MAYFAIR JOTTINGS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 661, 14 January 1933, Page 20 (Supplement)

MAYFAIR JOTTINGS.

Who Wants the Return of Long Hair? MAGNIFICENT STATE ROBES. (From Our London Lady Correspondent.) The radiant shimmering beauty of the Queen’s golden gown, sewn with shining silver sequins in a flower pattern, was the most impressive feature of 1 that blaze of colour and pageantry, the State Opening of Parliament. With it the Queen wore a blaze of diamonds, a great star of them keeping in place the heavy State mantle of ermine and red velvet on her shoulders, the train of which was carried by her Mistress of the Robes, the Duchess of Devonshire, a contrast in her severely simple gown of black velvet with chiffon insets on the coftage and a diamond tiara. Black and gold brocade made the gown of the Dowager Duchess of Airlie, whose tiara was placed high on her piled hair; and Lady Cynthia Colville had a gown of metallised golden tissue. After the Ceremonial. The big fire that burned so cheerfully in the Princes’ Chamber was a welcome sight after the ceremonial when it was nearly an hour before the peeresses could get away in their cars, which were held back in the pouring rain. By this fire I noted the Duchess of Sutherland, whose long green moire gown was enlivened with a collar of rust-red coq’s feathers; Lady Reading, in an oatmeal velvet dress and coat to match; the Duchess of Northumberland; Lord and Lady Illingworth, the latter so pretty in sky-blue velvet with a mink coat; and the daughters of the Earl and Countess of Stair; and Lady Sibell Lygon, who, wrapped in a summer ermine coat, had watched the procession from the Royal Gallery. Will Long Hair Return? Every now and then the old hair question crops up again in the Press. Someone says, “ When are women going to have lovely long hair again? ” —causing a shudder from every middleaged woman who once suffered the hot and heavy tyranny of thick hair piled

up on her head, held in place by uncomfortable hairpins. I asked two friends what they thought about it the other day; one was fifty, the other twenty. The elder laughed at the question, saying, “ Go back to all that, now we have got free? Don’t be silly! ” But the pretty maid had more to say: “ If you think there’s any sex appeal in long hair you’re all wrong; the flowing lock stuff is no good. We live in a quicker age, you see. Men want women to fly and motor and skate and swim and play golf with them; these things want close-fitting hats. And, anyway, you’ll find it’s nearly always girls who have badly shaped heads or women who are going bald who want to drape their skulls with long moss.” And that was that. Sculptured Hair. Hair that cannot be combed or brushed is now affected by the really smart. Twisted into the most fantastic shapes and curls it is waved and set with a heavy plastic lotion, baked hard and sprayed with spirit gum. Then the sculpture-like waves are sprayed with crushed silver, gold, scarlet, green or blue to produce a glittering powdered tinsel effect. The hair has to be washed with spirit in order to be itself again, and women affecting the new mode must be careful how they sleep. Detachable Eyelashes. The question of detachable eyelashes is greatly agitating smart Frenchwomen. In a Paris department store daily demonstrations are being given by pretty assistants. Two systems are shown—one in which the lashes are removed nightly before retiring, or may be changed in colour to suit the toilette, and another which is semi-permanent. The lashes remain in position for three weeks, but during that time the wearer may not wash her eyes. They cost from 30 francs (about 8f) a pair. In a Paris motdr-bus I observed a dainty blonde who wore a light green frock with eyelashes to match. Lacy Lingerie.

A significant point this season is the return of good quality laces to form yokes and flounces. Often in the case of princess petticoats and nightgowns almost the whole corsage is of guipure or fine needle-run lace. The latest evening cami-knickers are almost entirely composed of lace arranged from a skilfully fitted band of satin. The bodice is scanty, almost backless, but the knicker part shows a slight flare to appear like a short godet flounce of the lace.

The fashion of matching all things, above and below, has extended to black underwear, which is a wise plan II ? case °f the fashionable black chiffon frock. Nothing spells greater rum to the effect of the black eveiling gown than glimpses of coloured laces or ribbons beneath.

To-day it is a matter of soft, sleek black lacey fabrics below, to give the necessary ethereal look to the allchiffon frock of fashion.

Some of the new nightdresses are a hnost like an evening frock, as far as having no back or sleeve! In such cases, the bolero, or coatee, to match is essential for cold weather. These are made with square and round openings, but the V-shape is generally preferred. The modern pyjamas appear almost as blouses, with full skirt-like trousers put carefully on a shaped hip-belt. Though practical for travellers, the nightgowns and fascinatmg little coatees seem more generally liked.