Mundane Musings

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 281, 17 February 1928, Page 4

Mundane Musings

Heroine a la Mode While the lean years are upon us, I suppose it is no good hoping to meet any heroine who is pleasantly plump. Generally speaking, the woman upon whom everything turns, is either boyish of elf-like. Certainly the younger generation of. novelists, at any rate, have decided that no heroine a la mode is to have one spare ounce of flesh on her bones. There’s another point also, which seems to call for comment. It has always been a tradition that vamps should be dark. At the moment, however, they are fair, and blue of eye. Which opens up the question whether the adventuresses of history were dark or blonde. Helen, who caused so much gossip round Troy, had light hair, but Cleopatra was possessed of raven locks. On the whole it appears that the Scarlet Lady of olden days has become in modern writing, the damsel who is pale pink or slightly mauve. This is a pity, because a villainess is bound to be in the centre of all the happenings, and it is better that she should be dark, for when large blondes get excited, it is apt to make their faces red. And speaking of faces, the old style of good looks is at a decided discount now. The very latest fashion in novels is for the heroine to own an uncompromisingly big mouth. Here is an example from the pen of a much esteemed woman writer “She had a small, inquisitive face, with a thin, waving mouth, too wide for it.” Then the heroine of a highlyexciting mystery yarn has a mouth “far too large for beauty!” While even in a noted best-seller we find this—- “ Her mouth, although too large . . The rosebud, evidently, is dead out of fashion. It seems indeed, as if the interest formerly concentrated on faces has been transferred to the lower extremities. Which is, perhaps, not so very surprising, is view of the fact that we live in an age when the knee has quite definitely entered Society. Still, even allowing for that tendency, the following extract is sufficient to make one imagine that the heroine was all legs, so to speak. “Lorna’s legs, visible from the knee down, were exquisite—two shining poems in silk. Round, light, tapering, and expressive— far more expressive than her face. She contemplated, with obvious complacence, her lovely legs. Lorna must have liked those legs . . .” Turning from the physical attributes of heroines to their behaviour, there is abundant food for thought. • Is it prudish to lament because the modern heroine makes all the running herself? Why must she do it? If only we could occasionally come across a girl who hangs back a little—as did the heroines of former days. Such a state of affairs, though, is far enough off the present. I have just read-a book with a most extraordinary heroine, who lends point to my complaint that the up-to-to-the-minute fiction lady doesn’t wait to be asked . . . Cecil believed that she had “cast out fear of the conventions, and that she dared anything.” Therefore she proposes insistently to the man she loves . . . Conversations such as this lend piquancy to the story: “Are you—are you proposing to me?” “I am proposing to you.” “Well!” In utter chagrim Cecil contemplated the tips of her golden shoes. “I must say that it’s the first time any man ever got ahead of me like that.” Almost enough, isn’t it? to make one long for a return to the Victorian type. Will not one of our novelists picture a personality such as was displayed by the up-country teacher in Manila who, in her entertaining un-British English sent this charming letter of resignation to the director* of Education: “Dear Si”*—l have the honour to resignations my works are many and my salary few. Besides, which, my supervising teacher makes many loving to me, to which I only reply—“Oh, not, Oh not!” Yours very respectfully, “JOSEFINA” A WORD ABOUT THE HANDBAG A bag to match every costume is the latest Parisian vogue. With afternoon gowns the long envelope shape is the most favoured carired out in moire silk the same shade as the frock and trimmed with either hand embroidery or silver beads. Chain purses are also popular for formal wear, one particularly attractive bag having a plain gold mount and j an irridescent mesh. For evening wear very elaborate bags are carried, gold or silver galon and French hand-made flowers forming the trimming. YOUR SHOES MUST MATCH YOUR FROCK Shoes dyed to match milady's gown will be much in evidence this year. Pola Negri’s lavish wardrobe for “The Woman on Trial,” her latest Paramount picture, includes a pair of shoes to match every article of dress, from negligee to formal evening gowns. Miss Negri even has the jewelled buckles on her evening shoes set with gems of the same shade as her frock.