SILK, SATIN & SCANDALS

In which your intrepid reporter fills you in on the most salacious and beautiful, glittering gossip in Gotham.

Continuing the saga of the last few months, namely the invasion of New York by Count Le Monte, I attended an event at the Waldorf-Astoria last weekend. It drew the most interesting fashions from Paris, along with the usual scoundrel or two. Dancing with more partners than this observer could count, Count Le Monte was dashing and daring with his entries and whispers. I was lucky enough to snag a dance of my own and quite taken with his fancy moves and oh so charming cologne. Vanilla, perhaps? But the real talk of the gala was Evalyn Walsh McLean, on the arm of her husband, sporting diamonds the size of eggs. Rumor has it that she has her eye on the Hope Diamond currently being seen by interested parties in Cartier’s delectable shop, which resembles the perfect petits fours served at the Waldorf.

No stranger to the world of jewels or high fashion, I’ve seen my share of pretty baubles, but Mrs. McLean’s outshone everyone’s there. The newest, a diamond sautoir, was a wedding gift from her husband purchased from Pierre Cartier, whose fourth-floor store on Fifth Avenue is a veritable Tower of Jewels.

So to the real gossip: the ongoing divorce trial of Mrs. Penny Oakdale. The troops were out, and the courtroom gallery was full. Count Le Monte sat in the second row, throughout the afternoon. His pearl-gray morning coat from Savile Row pressed and fresh. The crease in his pants could have cut bread.

He waits to be called, as do we all, wondering just how far the attorney will go and how ugly this will get. But to date we are still being subjected to boring character witnesses for Mr. Oakdale.

We did spot some jewels and fashions worth noting. Mrs. Van Rensselaer is sporting a large diamond solitaire on her ring finger that she recently inherited from her mother-in-law. The firm of Tiffany & Co. the supplier. Mrs. Smythson was wearing an afternoon frock of green satin and black trim from Worth in Paris. And Mrs. Alstead was wearing shoes with the most unusual heel—at least two inches high.