Over the Tea Gups AT THE TUDOR TEAROOMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 50, 21 May 1927, Page 6

Over the Tea Gups AT THE TUDOR TEAROOMS

There were many hostesses giving delightful little tea parties this morning at the Tudor rooms, which were prettily decorated with bright flowers and warm-tinted foliage. Among the folk we noticed were the following: Mrs. C. F. Thompson, Mrs. V. Casey (Sydney), Mrs. Bruford, Mrs.. Biernacki, Miss Betty Philcox, Mrs. Billy Endean, Miss Stott and many others.

“PERSPIRATION, NOT INSPIRATION ! ” SAYS ELSIE CAULDWELL

“Modern journalism is perspiration, not inspiration,” said Mrs. Elsie Cauldwell, emphatically yesterday afternoon. She was the guest of honour at an afternono given by the Penwomen’s League, and was as a refreshing gusf* of wind in her downright expression of her views on writing in general. After the rather enervating and flabby sentimentalism and slush that is usually connected with “inspired” women writers, it was indeed a treat to hear Mrs. Cauldwell express her sensible view on the subject. Oh, yes, she was quite convinced, of course, that women could make good as writers, and that there exists, particularly in America, unlimited scope for them, but she did stress the fact that the thousand and one meaningless “beautiful” words that women are so fond of stringing together do not by any means make a story. Rather, in Mrs. Cauldwell’s opinion, does a redundancy of adjectives kill a story and certainly prevent it from having any chance of being read by a busy editor. During the afternoon Mrs. Cauldwell gave some interesting and valuable advice to members regarding the best markets for stories and scenarios and the possibilities that are continually opening for original writers. Mrs. Mary Stuart Boyd presented Mrs. Cauldwell with a charming sheaf of cream roses and thanked her for her interesting address.

ST. JUDE’S, AVONDALE

At the annual meeting of St. Jude’s Anglican Church, the following were elected to hold office for the ensuing 12 months: Vicar’s warden, Mr. J. Brookes; people’s warden, Mr. F. H. Walker: vestry, Messrs. Amos, Black, Bollard, Costello, Dawson, and Gifford.

DISTINCTIVE DRESS

FOR LITTLE GIRLS The crispness of freshly tubbed frocks, the rhythm of movement which accompanies full skirts and the lack of self-conscioLisness found with simple dressing—these are three of the principal factors that make children distinctively dressed. The smartest dresses for children are of cotton fabrics which have been woven and dyed for a hard-boiled future in the washtub. Gingham and cambric are practical for playtime frocks. Pure but light colours are most appropriate. Pink is usually the favourite colour of youngsters and is always becoming but pink -covers a multitude of hues and some are much too harsh for little girls. The pure, rather light pink of Killarney roses is the most delectable shade. It is harder to find than the harsh pinks but is enough prettier to justify a little search. A clear opaque blue, light without being pale, is a delightful contrast to pink cheeks. So is blue-lavender. Sunyellow and caramel shades make joyous frocks but orange is far too strong and harsh. A fresh green is equally becoming to blondes and runettes and is the coolest possible colour for summer. Red, dark blue, dark green and brown are practical but wee ones have a lifetime of these colours ahead of them and should therefore be limited to the light tints for at least the first five or six years.

Plain colours are best but fabrics with a white thread woven in with the colour are exceedingly chic. The tiny checked patterns and narrow stripes give an added crispness which is desirable and are especially suited to some children. The tiny motifs found in English prints are charming in the piece but are often disappointing when made into frocks. They are never quite so distingue as the others. The most elegantly and most artistically dressed children wear always the same models. One is the yoke dress. The yoke may extend only an inch below the base of the neck or it may be three inches deep but in either case it extends straight across the front and back and the skirt is attached by means of smocking or gathers. There is always a set-in sleeve which may be short, three-quarters or long. The other model is the smocked frock with raglan sleeves. This, is smocked deeply from the base of the neck out for two or three inches, sometimes in deep points and again in circular fashion with a zigzag edge. These smocked frocks are usually expensive but if the mother who must consider cost has time and will learn to smock she will find it very entertaining. The profitilent smocker requires no pattern. After the material has been prepared in snug even gathers she makes two or three parallel guiding lines with a pencil and is then free to chart whatever course her fancy suggests. The beginner, however, stamps guiding dots on her fabric and works out the selected pattern according to directions.

Two or three threads of the sixstranded embroidery cotton work to the best advantage and white or a different shade of the same colour as the dress is smarter than a medley of hues. Pongee frocks are an exception. Dark blue, dark green and henna in wide intricate bands of smocking on pongee make interesting travel and street frocks for the five-year-old and her elder sisters. The carefully designed frock will have a very narrow, slightly rolling collar that fits snugly around the base of the neck. It is these three details which establish the smartness of the frock: the closeness of the collar to the neck, the natural roll and the width of the collar and cuffs. When these are of white they are most becoming and when made of doubled opaque lawn, linen or lined fine-ribbed pique they are the most successful. These white collars and cuffs furnish a background for hand embroidery which is usually the colour of the frock or a shade or two deeper. A fine row of featherstitching, cable stitch or a double row of stem stitch with small French knots between is decorative. One other signpost of distinction is a deep hem. Five inches is none too wide and hand hemming is far more chic than the machine stitching so practical for the seams.