HASTINGS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 29, 16 July 1892, Page 718

HASTINGS.

Dear Bee, July 2. The second Cinderella dance at Napier will, I expect, be described by your correspondent there. I have also a ball to tell you about. GOWNS WORN AT THE STEEPLECHASE BALL. It is very difficult to decide upon the belle, but nearly everyone agreed that the Misses Lascelles, Tipping, Gertrude Williams, and Lucy Williams divided the honours. As far as the married ladies are concerned, I think it wiser not to say who, in my opinion, looked the best, for there were a great many different opinions on the subject, as so many of them looked very well indeed. Mesdanies Arthur Fulton, Beetham, Vickerman, Ernest Tanner, Ewart, and Carlyon looked immensely well. Mrs J. N. Williams wore the loveliest gown imaginable. It was a pale pink corded silk made with a long train of a soft shade of green silk, high pink silk collar trimmed with green silk, exquisite jewelled trimming on the bodice, tufts of pale pink and green feathers; Miss Williams looked extremely stylish. She wore a lovely white silk gown trimmed with masses of lilies of the valley; Miss Gertrude Williams looked pretty in a rich white silk gown with bunches of white rose buds and green leaves placed at intervals round the bottom of the skirt, and bunches of same on bodice; Mrs Busby (Pourcre) wore black silk; Miss Busby (a debutante) wore an exquisite rich cream satin gown made very elegantly; Mrs Robert Braithwaite wore an old-gold pongee gown trimmed with quantities of good lace; Miss Brathwaite wore a pretty white gown with scarlet poppies; Mrs Price (Takapau), was gowned in black with white flowers ; Mrs Sheath wore a very handsome gown of rich grey satin trimmed with deep crimson chiffon ; a lady, whose name I was unable to find out, wore a black gown trimmed with rose-coloured chiffon; Mrs Tipping looked remarkably well in a pearl-grey silk gown trimmed with black _ velvet ; Miss Tipping, another debutante, looked charming in a pretty white silk gown made with short train and ruchings of the silk round the bottom of the skirt ; the bodice fitted exquisitely and was made with h’ghstandmg stylish little sleeves, pretty lace round neck of bodice. I his was one of the prettiest gowns in the room. Mrs Frank Loughnan (Waipawa) wore a very handsome gown. It was a red and blue brocaded silk with plain silk on bodice, elbow sleeves, long train ; Mrs C. Loughnan wore a very pretty pink gown trimmed with pale blue ; Mrs Norman Beetham (who has just returned from Wellington), looked particularly' well in a lovely amber silk gown covered with amber silk net with a border round the edge, the hodice was prettliy trimmed with embroidered amber chiffon ; Mrs Ernest Tanner, w r ho always looks well, worea very lovely white net gown over white silk, the skirt being covered with lovely butterflies of every colour. They were so pretty’. Bee, and so uncommon. Mrs Tanner carried a very choice bouquet of jonquils and green stalks ; Mrs Harry’ Smith looked as charming as usual in a very becoming black net gown dotted with silver leaves, the bodice was trimmed with silver butterflies ; Mrs Vickerman looked well in a very stylish black net gown made over black silk, black merveilleux bodice trimmed with yellow pompoms, from the-centre of the bodice at the back hung a quantity of yellow streamers right to the bottom of the small train, this had a very pretty effect. The bodice fitted exquisitely and had a iet girdle round the front, peak ; Mrs Arthur Fulton looked charming in an amber silk gown, fitting to perfection her pretty figure; Mrs Fulton’s hair was dressed high, and looked very pretty with its natural waves; Miss Weber was at her best in a white cashmere gown made with hanging sleeves, gold piping adorned the bodice sleeves, the skirt was trimmed with gold passementerie; Mrs Ewart, one of our brides, looked nice in black net over black silk, trimmings of pretty white flowers, white flowers in her hair. White was the prevailing colour at this ball. There were very few black gowns, and not very many coloured ones. Mrs Willie Birch was wearing a very stylish gownof eau de nil net over silk ; Mrs Wenleywore cream; Mrs Allan McLean, black silk; Mrs Mason Chambers, pretty white gow r n with red flowers ; Mrs Cave Brown-Cave, a very stylish white gown trimmed with pale blue ribbon, long chiffon frill round the basque ; Mrs Paul Hunter, lovely heliotrope silk gow n ; Mrs Arthur Carlyon looked exceedingly well in a bright pink silk gown made with a very’ long train, bodice made with very high collar, which was trimmed with very’ lovely green jewelled trimming ; Miss Maud Shaw, handsome black gown, white flowers ; Miss Hilda Moorhouse (Wellington), looked very nice in a chaste white gown, which suited the fair wearer admirably ; Miss Lascelles (Clive), wore a very lovely gown, being composed of deep amber silk most stylishly’ made with long train, not too long, so there was no necessity to hold it up; the skirt had a deep frill of exquisite amber lace round the front, the bodice had a berthe of amber lace, the sleeves being composed of dark yellow-brown plush. Round the basque w’ere folds of the same coloured plush. Miss Lascelles carried a choice bouquet of orchids and maiden hair ferns; Miss Rhodes looked exceedingly well in a white silk gown trimmed with a very pretty shade of blue. Miss Milly Rhodes looked very pretty gowned in black net trimmed with embroidered black chiffon, her fair hair was most becomingly dressed; Miss Locke looked very well in black gown, red flowers; Miss Bly th, in a sweet white gown, was charming; as was also Miss Mildred Nelson (a debutante), in pure white silk, made nearly high, with elbow sleeves; Miss Nelson wore a very handsome gown of srecn spangled net over white satin ; Miss Lucy Williams wore a very striking gown of deep yellow satin with scarlet poppies; Miss St. Hill looked very nice in pale pink gown; Miss Price, white silk; Miss McGowan, pretty white gown, scarlet flowers ; Mrs Fred Williams, handsome amber silk gown, coral necklace; Miss Begg, very handsome white gown trimmed with brocaded yellow satin. I think I have told you about most of the gowns, it is hard to remember every’ one. The gentlemen, who attended the ball, were Messrs Sanderson, Morris, White, Dick White, McLean, Stuart, Bridge, Harold Russell, J. Studholme, Vickcrman, Frank Nelson, Bruce, Harry Smith, M. Nelson, G. Nelson, J. A. Fraser, Loughnan, Ewart, Williams, M. Fenwicke, F. Rhodes, Wenley, Dr. Linncy, M. Chambers, W. Fawkncr, Robison, Ross, Beetham, H. B. Williams, Sheath, Biddles, Guy’, Cooper, Gardiner, and nthers. Dolly.