Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-01
SUNNI Err FASHIONS
[FRox oCR OWN COMMENCEMENT

pic Inc SAI8tok8Ol nItec0 years ago, anu % the
superficial observer the change Is not an i'm
provement. As q spectacle 1t is much less
brilliant; and persons who come-as they would
60 to a mensgerie, just to see the 'show"-are
apt to 60 away grumbllng and feeling that they
have not got their moneys worth. The truth is,
Saratoga from q social and fashionable point OF
view, has become more sensible and indepen-
dent than formerly. 1t no longer adheres To
tradition, ii does very much as il plesses and il
10 rather amusing TO see fashionable women
who profess to hold "women's rights" in such
bitter contempt, taking ad vantage of the public
opinion which its upholders have created, to
release themselves from many forms of social
bondage. In the old times, five trunks of i'm
mense size were q necessity, and ten not un-
usual for any lady who proposed passing six
weeks at this super-fashionabie resort Then
full-dress dinners were the vogue, and those
who remember the coup fGil of thesold United
States hotel at the table d'hote, will sympsthize
somewhat with Mr.. Marvin, the present owner
or lessee, in his determination TO revive the
glories of the four O'Clock "dress" dinner when
his magnificent structure the new limited
States" is completed.
But Mr.. Marvin will make a mistake we can
not bring back the past. The present Is ours 70
do our best with, but We can no more recall the
past belonged to those who had it in possession.
the future to those who will come after US. We
have the present.
And the present is-well, mixed. Ii has not
the distinctive features OF its own which be-
longed to q much more crude and imperfect
age; and it has not yet reached-from any
esthetic point of view-the definite future after
which it Is unconsciously striving. To use
musical figure, 1T has got beyond the first eight
notes Of the scale, but it has not reached the
symphonies IN form, or color. or sense, or taste,
or sound. Excepting the merely external OF
toiettes, the grouping and massing of color,
Saratoga Is more attractive and much more
enjoyable than ever. There is a virtue in the
air such as is not found elsewhere. There IL
perfect freedom in dressing, ladies wearing lust
what they please throughout the day, or rather
whatever they find best adapted TO their occu-
There are two or three distinctive STYLES in
fashions represented-what may be called the
traditional styl the Paris style, and the Amer
lean style; but to call the ordinary, utilitarian
independent mode of dress fashion would be a
mishomer-it is the correlatiye OF fashion, but
not fashion itself.
The traditional style-as have termed it's
seen among the Cuban ladies more particularly,
and other extreme southern representatives of
a past aristocracy. They still wear hoops, re-
duced in size, but which give an unmistsksble
fulness TO the dress. Their overskirts are short
ard pinchy, their basques deep, their sleeves
wide, their colors high, their trains long and
wide, and though they have breakfast toilets,
and elaborate dinner toilets, and evening
toilets, yet they have none of the useful walking
toilets which the modern American woman
wears all DAY long.
The Paris style is also somewhat behind the
age-at least the Paris styles which are sent to
America. Either French dressmakers do Tot
know any better, or they cannot get over the
iuCd ldb We arc Ouo EtIuONt lfOm DarDd-
rians, and delight in rude forms and crude or
naments.
French styles Just arrived from Paris still ex-
hibt paniers, which the graceful exponents Of
true American taste entirely ignore-or, rather,
have got past long ago. These truest represent
atives of tue incoming future of dress are for
the most part young, stylish scions of good
have been quickened by travel and cultivatio n
and who now only lack the inspiration of genius
of ideas to give as perfect harmonies in dress as
new tints and shadings are step in the right
direction, but we need drtiSts-both men and
women-capable of adapting them and tracing
their correspondence.
simple, restricted in style, subdued In color.
The skirt laid close to the hips and almost as
close to the ankles, trailing off moderately y,
est Il ace of tournure. Waist rather long, high
cut Jacket, form with q fr aise or pleating In
stead Of collar, which is high or low, accord
ing to the length Of the neck. Coat sleeves,
hair combed straight up from the nspe Of the
neck, and arranged in simple plaits upon the
top Of the head, with only side curl, or . light
fringe of hair over the forehead, makes up a
tout ensemble almost conventual in its strictness
This impression is strengthened by the alb
senee Of color. Grown out of the primaries
modern women of fashion has not vet grown
into the symphonies-the melting of one shade
or one color into another. She therefore falls
back upon black and gray and brown and white,
which are easily made to accord, and which do
not offend her still undeyeloped sense Of fitness
and harmony.
We talk Of art and taste without knowing the
first letter In the alphabetical either. If we only
had a school or schools for artists, both men and
women, something might be done. But alas
our teachers are more ignorant than their pu-
the natural law of evolution, which REQ uires
time to perfect its results.
But to return. This theory accounts for the
use Of black and neutral tints, which are al
most universal. Rlack silk hlacE
and black lace, either compose or form part of
nearly all t0ilettes. Black lace is utilized TO a
surprising extent; quantity, choice in style
and quality, is the most valuable addition to
her wardrobe which a lady can make at the
present time. Long black lace scarfs and black
lace fchus-the latter knotted low at the side
are worn, bordered with real thread, chantilly,
or guip1re lace, worth from three to ten dollars
Black silk and black grenadine, are also of
the richest; the former soft, rich and heavy O.
fold, the latter wide striped, with silk of sstiny
texture, but not glossy, and draped with won
dertul grace and beauty.
Almost the only way in which colors are used
is with black lace, or white muslin draped over
them. Pale, cameo tinted silks have an ex-
ceedingly good effect under long polonaise of
nne, black Llama iace-for these are worn SO
much that no one thinks of going to the ex-
pense OF thread, although, of course, if thread
can be had and no one suffer, so much the
better.
The pale greens and blues, on the contrary,
which show SO well in the evening, are relieved
with white-white lace or white French muslin,
almost as fine as crepe lisse, which arranges
itself so easily in side pleatings, or intersects
lace with lines as exquisite the lace itself. A
point worthy of mention in connection with the
changes which have taken place in fashion, is
the much longer tine for which dresses are now
made to do duty. Formerly il was considered
de rigaer not to appear in the same dress twice:
now, one or two really elegant dresses are
thought sufficient, and not only 50, but are car
ried over from season to season; and rich lace
instead Of being rampled under foot, as IL has
been, In the street. is priced as the possession of
q lifetime. Public opinion has been SO far
created on the subject, that the plain vaIking
dress Is recognized as the proper street dress
for all classes; and the party dreaD par excel.
tence Is reserved exclusively for ceremonious
evening occasions. This is q great step in sd-
vance, and is doing more for the emancipation
OF women than the agitation Of the rfaht 10
vote. Opposite TO me, ct my table N the
dining room Of Conerea Han, DIT three ladies
two are young and unmarried, but arc each
Possessed Of million dollars IN their own richt:
the other y the wife Of . millionaire. vhoss
house and grounds upon NadIeon syepue
IN New YORK, are estimated q vorth
income v over one hundred thousand dollars
Per year. Thee ladies have Worn the sams
PLAIN, black dreeses In tie morning; md the
seme-almcet - plain-dlk dresses in the even
Ing, evofY 0ny 0D0o ayrivnl hsfv- c<SI~st