Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-01
THE WORLD OF FASHION
THE STYLES FOR FEBRUARY


AOEOSO Z
A Panic in FashiOn-Leap Year:
Parties and Costumes de
Nisite-Afnts for Spring.
The proposed foundation Of a "WOmans'
Dress Guild" i'm London is a reminder of the
most recent of the many projects to arrest the
spread of criminal folly and extravaganza in
dress, attempted in this country. The lates
scheme was most strongly endorsed and seconded
by Miss Phpbe Cary, and il was her unexpected
illness and lamented death which prevented it
from becoming an actual fact. The circular
had been drawn up, and list made out of those
ladies who were TO be invited to her house to aid
in the formation of a Dress Association, to in
clude every woman in the whole country who
would make the retention Of the short walking
dress the first article of her dress creed. But
death stepped in and prevented the accomplish
The proposed rules for the London "womans'
Dress Guld' are the following, and they are
sition and dist notion:
1. Not to make purchases unless they can be
paid Tor at the time, or when the account Is sent
2. Never to buy anything simply 'because it
is cheap"
g. To dress in manner betting the station or
occupation in life OF the member.
f. To consider the personal tastes of heads Of
families within the limits of these rnes, but not
TO make anything plea for personal extrav-
| agance.
ornament, or because it is the fashion, such as
false jewelry, false hair, etc.
6. To avoid all exaggerations belonging to the
fashion OF the day, which might attract improper
attention
Z. To avoid all unseemly style of dress, how
ever much it may be encouraged by the popu-
lar fashion Of the moment.
g. To attend most scrupulOusy to neatness and
cleanliness, and not to waste needlessly either
time, Gin frequent changes Of Dress money or
dress itself.
These rules are too sensible to become fash
ionable; a blind adherance to fashion presup-
IOses, absence OF common sense, and disregard
Of modesty and propriety when they interfere
with the caprice of the moment; but they may
influence it, and they are interesting as showing
which way the wind is blowing from different
quarters OF the earth just now.
PANIC1N FASHION.
Here, there Is at the present moment a sort of
panic among the leaders and extremists OF Ia
mode, which never comprised the highest class OF
| cultivated and refined women.
| R6tributiOn, so swift and sure as to seem like
| the act Of an avenging Providence, has followed
| in 20 many instances great parade of wealth
| and display that women of the same class, gen
| questionable rank, have been seized with a fear
| of divine vengeance, and in some prominen,
| cases contemplated habit of severity, and a
| life Of almost mOnastic seciuson.
Ii we had preachers OF sufficient power and
| magnetism, and OF the good cid orthodox hell
| FIRE stamp, there would be a great and fashion
| able revival, for women only have dress and re-
igOn as legitimate objects of distraction; and
| when one fails them they must fall back on the
other.
| But, unfortunately, we have no such preach
ers now a-days. Our ministers of the gospel
/ have become too speculative and too much,
though perhaps uHconsciously, imbued with the
strictly scientific and positive spirit Of the times
/ TO be able to let loose the winged stceds OF a
| fiery and not too scrupuous imagination. They
| indulge in any quantity Of moral reflections,
| but they are tooSgeneral, too didactic aud high
toned to strike terror into the hearts of sinners
Imagine a woman spending seven thousand
| dollars upon lace one week, and finding the next
that the sources OF her supply had vanished like
the baseless fabric of dream, and that the gar
nitures and founces would henceforth be only 50
many reminders of her folly, as they would be of
no use in her future life. Another lady recently
| had her dwelling sold under the hammer, who
tents OF Stewards dry goods palace submitted to
| her private inspection, and finding nothing fit
to wear, had sent an order direct to Paris,
which has not yet been filed, and probably now
| never will be. The husband OF this fastidiOus
person was ten years ago journeyTan me-
| efanic, and his wife did her own work. washing
included, in the little tenement, which they then
| occupied in Harlem.
| THE BALLS OF THE SEASON.
The winter SO far has been singularly barren
fany great enter tainments. since Prince Alexis
| departed. The holidays and the quiet social
| parties which always follow, have alone dis
| turbed the mOnOtOny Of our regular succession
OF cold, snow, thaw, rain, and intermediate sun.
| shine.
This month, however, is particularly devoted
TO the few great public balls, which it is, ii not
de rigeur, at least pardonable to attend.
Not many new dresses are sported at these
balls. The ladies who attend them are much too
| experienced and well supplied for that 1t il
| only the vulgar, and those persons who buy
cheap stufts, and therefore never have anything
10 wear, who think they require new dress for
| every occasion. What is new at these places are
the garntures and trimmings. delicate silk
half worn, will be freshened up with muslin
nounces lace over-dress with new
| flowers, or a silk skirt made available by
the addition Of ia light, grenadine polonaise
The p0lonaise is really a most remarkable
| feature OF the dress OF the present time In
black velvet it forms the most elegant of cloaks:
| in light, cameO-tinted silk trimmed with black
and white lace. it constitutes, in conjunction
with trained black silk skirt, most distin-
| striped gauze or grenadine, it is worn over eve
ming silk skirts, or dresses, which, without some
such providential Intervention, would be no
/ longer wearable; and in chintZ, delaine, merino
and other material fabrics, 1t compOses the
| simple, easy, yet not ungraceful indoor cos
tune OF nne-tenths Of the women, fashionable
Very light green seems to be as fashionable a
| bal room color as it was last season. and it i
not surprising, for it is very effective. Among
the prettiest dresses some of light green silk
| trimmed with ruchings or plaitings of fine white
| muslin or carleton.
Ail-white toilets are not much worn, except
| ing occasionally in talle. Even carleton Il
preferred, in light bright colors, trimmed with
| white. Over-dresses, on the contrary of yalen.
| ciennes or tine French muslin are so general
| over pale pink, blue, mauve, or canary coloreJ
| silk, that they undoubtedly constitute an
| Important feature of every lady,s wardrobe
who makes any pretensOns to youth or ele.
| gance.
lovely dress was completed for . young
| Boston lady the other day. 1t vas of very bright
gray tulle, over gray faille; the tulle looped
| with boquets OF variegated velvet pansies.
| The embroidered crepe Overskirts and
| nounces, and the pattern dresses in which the
SILK was cut out to represent flowers and foliage
| above an application of white muslin or grens-
| dine, which formed SO conspicuous part of the
| fan exhibitions snd importatiOns, are rarely
seen now, and do not seem to have served as
| models to any extent. Those that make their
| appearance are evidently the original style.
bought At half price, and, elaborate though thev
| are, fail OF the fine effect sometimes produced
by much simpler toilets. :
The black and white dresses are al numerous
as ever: white trimmed with black and rice
| versa. One Of these styles n composed of black
| tule, trimmed with fOunces of white tulle ar
ranged en- tdbtier infront and covered with black
| lace. The heading consists of ruchingso OF white
tulle and black lace, and the ornaments of clus-
tiers Of white and crimson roses. very pretty
dress Of white tuile is garlanded with black vel
vet, studded with white narguerites with black
and yellow centreA
I There Is . marked absence of powder in the
hair, though plenty is used upon the complexion.
LEAP-YEAR PARTY.
"A hao a<~HA - -