Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-07-31
New York and Paris Fas hioRs for August.
Freedom In Fashlsns-Fashisns for the
Seoside-Prsmensde and Ball Cos.
tumes-Bathlng Dresses.
From our Fashion OorreepondsntJ

gay watering places. The weather has been
cool ard damp, and city people have been
glad to stay in their comfortable houses.
August may improve the prospect if it should
come out very warm, but am inclined to
think that there is not quite SO much money TO
be spent, as formerly, on the superfiuities, and
that the expensive watering places will have
to suffer.
THE DRKssNAKRRs' HARVEST.
The past few years has been q harvest for
fashionable dressraakers, OF which they have
made the most in putting up prices to almost
prohibitory rates. The mcders s.suits" is a very
complicated affair, and it is not uncommon for
the making TO cost twice and three times as
much az the material. A simple street costume,
which has cost fifteeE dollars or less, will come
up to nifty or more by the time il has left the
dressmakers hands. This may supply only a
required margin for the heavy expenses OF a
large city dressmaking establishment but there
are few ladies who can afford TO draw on their
resources TO that extent for any considerable
length OF time, so the number Of such establish
past two or three years the changes in costumes
have been so great, and SO rapid, that very
many have employed first.rate dressmakers IN
order to obtain models from which they coul1
fashion their own wardrobes. or get their seam.
stress, or less expensive articles, do so for
them. The style of goring, of making two
skirts, OF changing sashes into bows, and
adding bows TO Idniers is now pretty well un.
der TODD, and the fashionable dressmaker finds
her occupation not exactly gone, but less
eagerly sought and paid for.
FREEDOM AND SIMPLICITY.
"Jenkins," to the contrary Notwithstanding
i assert there never was a time when it was
possible to dress fashionabiy with SO much
freedom and simplicity as at present. Sensa.
tion paragraphisfs talk Of false figures and
false faces, CT a thousand dollars spent in
enamelling, as If every woman p-actisei these
arts. and was but painted and bedizined
ia 10 lI,fnr
over the cholera until everybody is supposed
to have II, when the real truth Is that only one
case was reported, and that doubtful whether
II was real cnolera or not. So long as women
can wear PLAIN linen suits, and be ready for
the streets as quickly as man can put on his
hat and coat, there cannot be much fault on
ing upon all women the faults of a fe H. and in
taking II for granted that an extravaganza
committed by one person who can afford it is
repeated by thousand who cannot afford it.
FASHIONS As TaRY ARE.
The truth is, written fashions tell not so
much what is worn as what is not Itis ar
axiom IN fashions that, as soon as a style is
popularity worn, il ceases to BE- fashionable
The aim, therefore, OF the fashion writer is not
so much to tell what is, as that is not, gener-
ally worn. In this way readers OF fashion
magazines and periodicals. are kept in a
paroxysm OF fear and anxiety. The style of
to-day is discarded on paper Tomorrow, al
most, perhaps, before IT has been worn, and
scnbed in glowing terms, aud imagines her
pretty dress cloak or bonnet pdSsee ana out OF
date already.
Practical women, even those who like 10
dress fashionably and who can afford 10 do so,
Are tired of being swayed by such paltry
notions. They do net see why garment that
commences with being pretty tasteful, and
convenient, should not remain 20 as song as II
is desirable TO wear it They discover in them
selves an individuality which can be as we'll
expressed by dressing as they please as in any
other way.
The folly of discarding handsome dresses that
have been once or twice worn, unless they have
been ruined by an accident, Is now very nearly
obsolete In England, the q ueen sets toe excl
lent example OF wearing her dresses until thew
are at least partly worn out; the Princess Of
wales has been heard to remark that she rarely
buys material that will not cut over for the
children: and even Empress Eugene, IN ex.
travagant Paris, appears IN the same costume
at different court balls To cite example here,
two of the most admired suits al a recent
reception were "made over" from dresses OF
ceremony three years old, and in the work
room of a fashionable dressmaker 1 saw the
other day four or five dresses that Were being
remodeled, and TO show their antiquity I will
mention that the modern pd6ier of one was
made out of the old fashioned flowing sleeves,
and lie new coat sleeves cut from the cores
taken out OF the skirt.
ONLY SOMETHING TO WEAR.
With freedom TO wear what we have got we
shall get rid Of the necessity Of obtaining what
we don't want, thus saving the accumulations
Of clothing, that are the bane Of many women's
lives.
secret inspection Of any m odern house would
reveal six or eight closets, and perhaps as
many bureaus and wardrobes, nearly all filled
with clothing OF the female part Of the family
II the nominal master Of the house has a single
drawer or shelf, or corner of q closet reserved
to bis own private use, he thinks himself yery
well on, and does not venture q COMPLAINT
He wonders, TO be sure, wha' the mystery is
ABOUT Womens clothing that they require so
N offo Ia
BRING down upon him such an avalanche of
reasons, and denial, and explanation, th at after
ne has tried II once he is too happy to be al.
lowed to keep quiet for the remainder OF his
life.
FASHIONS FOR COUNTRY WEAR.
All the new dresses In preparation are for
the seaside or for country wear, end are of
plque or muslin for morning, of linen for trav.
cling wear, or of CRANBERRY gauze or silk for
evening nteItalnments. IL Is quite the fash
ION now to wear white suits in travelling, and
II their FRESHNESS can be renewed before they
become too much soiled, they look very pretty
and not out OF place in bright summer weather.
The iprettiest of these travelling dresses are
made of striped white pIque, trimmed with
English embroidered bands put on as ruitles.
and headed with q band of insertion to match
Aualnonal ornaments are not unfrequentIy
and very stylIshly supplied by square bows,
ana clustered loops of blac.. velvet ribbon,
Wnleh are surmOunted on s;if net, and can
therefore be taken of and put ON at pleasure
terent In styles. The Spanish linen is DARK
With greenish tint. The grass linen wears
and washes well and better than the ordinary
linen, which has q smoother surface Ladies',
however, should always have their linen
dresses washed in water IN which has been
boiled IN small bags little hay and pint of
bran. This water strained OF cleanses, stifIens
and makes them each time they are washed
equal to new. The bran without the hay
should be used for all colored cotton dresses.
NO starch Is then required.
most linen and pique suits are made with
IWo SKIRTS and little jackets, baeque or cape.
called ''skeleton basque Is newer than the
round cape. The trimmings CONSIST Of ruf,ies.
somenmes scolloped out open, the npper ana
lower edge always bound, II it IL Rrass linen.
win brown alpaca braid Tins brad is mn 1
suHaoie, however, Tor Spanish linen. A blakk /
better upon IL. A'S~
Some very pretty imported grass linen
dresses are embroidered in colored weols, pur.
pie ana black, or green and black, in q vine
pattefn. They are Intended tor morning wear.
out are accompanied BY little sack, 60 as to
De complete for garden dresses or the morning
promenade. Cambric paftern suits are exten.
81 ively worn, buf they are 20 general and 70
oiten seen as 70 need NO description. A ueW
seaside costume il made OF bun nankeer.
trimmed with guipure lace vf the same color.
ana braces Of baIck velvet ribbon Fastened
WIN equar bows on the Shoulders and termi.
back. Ae
IL would be an endless task to euumera,e all
me varieles OF summer costumes, but the llght
!olIeties OF blue, or bun lawns, may be men.
noneo as among the most succesefol. They are
w af lA0e A~n a.