Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-04-12
QUEEN ALEXANDRA IS
OPPOSED TO
LOW NECKED DRESS

The land of low.necked dresses Ca!so
the land of bad threats and tub lrcu.
lCsts) IS to have a good example OF
ways sensible and comfortable set by
its new and beautiful Queen of Eng.
land, Alexandra. This lovely lady has
announced that "dispensations" will b.
granted to those ladies' who attend
court functions, and for any good rca.
sons do not wish to wear the almost
bodiCeless dress insisted upon by
Queen Victoria.
The late queen was not above her
little vanities. It seems, when Il
young woman, her shoulders and arms
were of singular beauty, and even
when she grew old and dump in figure
her little hands remained so soft and
shapely that they made one forget that
the queen was not pretty or regal
looking woman
Out Of the young queens natural
vanity for her best points grew the
regulation sleeveless and very decol
lete court dress. Many were the pro
tests against it, especially among the
thin and rheumatic old dowagers and
the newly fledged debutantes. But nc
exception was ever made. Health. ag5
and bones all had to give way before
decree. The result was that the ire
proachable Queen Victoria had the
most decollete court of Europe" and
the dress of her daughters was reve
lation to visiting Princes. who have
recorded their amusement land amaze
menD in their notes of travel.
Sweet Alexandra has other ideas
Even at the coronation no one Is to he
uncomfortable or unhappy II she car
prevent It. The coronation bids fail
to be fearful affair, as far as com
fort goes. 1t will he in June and er
mine and velvet Cloaks are to be al
common as Peers.
There Is still much uncertainty. how
ever as to how far the tradition will
be followed. and II the King and Queer
who are practical, kind.hearted anC
very much in touch with the world ant
its ways, can. have their way (which
being King and Queen. they rarel.
cam. the poor Peers won't die of sun
stroke or be smothered by their splen
did robes and the pretty Peeressei
won't have headaches from wearing
their coronets for seventeen hours u
a stretch.
Many women of the smart world dc
not care for low.Cut dresses. Wher
the Empress Eugene set the fashions
Of Europe she frowned upon decollet,
old ladies'. and her mother. Nine. d.
MOntijo. never wore low.cut bodice
The beautiful Countess de Kessler
of Paris, whose shoulders were eXquiS
ltely lovely. did not wear decollete TO
many years. because she had deli
cate chest and preferred caution Il
fashion. Nine. BrOisat. of the Come
dia Franchise. never wore low.Cu
gowns. no matter what the play wa
she appeared in. Nine. Pannetier d,
Melville. Nine. Porges. the Duchess d,
Doudeauville. Nine. Paul Poirson. al
women OF the elegant" world in Paris
seldom appear dCCollete for reason o
health or beauty.
II Is to be hoped that the fashion o
low-necked gowns will never becom
extinct. for many women otherwis
plain have lovely necks and shoulders
and a pretty woman with pretty shou
ders Is more Of delight to the ey
than a beauty with a thick neck o
painfully visible collar bones Never
| theless. the court OF st. James vii
seem strange place when the poor
thin dowagcrs or the shy debutante
come yelled in chiffon instead of bar
neCked and bare armed.