THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2571, 4 August 1909, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

ROYAL ASCOT. SCENE OF SPLENDOUR ON THE LAWN. (From the “Sheffield Telegraph/’) A representative of the “Sheffield Telegraph” gives the folloAving descyription of Ascot Day in his paper:— Soon after, mid-day the parties from the houses in the neighborhood and most of the motoring people had appeared, the latter’s road garb changed for the fullest finery, and in half-an-hour’s parade before the arrival of the Royal procession, all the fashions of the moment and most of next month’s were displayed. And uoav permit a fuller description of a magnificent sight. The men, begging Lord Robert’s pardon for the quotation, were, as always, splendid. Though the frock coat Avas generally abandoned, the suits were black and faultless, and few (-.bowed really light ties or waistcoats. The .Englishman’s figure remains a peculiar national glory. The Englishwoman's figure changes, and this summer the change is all to the good. A few French Avomen still affected the sheath gcAvn of cloth, and as they hobbled along, shackled at tho knees, cut a poor appearance a'gainst the tall British dames who wo.ro uoav free again to step Avith natural grace. MODES OF THE MOMENT. Hoav describe those toilettes? It AA'ere best to say that they Avero cut to give grace and freedom of movement, and in both color and design nothing glaring or daring could be seen. From .high, but not ruffled necks, the fashionable goAvn Avas designed to fit tigh+lv to a high waist. sleeA r es and shoulders being also simple and close-fitting. From the Avaist the soft material fell straight in front to the ground, and at the back stretched in an unbroken line to a more than rudimentary .train. One ssav of course, much white, a good deal of striking dresses in black Avorn by tall, graceful - women, and the tussore silks in all their ochre tints AA'ere conspicuous, especially in mantles. But the color of the year is light blue, Avith bright pink a good second. These colors set in a background of black and Avhite gaA’e the note to Ascot. CONCERNING HATS.

Hats are no smaller, hut only one or two beehives could be seen Avom by young girls, and not overloaded Avith floAA'ers. Some tall women wore tho •: felt or straAV hat buckled up at tho side, pilgrim-wise, and without feathers. The vast majority were vast structures, close in style to last year’s creations, only a little, higher in the crown, and less fiat-brimmed. Flowers AA'e-re feAV, the general decoration being big-tinted ostrich or bird of paradise plumes over tho crowns. Perhaps because of the Queen’s presence osprey feathers AA’ere hardly ever to be seen. On one or tAVO hats the pretty fashion of wearing lace Avas revived. One or two young faces looked out of coal-scuttle bonnets, but the freak hat, with the high crown and a squint rim hiding one eye, shoAA-cd the beehive’s banishment. Eccentricities Avcre less seen in hats than in dress, and OA’cn these Avero feAV. Costumes AA'ere carried out in AA’hole color, or in closely harmonising tints. Flowered muslins and painted silks were verv rare, and only one strongly striped dress could bo noted. The tAvo or three Avomen Avho came in the apparently forbidden color—green .—shared a conspicuous solitude Avith the green A'elvct-clad keepers of the Royal lawn. Those Avho broke away from their sisters did not do so in color, but in skirts. Several knotted them or tied them in a lioav just at tho top. j)f the train, and some feAV, recalling the style of the eighties or more, still carried the skirt tight and smooth over tho hips; and then, having 'pursued a Dircctoire policy so far. put in tAA'o horizontal tucks beloiv Avhich superabundance succeeded dearth, and the material expanded in scores of rippling pleats. It Avas old and quaint, but to unaccustomed eyes had little charm.

THE TIME-HONORED , RECESSION. One o’clock the course is cleared, and a glint of rod shows at the furthest crest of the New Mile. Down the long strait way the procession jogs, and as it reaches the stands a full cheer rises on all sides, and the ring ripples-with waving hats. In another moment King Edward is passing down, hat in hand, to the crowd of fashion on the lawns. On the turf the hoofs of the Windsor bays are noiseless, and their harness gives ' a clear musical note as they pass. In another minute the Royal Standard is broken out atop of the King’s stand, the gorgeous and solemn Indian~orderlies vanish inside, and the “■Royal party appear on the balcony. The King wears a frock coat of Oxford grey, almost black, a broad black fio and lavender gloves, Ilis button bole is a pink carnation, and lie has abandoned the white hat ior an. ordinarisilk one. Indeed, only one gentleman on the stand wears that old-time racing headgear. ROYAL GOWNS AND HATS.

The Queen looks well, anil talks very animatedly to Lady Jjondonderry, a magnificently dressed tall woman, m brown grey, with a great black hat. Her Majesty’s own hat is larger than usual, and is the name tint as her dress —a bine, with just a trace of mauve in it. ... , The Princess of Wales wears a toilette of strong pure blue, and only on one or two elderly ladies in the Royal lawn is the one all-conquering mauve, to be seen at all. Two ladies in the immediate entourage are in red of terracotta shade. How the races went another writer must tell. Hero it can only be said that the sport was good all through, that tlio overcrowded ring and roared like an inferno or the Kaffir Circus, that the King showed lively interest, and walked briskly down the steps between the events to talk to his friends on the lawn, that all the grand dresses were displayed again to the close gaze of the proletariat when fair wearers walked to lunch in the flowershrouded tents sot up by the various clubs, that many dainty symphonies in shoes and hose could he. seen, and—most important of all —that the thunderstorm which threatened after the Coventry Stakes were run kept off till the end of the day.