the rage. Diamonds, emeralds, and black x^earls are frequently set together, and the shamrock •or trefoil leaves, so much in favour for necklets, are composed either of three different gems or -of a trio of pearls, one of which is white, one rose colour, and one black. The Princess of Wales was the first lady with whom the "odd " jeAvels found favour, and she wore a pair of earings of exactly the same size and shape, one ■of them being a sapphire, and the other a ruby •encircled with brilliants.

— The first of the series of Ponsonby "At Homes" took place on Friday evening last. The hall Avas very prettily decorated with ferns and flags, and the floor in good dancing order. There Avere about one hundred and twenty people present. The married ladies, and especially the young married ladies, were in excess ■of the young girls. The members of the committee present, conspicuous by a kind of dark blue ribbon in their button-holes, were indefatigable in their endeavours to make everything pleasant and enjoyable ; and they succeeded. The gentlemen a little outnumbered the ladies, so that there were no long rows of pretty girls sitting down as has been the case at many recent dances. All the dresses seemed fresh and well, and it is difficult to single out any one lady as looking better than the others. Mrs Upton wore a grey silk ; Mrs Waterhouse, ■a lavender silk trimmed with white satin, and white flowers in the hair ; Mrs Stevenson was in a very pretty, stylish dress of white china .silk trimmed with maroon silk ; Mrs E. Lewis, black grenadine trimmed with while lace and ■scarlet flowers ; Mrs Arthur Lewis wore her bridal dress of white satin ; Mrs Bayntun wore blue satin ; Mrs Greenwood had on a blue silk with white spots, trimmed with cream ; Mrs Home, Mrs Logan, and Mrs. Boardman were in black silk ; Mrs Cunningham, in black .grenadine and silver flowers. Miss Stodart looked very well in a dress of white muslin trimmed with white lace and pale blue ribbon. Miss Evans, whose fine figure sets oil" her dress, was in rose pink trimmed with Avhite. A garland of white flowers was on the right shoulder and the left hip. Miss Harley wore pale pink tarletane, looped up with ivy leaves and Avhite .azaleas ; Miss LeAvis Avore Avhite cashmere Avith a pink silk sash, and looked charming as usual ; Miss L. Home had a rose pink tarletane, with black velvet Swiss bodice ; Miss F. Home, "white muslin trimmed Avith green satin ; Miss Punnet, grey silk and black velvet ; Miss Jones, blue tarletane with pink flowers ; INliss James, black grenadine and silver flowers ; Miss H. George Avore a black grenadine trimmed with black A'elvet and silver Lice. A Avreath of ivy leaA r es and red geraniums looked avcll in her fair hair. Miss E. M. George was in pale pink, Avith a black A'elvet sash. The dress Avas trimmed with ivy leaves and pink rose buds. Miss Bidder Avore a very pretty dress of cream sateen trimmed with wine colour, and long mittens to match. Miss Cleghorn Avas in dark blue silk trimmed with black A'elvet.

— The three prettiest married ladies in Ponsonby were conspicuous by their absence — Mrs Devore, Mrs Dacre, and" Mrs Quick. It was a pity, for they would add an attraction and grace to any party.

— Amongst the gentlemen most conspicuous for their dancing powers and powers of amusement were Mr T. O'Sullivan, whose programme was always in a state of muddle ; Jim Hose, looking as handsome as ever ; the Sheras', as Irish as ever ; Mr Cunningham, fat and jolly ; Mr Macindoe, fatter and jollier ; Mr Evans, in at least a dozen places at once ; Mr Lewis, as juvenile and good natured as ever ; Mr Ackroyd, sublime, with an ivy leaf in his buttonliole.