HOOPS IN THE DECORATIVE SCHEME

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 114, 4 August 1927, Page 5

HOOPS IN THE DECORATIVE SCHEME

The other day I met a friend carrying three hoops of different sizes. They were like those that children bowl along the road in winter, but as her children are almost grown-up, I asked the reason for the purchase. The largest hoop, it appears, was for an electric light fitting, the flex for the central light being brought through the rim of the hoop and allowed to hang just in the centre of the circle. The hoop, however, had first to be painted silver and adorned with tassels made of thick crochet silk, knotted under big wooden beads painted lacquer red. The electric bulb was to be enclosed within a spherical shade of crimson silk, with metal ribs that gave it the air of some magic fruit culled from Aladdin’s cave. A simple idea in electric chandeliers but a marvellously effective one! The smaller hoop, which was to be kept in its original brown tone, was intended for the middle of an archway in her double drawing-room. Across the base of the hoop was to be fitted a bar of wood to form the perch for a china parrot. A single tassel in bright green wool would be hung from this ring, the parrot’s colouring being grey, green and scarlet. The third ring was to be fixed in the wardrobe so that cardigans, scarves, knitted jumpers and waistcoats could be slipped through it. This, of course, represents far better treatment for such things than a shoulder-hanger. L. S. More elaborate, but lovely in its own genre, was a jumper suit of black crepe de chine. This had a very novel pleated skirt, stitched in points; while the jumper, piquantly arranged with scalloped tucks, had a white chemisette lightly braided with black-