Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 29 May 1926, page 5


WOMAN'S REALM.

LONDON GOSSIP.

With the recovery of Princess Victoria from her serious illness, end the depar-<*> ture of the Prince of Wales to recuperate at Sandwich Bay before leaving for

Biarritz, the KLug and Queen were free to move the Court to Windsor, as wu their original intention before 6icknesc seized on these two members of the Royal' family. The nation feel relieved, as more sadness and mourning would have been a great disaster just now; beside* no one wished any further sorrow for the King, who has always been devoted to his sistera. So all is brighter now, with a happier outlook. People are crowding back to town, and daily we Lear of gayer and more brilliant fixtures for the coming summer. All we want and hope for is fine weather. The fancy of many people who "do" the season now that motor cars arc co extremely expedi* tiou? is to lire out of town aud rent a house in the vicinity of Roehampton, Kingston, Bushcy, and the like places, where they can so easily return home ■after gaieties aud sleep in the pure fresh air of country eurroundings, aud where the ■ glory of a garden in May and June im not deuied them. I have every eynv patby with them, and have always thought

it a shame to spend those two ndurao.e months when Nature is at its peerless hfiet in a town, no matter where. Thi« year, when we are to have some 25.000 Americans in London, bouses within an easy radius are letting like hot cakes. People are gladly letting their town houses for comfortable suras, and moving themselves to quarters further afield. FASHIONS, EVER NEW. All we Londoners find the journey to Paris too easy and so quick these days that a visit there is looked upon as mere-ly that of a few hours each way, and the rest of a week-end in seeing what novelties are in store for us. I, in com-mon with hundreds, have just made the trip, and I am telling all my London friends about the novelties I encountered, and incidentally you, of my friends, down under. I think my Parisienne sisters have gone back to the schoolroom again. not for educational purposes of course, but I did notice deportment was a lead-ing feature, and this is borrowed from the schoolroom, for the idea of walking and standing properly, as taught by our governesses, has come back as a craze, and all French women think more of de-portment than pretty faces even. They argue, lovely clothes can't look chic on a bad figure, and I think they are right, and that we English could easily borrow some good ideas from them. So I inter-ested myself in finding out all I could, and I was initiated into the art of walking round my bedroom, before taking my bath, with a book balanced on my head just as I did at the tender age of 12, I remember! This was followed with a series of contortions between two chairs and I was shown how a well-bred young lady bows and gracefully steps out of her carriage! Early Victorian training, every bit of it. Elegance above all things. How will it go with jazz? Not too well, I fancy. Anyway, it will help a lot in general attractiveness of movement —of that I am sure. Clothes naturally are a magnet, and the shops were packed. Easccrtir.ic always brings forth new garments, and what I liked best of all were the neat, smartly tailored black coats and skirts, with which you wore a natty iumpfr of boifl rose crepe de Chino with frilly collar and cuffs, which you pull over the coat collar and turn back on rour cuffs with such a sweet softening offrct. Its an old style, but so eminent!/ pleasing that one takes to these tilings at once. I really should not'be surprised to see a return of the blouse, as the jnmoors are getting shorter.' For small fijpres and •hort weavers they are perhaps more becoming. Quaint combs rather like Russian headdresses arc worn l>y soin? young girls—they may hi jewelled as the fancy dictates, and are a little bit tin foreign* looking for my taste, but arc new al any rate. Fur on white satin frocks was very delightful, and the Paiis designerg are very keen on this. IMie nale tinted fur is chosen generally, end has a particularly soft appearance. Fur is to figure on all ephemeral materials this summer, and with marabout v.'i'l make many a flimsy coat look most exclusive. NOT ONLY IN PARIS. ■ I would remind you that this last fuahiou of ethereal coats is not only a Paris one —London ia exploiting it for a!l its worth, and using lace in all shades for them, generally matching the frocks, of course, but giving a very sni&rt appearance withal. The great note to remember in tho world of" drcsa is thai everything sha'l match. You must not wear a Jol of shades, and coloured hats are smartest when worn with black coats or costumes. London shops ire also showing the palest champagne coloured crocodile shoes, a shade which is to be woru with summery frocks. This tint is to be the most fashionable one this summer. Delicate shades for shoot are to supersede all others—expensive aud extravagant, I have no doubt, Jnit very chic at the. same time, and stockings of superlative silk roust match. Though there has been such a lot of talk ibout the revival of black si'k stockings and black shoes, the idea doesn't seem to have caught on, and 80 far I haven't teen any about. MORE SMOKERS. These arc bright, cheerful days for tobacconists, as the sale of tobacco ha* increased by leaps and bound?, owing chiefly, it is said, to the ever-incrcisin^ army of women smokers. Ido not know tho exact returns, but the general opinion is that S per cent, advance on the previous 12 months can be accounted for easily the last year or two. I think it would be a good move to open a cobac conist's shop somewhere. The way fashions carry all before them is simply amazing and how people's ideas and opinions change wibh them, too, is extraordinary. Only just lately I was Bitting in the lounge of a fashionable hotel. p.nd a very sober looking parson and an equally sober looking wife walked in and sat near me. I was-thinking what a very proper looking couple tbev were to be in such an hotel, renowne.l for its festivity and general worldliness, when to my utter surprise the lady calmy brought

one of a. very sober looking \-;a.ity bag. a silver cigarette case, and q'lmtiy lit a cigarette from a silver matchbox ! She offered ono to her spouse who quickly accepted it and lit up also ! Now, I don't moan to insinuate there wis anything in the least wrong about it, but it only taught me how times have changed. I only wi?h more Church of England clergymen were as broad niindv'; it .vould help to fill their empty chur>:hc&. anil make religion more popular, if I m.\v use such a twin. 'Hie narrow irgotxY <>t some, a good, many I may say, lias ;>b-Bolutely driven people from assuming any semblance of religion—indeed tho majority of up-to-date people fee from the " cloth !" Their" doctrines me wot human. Recently I attended a wedding ab a regifltry office, because the clergyman refused to marry the eoupl-j at a. church, as the bridegroom had not been baptised: It wan, of coin-He, an abominable thing, and very few clergymen would have refused. The bride and her family were old residents in the district and they were furious about it, and took particular care not to invite " any of the vicarage lot" to the weddine. To my certain knowkdge such quofctioiii; are rarely even asked, and •when yAu come to think of -the thousands of couple* married year'y in churche? it prove-, that being respectably married certii'nly comes before the fact of whether people oro christened. Thousands are, and thousands are not ; and those not mornlly strong, ami of the lower chuwer,, nrisrht easi'y think it would not maUi-r to go without the marriage ceremony altogether. • . THE COMIXG CRICKET HEROLS. Every day some new entertiinmcnt is being advertised in the papers for the Australian cricket team. Certaii-.ly unver before have there been go many, and our cousins from down under are evidently going to have the time of their lives in the Old Country. Pictures already have reached ug of their doings and .r^htseeings in Egypt and Ita'y, rushing visits to wonderful places, but still it in pood to think they hav e snatched tho time to see these marvels of th<? universe. Other visitors from down under whom we aro giving a very cordial welcome to is tWe Australian Women's Highland Pipe Hand. They are a picturesque company. an«: led by their one man, the drum major William Darwin, created a most favourable impression when they landed nt Southampton. They arc to take pan io the Anzac Day celebrations, and are li«?re for six months, giving their servi-.vs 'n the cause of charity. Inm looking forward to attending their concerts, as Auy are appearing in the provinces as woil us London. THE SLANG CRAZE. There has been much controversy going on lately over the merits and demerits of the modern girl, and though I am perfectly well aware many—not r.ll. by a long way—but many, arc very ex'aeihc in their^ expressions, I do not think " Miss 1026." quite denervos all the imiciitri filings hurled at her head, and it i« wry ridiculous to judge the majority by tho few. There are seta who pose as be;n(« ultrasmart and using slang in cvei-v ooisibl-1 way it can be brought in ; t,i?y have their following and there's v kind of mutual admiration society cf v/hic'i they are all members, oacii raving over the exceptional Ability and wonderful attraction of the other. I know them, and their vocabulary it* certainly not the most arresting point about them. I've h<*ard them talking, about parties ad being composed ot "stinking people, my dear," and eomotimes they will tell you about a man who, in their opinion, is "'the biggest rotter unhung"—another as a "'priceless old beau." Every and all things tan be "positively putrid," and they haw a way of giving very unreal and unsuitable distinguishing adjectives about things, and W?U call a dog or a now frock "lippmgiy divine." It's a crazo of the moment nnd exists, but really at heart these very girls are far better and nicer than they make themselves out to be. Then there ara thousands of others, sweet, charming on* affected girls, who axe often extremelypretty without the fashionable make-up, yet smart enough to satisfy the mo«t fastidious male, and brimming over with life and fun. I certainly do think with the others it's often the fault of being spoilt in their youth by over-indulgent parents, whose delight in their children often blinds their keenest susceptibilities. A fashionable school will often teach girla to assume the "knowing everything" air, which may amuse their parents, but not the rest of the' world; then when they leave school and enter the worid ot society they run right away from par en tal control, to the grief, very often, of really devoted parents, who might hava nipped the tendency in the bud with tho Victorian teaching that "children should be seen and not heard"! Then very often these up-to-date young slangy ladies are thought so clever by mothers who possibly *re far from brainy themselves, and consider their daughters very smart. Anyway if these things • are merely

fashion's habits tluv w:i'. la.lo as •>ui UUj do, and tliore aro very tow who •-tally continue to livo the stupid shallow ;.>xi?tence after a time. I've known lots of fashionable girls who dropped all their fiide when human nature knocked at the door of their hcarr. The world is made up of all sorts of men and women, not all bad and not all good; nice and nasty will mingle togothci- ua it cm tinned to go round, and iu'Vit will tho nru-'y of human* lone ite wonderful interest for man, which embodies woiimu. i; .i wondarful animal—no two uliko, in *;nt«; o! all they may do tj copy oik> ann-Jur. ANOTHEU (TRAZ::. As I'm on thi 1 «ji;bji>ct ot '.-ia/.t>3 \ ui.iy ua well mention the ?udd:M i.niv:.: of enormous jewellery. It w«k only a few weeks r.go that we wore all informed the choker pearl mv-klucc bolougj-l to a demode and paist vogue, when 1> ! the fashion has rotuincJ in d:>uh!c lorco. Thm is to say the voVy big pearl Ik';vl* round the neck are back again, of two different shades, the tinted cne* being (lie most fashionable. I wa?j nt a very wnart Hunt Ball—l think I mentioned tin? fact that I wns attending it—and two very notnbte twin sitftciis were there who are everywhere in tho x'inurUtst London set. ' The daughter* of the Master of Kuthven, a Scottish Baron--they are quito youti^, and have only been out a season or so. I have hoard them r;ived ab.Mit ip the lovely '*][ore-Ruthvon g:rl«.*' They were frocked exactly alike in knee-deep drosses of warm ni/ht blue g.wgutii1. witli pctailcd effect, and had hip gin]Km f?: big blue stone* as lar^«? an ijig.vin.s' ejrgs with a l>?n^ ta?.*el falling in t'roi.t. and both wore a double roy jwkl.ic: <\. two shades of pearls, pah? p%ey and p.Vu? pink, very largo beads, and had :lit neelcd silver tissue shoes and stocking of tho^ exact silver shade to match. They ar«~ vry dark, and both wear their hair shingled in exactly the Bnme stylo and I should suy their partners mu>t have, been very puzzled to know -.vhu-'.i was which. Personally, I did not think them pretty, though both aro uitia-,mart with very good slim figures, were irood dancers, had plenty to say, and were most ' vivacious with a crowd of youn_' raoa and pink-coated fox-hunters round them! These twins represented the last word in up-to-date girlhood, and tho soc:et-.- papers aro never tired of r-.vtolliug t.hfu- charm. With regard to the new jewe1 .-', huge diamond and jewelled broodies, almost as big as small saucers, ar.? the latest, and bracelets reach some eijdit or nin* i.iches up the arm. One gill blazerl i>- in wriht to elbow almost with l!at broad l>ia"<> lot?. Then we a.re having si!> i big hat ornaments, too, really jewelled ju?t as one might wear Ihwn at nig'it. and gleaminfr and glittering in :i wonderful "way. So we arc to sparkle by 'day as well as night to b? aet'otmt-'d ''irst in fashion's van. Large sized pattcv.is on

sMivmcr materials aiv unolhoc ■.•!••. , ..ud this .should be entertained voiy iMiv.'ully. fir no small woman should da.« ro ivonc a big patterned maieria!, os it u>.'\ ■ 'idi* culoug. Some nre really .•?>.? ni,ng though. Those tumbling .vbo;:! >ose« leaved rosos which sprawl ad r.-.-.- l.ho new rliift'oll? in palest pastel <ti,; \.-, I love, anil one of yink. roses cm t.!i-. -aiest apple green ground was i|iiit..v 'ii>?'i i ttin,{ anil was mads up ove-r an npp'e „—cen foundation, altogether the gwwt'.'i: spring garment any o;io could desire. THK ETIGGEST WARDROUK. There was a most amusing •tr-jmiont at a cosy dinner party of jkvhich your huinitlo servant, was a member ouiy vos« torday as to which we'l-knowi: women possessed the largest wardv,!;* l>dajr. We talk of extravagance and vv\ it, and I am glad for the *al:o ot v.iy countrywomen's reputation that :1k jboicfe fell on an Argentine ! H hwhh :!ic mini who asked us the riddle h.-ul mad,., thd subject a study with the 'help >>f po'veral lady friends in London and :ir. Afun't?.. Why ho was so interested in t!u- i.uinbor of any one's gowns, I don't Unow. bui perchance lie was one of the ;<il■? vich who are bored.with cross p.xx.'ij. and the like. At any rate he was .rUeivsting, and he told us, after careful investigation, Mmc de Bitteneourt, wife of ->v Cnilmn Minister at the Court of St. James'?, was the winner. She is a wcll-knovti' fijiuvo in London society, and has two lK'a.tiful dark-eyed daughters, * both niriirii't to Knglishmen. It s.ems she owns th.- aier« bagatelle of three hundred go\vn«, fioduu model*", and chic creations ! lS;i<:h on« i« numbered and entered in a boo!; with every detail to accompany it. It is, of course, absurd, as n<> one <• jiuc* po> sibly wear all these clothes, and sh?.> had, I \v_a? told, several maidd to look attcr her enormous belongings. SouTST'Anieri* cans miwt indeed be wealthy to be able to afford such an outfit. I suppose (she sel's off 'two or three times r year, otherwise where i? the world locs she keep her things ? It mtist be h 7it of a toil to be always buying, too. TO VISIT AUSTRALIA. Do you know it is more than likely yotl may have a visit from tho Duke 0/ Y«?rk and hig 6wect little Duchws next year ! The Federal Government has invited one of the King's sons to visit you down >inJer, to perform the oflicial opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Parliament- 'it the new capital, Canberra. As ,v<>( King George has not dec:ded which it shall be, but I liear it i« more than likely tho choice will fall on the Duke of York. There i.s no doubt, lam told, that ohould the Duke be aopointed all the Ausivaliaiii in London will be delighted, lie .'* such a nice boy. T feel it i? the <m!y truthful way of describing him, ami you all know what I think of tho Duchess and how w« all love her here. We all know tin: Duke

DIANA.

is very,. very anxious to visit the Domin-ions and on more than one occasion when the Prince of Wales was on his world tours expressed his envy of his elder brother, for is his life's wish to travel all over his father's great Empire, and if they do both visit you I feel cer-tain you will very soon think as we do about them. Apart from all these per-sonnel and sentimental reasons. the Duke of York has the qualifications for such work, and can discharge these official duties with dignity and grace. I know, for I have met him on more than one oc-casion. When he has represented the King on the Continent before now he won golden opinions, and was thanked by his Majesty and the Prime Minister for his evident diplomacy, a very important ingredient in the composition of a Royal Prince who is nothing if not tactful in studying the feelings and wishes of the people. You will notice, if the Duke visits you and you hear him speak in public, that every now and then he stops as though it might be he had lost his place,, as if he were reading his speech. This is not the reason, but the outcome of ner-vousness which always made him stammer

slightly on such momentous occasions. Of late years the Duke has quite conquered this, but he occasionally stops from the same cause, but goes on again quite even-ly. The Duchess, on the occasions I have seen them together, looks so sympathetic-ally at him, which seems to put all things, right. I have noticed this several times and, s0 that you may understand, I thought I would explain to you the reason. "MR. PEPYS." One oi the mo«tl faccinatrnK play* m London to?day ia "Mr. Pep-vs." The story of the famous dlariut bring* in tlte hktorie character? of Nell Gwynnc and Charles *ir Wa English dearly Love historical playsand. film*, and tki« Is quite one of the best produced since'the we4l-kno>m actor, Fre<f Terry. tf>^k all Loudon by storm witn "Sweet Xell of Old Dcury." Ot e«uw?.. the great little man Pepys figures largely ia the ploy, and the beautiful old world costume* ami wonderfully quaint aettiuj? charm the amiiencc. Everything is taken from the renl lto;i«es and room? still in existence, ajul Xell Gwjnne's dresses are minutely copied, from. Lel'y'd celebrated puiuting o£ the fnmou« Xell in the National Portrait Galkry.