| Alison Mary Hore-Ruthven | |
| Birth Name: | Alison Mary Hore-Ruthven |
| Birth Date: | (12 June 1901) |
| Nationality: | English |
| Other Names: | Hon. Alison Mary Barran |
| Occupation: | socialite |
| Known For: | Ralli Twins |
| Father: | Walter Hore-Ruthven, 10th Lord Ruthven of Freeland |
| Mother: | Mary Ruthven, Lady Ruthven of Freeland |
| Relatives: | Bridget Monckton, 11th Lady Ruthven of Freeland (sister) Margaret Leslie Hore-Ruthven (sister) |
Alison Mary Hore-Ruthven, Lady Barran (1901–1974) was one of the Ruthven Twins, or Ralli Twins, a pair of Bright Young Things scandalizing society for their antics.
Alison Mary Hore-Ruthven was the daughter of Walter Hore-Ruthven, 10th Lord Ruthven of Freeland and Mary Ruthven, Lady Ruthven of Freeland.[1]
As a young woman, Alison and her twin sister Margaret Leslie Hore-Ruthven, nicknamed "Peggy", were among the founders of the unofficial society of the Bright Young People and were dubbed by newspapers the "Ralli Twins" and by society as "A&P".[2] They used to dress-alike and were basically identical. They were used to scandalize society, like when, at the coming-of-age party for Loel Guinness, went with very short, close-fitting silver dresses.[3]
Both sisters modelled for a dress-making establishment. They were among the firsts in society to wear the low-heeled slippers making them fashionable. Under the name of Ralli Twins, they had a career dancing on stage, but family pressure had them renounce to this venture.[4]
According to Cecil Beaton, in his The Book of Beauty: "The Ruthven Twins are the most striking pair, always identically dressed; even to the brass necklace, they are indistinguishable from one another. Richly carved with large full mouths, high cheek bones, and knobbly noses, they are as decorative as a pair of Assyrian rams. They are Byzantine goddess, dressed like fairies in a circus design by Picasso, with their dark locks tied with little tinsel bows, their spangled ballet-skirts, and low-heeled shoes."[5]
In 1928 Alison Mary Hore-Ruthven married Commander Sir John Leighton Barran, 3rd Baronet.