Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-04-29
tFroa our Special Correspondent
fashions FOR MAY,
Eas'er-Its Flowers, Festivities and Co.'S
tumes-TheL Long and the Short Of Walking
Dresses-Facts About Mourning, and Odds
and Ends Of Everything

Dresses-Facts About Mourning, and Odds
and Ends Of Everything.
tErening Star NelO Fork Fashion L.ttsr.I
RASTER FLOWERS.
Easter brings US every year more OF luxury
and Lent less of sackcloth and ashes. The
churches upon Easter Sunday were huge con-
seryatories OF the Tsrest flowers, and the over
towering fragrance, mingling with the mag
nfcent choral strai which rose from white
rohed chOristers, constituted altogether very
fair semblaDce of the heaven we read about
At Easter, window gardening, and sidewalk
gardening also, begins to flourish on a grand
scale. The stands and Indian jars in recesses
and alcoves blossom out into wonderful lowell
ness; the florists occupy whole blocks with
plants in pots, with hanging baskets, and fresh
bulbs of tuberoses and gladiolas ready for plant
ing Women and children meet you at every
corner OF the street with open baskets, contain
ing little pots of daisies, violets, mignionette,
geraniums and helOtrOpe, from twenty-five to
fifty cents each; and IL you are young and
pretty. or singer, or any other sufficiently dis
tinguished and exceptionally attractive person,
you will receive Easter offerings of gorgeous
baskets, or magnificent crosses, mounted with
red and white carnation, from your worship
pers, for in no city in the world are flowers so
properly and luxuriously distributed as in this
much.abused city of New York.
EASTER FESTIVITIES.
There is not much real observance OF Lent
except in the way of eating occasional dishes of
fsh. and eggs instead OF meat, but there is a
general putting off of feasts, and festivals, con-
certs and christenings, until the nominal DAYS
OF fasting are over and the Accommodations OF
these pleasant events In addition TO the special
gayeties OF the season renders Easter lively aud
even brilliant, especially when, to the social
attractions, is added the beauty OF a tabled and
poetic spring.
The annual reception OF the Academy of
Design, which occurs about the middle of ApTil
notable event. IN
the very cream Of the great estates, art Iitera-
ture and finances. Year after year you meet
the same one hundred people OF which the pop
ulation is composed, for, census-takers to the
contrary notwithstanding, there are only one
hundred people in New York, and they reappsar
like Walt Whitman after you had suppose 4 Them
dead and buried. The ladies do not wear fII
dress, however, at these semi-publc receptions
as they did formerly, unless they happen to take
them on their way TO some more ceremonious
entertainment, much to the chagrin of the nice
old chatelaine who assists such ladies to remove
tn, IL wrappings, post she has occupied for the
at dozen years, and who bewails the degenera-
cy OF the times, and the loose state OF society
which allows lady TO wear a short dress in the
evening. Three-fourJhs of the ladies' in fact
wore short spring costumes and new straw bon
nets OF the Gypsey shape, trimmed with flowers
and grasses, mingled with lace, or long ends of
gros grain ribbon.
There are a few pictures in the Academy this
year which represent quite n new school of
painting, a school which employs modern neU-
trail tiEts, and relies upon clearness character
gorgeous cOlOring. There are the usual numbsr
of portraits of solemn, commonplace men, and
over dressed, blank-taced women; but there Is
an ideal head of Jesus. by VIM. Page Whtch !
worthy Of study, although il has been severely
criticised; and group OF sleeping puppieS,
BILE.
The annual reception of the Seventh Raai
ment took place at the Academy OF Music 90
the same night as the opening of the Academy
Of Design, and was one Ui the most bril!iaHs
successful Inv &c
zstion. There were many very beautiful women
present, and the tOilettes were remarkable tor
freshness well as elegance.
Tie prettIest dresses worn by Young ladies
were Of tulle, adorned with natural flowers
which are now supplied by florists, with stem.
inserted IN an invisible tube, which keeps them
fresh; but there were others, less fraiI ana
almost as much admired. OF Brussels ne.
trimmed with black over white lace, black vel
vet aud pink Tos es. The velvet for the neck =
may he remarked en- pdSscnt, is still worn brcal
quite long, and knOtted IN the middle of the
back. The pendant is SelCR to ii, to keen il IN
place, when it is not attached to a necklace
Among the dresses which attracted much atte1I-
ton was one of white satin duchssse with an i'm
mensely long train, cut out in squares and
filled IN with plaitings Of illusion. The 10 ~
bodice was draped with folds OF Illusion and 4
wide scarf of the same fell over the skirt, AMI
was caught together with branch of roses ana
scotch heather, which extended as a garland 10
the left shoulder.
Another was made In two shades of peach bios
som silk, and consisted Of q trained skirt the
nouDce turned back In reUers ofthe darker shade
from cascades Of Nallenciennes lace and Louis
QuatOrze coat, with cuffs, and Terers upon the
lapels arranged TO MATCH the face was headed
with soft ruchings in both shades Of the silk
third was OF white French muslin, trimmed with
wide Nalencienes insertions and lace over tur-
quoise blue silk. The effect of this toilette WAS
almost simple though wonderfully soft aad
graceful, yet the cost OF the Overdress alone WAS
three hundred and fifty dollars. One more must
suffice; IL was Of silk China Grape of the ecyu
bun tint; and was trimmed with silk guipure
M Of ~
blue silk Louis XIII wastcoat was simulated
in front and Ornamented with broad fine whit
gupure, laid fat, along the line of the coat
The union OF bright light turquoise blue with
straw color buff or pale yellow is very fashion
able, and the same designs are not unfrequentIy
repeaIed in stone color and blue.
White muslin over "cameOp and neutral tints
is one OF the distinctive features OF the spring
dinner dresses and toilettes for small evening
reunions, always frightened by flower garni-
lures or sashes embroidered or striped in Italian
c0lors. Without over dresses, these same rich
neutral tinted silks form most distinguished
toilettes, made with long Grained skirt aud
ba que, and without trimming, except fringe
or gutpure lace of the same shade, which il
placed upon the basque and falls over the va
lenciennes lace border of the muslin iacka.
beneath.
ARE WALKING DRESSES Gong OR SHORT?
The vexed question whether walking dress,
are to be long or short is not vet settled TO the
minds OF some ladies, who simply want to be in
the fashion, whatever that is, and do not wan
TO bother their heads with the morale of the sinh
ject. They cannot understand but that one or
the other is the style to adopt, and they have
very little choice as to which IL is. 1t is un-
doubtedly the fact that dresses trailing several
inches upon the ground are now seen upon the
streets, and the question is, are they worn by
fashionable women, and will they continue TO
be worn and grow longer rather than shorter?
The answer to this inquiry cannot be simple YES
or no, because the subject Is at present very
much mixed. There is one thing clear however
and that is, that at least half the we'll dressed
women in the street have their skirts cut TO
clear the ground, so that there are plenty
at present, and 1 firmly believe viii he
during the present century at least, to keep any
woman in countenance who wishes to retain a
neat and comfortable walking dress. Another
fact may be mentioned, and that is that one of
the largest and most exclusive houses in the
city makes Its walking suits and costumes lust
to reach, not TO touch or lay upon the ground.
and has a. yet received no orders to the con-
trary from its most fashionable customers.
The establishments that find their patrons
among the DENT monde on the contrary, exhibit
su Z, with exaggerated trails, and every day
such persons may be met parading light blue,
lavender, green, or striped silks upon the pave.
ments up and down, before the principal stores
and he tells, with such an obvious design of
attraction az would put any but the most
hardened woman to the blush, and from flow
ing their example.
The fact il, a reaction has set in even among