SUTHERLAND BALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17503, 10 September 1928, Page 5

SUTHERLAND BALL.

FUN AT GREAT FANCY DRESS The greatest event of the season as regards numbers and enjoyment was the Duchess of Sutherland’s fancy dress ball, which brought the big affairs of the season to a triumphant conclusion. Crowds of people gathered outside Hampden House to see the guests go in, and as it was a lovely nigiit and ' many of the guests lived in the neighbourhood, quite a number came on foot and before going in were not averse to being a source of amusement to the watching throngs. One of the amusements of the evening was finding the Prince of Wales, for he, like other guests, brought several changes of costume, and disappeared at intervals when he had been recognised, to appear in a different disguise. His Arst appearance was .suspected in the Agurc of a Ku Klux Klan, complete with cowl, and later on a slim bearded Agurc in tweeds and spectacles was supposed to he the heir to the throne. Prince George made one of his appearances as a chef. Many wellknown men chose comic female dresses, and some of the women came as men. Sir John Milbanke was one of two Salvation Army lasses, six feet high, with long golden plaits and bright coloured socks. Lord Berners came as a monkey bride with a while mask and veil. Mr Winston Churchill was a barrister in wig and gown, and Mrs Winston had a silver wig and a black domino. A great number of people wore masks, and, anticipating this, all cards were taken at the door to prevent gate crashing, against which, in view of the recent events, ail the great hostesses have set their faces. One masked guest was dressed as a newspaper seller and carried a poster with: “Daily Thrill. Sutherland Ball. Full list of Gate Crashers.” She was greeted with great enthusiasm and very warmly welcomed by (he Duchess, who was not ignorant/of her identity. Lady Astor, who is slim and boyish looking, was dressed as a young man, and Scnorila Alvarez, the famous tennis player, came as a sailor boy.

The greatest amusement was caused by a group of three blind mice; they were chased round the room and one of (hem eventually proved to be Mr Duff Cooper, the husband of the lovely Lady Diana. The two most effective costumes were those of Lady Louis Mountbatten and Mrs Richard Norton, who came as two white ostriches, their feathers haring black tips; these dresses were made on a foundation of pink with diamante and bugle fringes. The pale pink corsage was similarly trimmed, and the huge mass of feathers forming I ho skirt was wired to stand up vertically from the back and to swing as they moved. These were typical of the more exotic gowns worn. Period costumes have not been much in favour at recent balls, but there were a few lovely ones at llampden House. The Duke of Sutherland wore a period French court suit; Ltie Duchess was in an Arabian Nights scarlet dress with a great feather headdress, and wore rows and rows of pearls under her chin. Mr George Grossmith was an 18th century dandy; Lord Charles Cavendish came as Sir Walter Raleigh; Lady Laverhy as Lady Hamilton; Lord Birkenhead as a revolutionary; Lady j Wirnborne as the Empress Eugenie in

a dress of black velvet and a tiara; Lord Wimborne as Cardinal Richelieu in red robes. But on the whole the comic or quaint element was most strongly represented. A French count was dressed as an organ-grinder, complete with organ. Lady Carlisle and tier two sisters, the Ruthven twins, were dressed in curious frocks made of white American cloth and had eccentric white masks and mops of white woolly hair. Lady Hastings and Princess Obolensky came as South Sea Islanders in straw skirts and shells. There are no balls so popular as those at which fancy dress is worn, and there have been several very original affairs this season. Miss Hoy tie Wiborg (who came to the Duchess of Sutherland’s ball dressed as a Red Indian) gave an amusing party herself earlier in the season, to which all the guests were asked to come in the dress of tiie nineties, and arrive in hansom cabs.