Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-02
FOR MARCH.
[FROK OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
GENTLE SPRING.

ETHEREAL mildness Of an exceptional spring we
should iodeed be doubly blest. Should IL
not, should March prove treacherous, and April
orlng us the SHOWS expected In January
then-well, then We shall 10 as we have done
before, mathematics the climate and endure IL
Lent is here, however, and the season of sack
cloth and ashes, in a hgurative sense has heoun
IL is colder than il was in January, but furs aud
yelvets and woolens are disappearing nom ~
counters and behind plate glass windows anS
new spring prints, cambrics, percales and last
years linens and piques are beginning TO take
their place. quaker-like air OF neatness
gravity, and decorum pervades them. The
delicate hair stripes are only dotted with rings
or polka spots of the color, and only varied with
tine moss or coral patterns which cover the
ground and give no effect of color. The furni-
ture patterns and Dolly Warden chlntzes have
departed. Merchants had a dose of them last
season and will not be apt TO repeatit
Fine twilled vigognes are now shown for spring
suits, and pure silks of Bonnet's make, not
heavy, but the proper texture for skirts 20 be
hounced and worn with cashmere redingote
or linen gabrielle. And il may be as well to
remark that even for summer wear there is no
dress more useful for the street in city or coun-
try than black silk or fine alpaca skirt, black
straw hat, and brown or gray linen pOlonsise.
The spring suit for the season par excellence il
brentwood brown-clear with no red lights or
shades in IL. 1t lie OF wool, embroidered in two
shades OF the color, OF IL may be trimmed with
pleatiDg lined with silk of the same shade. The
trimming If but slight-a standing coll ar a re
versed pleating at the back of the pointed BASQUE
pleated founce with heading. The style de-
ponds much more upon the cut than upon the
trimming. brown hat Is worn with it with a
little ostrich tip falling at the back which must
match the necktie, and white crepe de chine or
twilled silk at the neck is the most lady-uke
but tea rose Is very good or any delicate tint
White striped muslin makes the most useful
and becoming morning dresses for southern lat
ltudes, and as IL Is TO be very largely used for
that purpose during the coming season II NAV
be as well TO make a note Of II. A single skirt
trimmed with one or more gathered fiOunces a
polonaise with gabrielle front and pouf back
draped close will be the style.
TEE LAST BALLS OF THR SEASON.
The season which Is considered to close before
OF Mardi Gras en- the evening (pancake dayl
broke out into quite futter of gsyety towards
the last, and like a Saturday evening party, had
nsro WORK not to trespsss upon the fashionable
gravity OF the incoming period. OF course Lent
does not interfere with quiet forms of social en-
Joyment. Even receptions, musicales dinners
ana the like are given by persons out Of the
.church, !" and We have the opera this year be-
sides the large club receptions and gre at charl-
~ balls are Carefully kept within the pale, and
The number Of gorgeous toilettes which these
have brought forth Is very great indeed.
STRIKING FEATURES OF BALL CosruNEs
To attempt to describe the toilettes would be
work OF supererogaton. The best effects are
communicated by touch, a wave, line, tint
something altogether too impal pable for words
and which escape in the effort TO grasp them.
Moreover tn S Is already done TO such an extent
words.
The two great features of them all were the
Jewels and flowers. Paris, IL is said, has never
been 30 Respondent with diamonds as il has this
season. A Russian princess (the Russian ladies
are famous for their diamonds) has laid down
the law that only diamonds shall be worn with
tull dress. But this has always been a charsc-
teristic of American women. No inducements
OF French dressmakers could induce an Ameri-
can lady TO wear q gilt pdTure with an other
wise rich and costly toilette. All sorts of pearl
m and
have been made, but, though school girls and
young ladies not yet ''out" have worn them
occasionally, yet no one ever saw a recoguiz ed
leader or member Of good American society "a
home) exhibiting such pretence of elegan
ornament. 1t is said that some have been
known TO do II IN Paris. Society women in
&c diamonds. Pearls are in quite as high favor
and OF diamonds and pearls together more than
one lady wore recently over -, 900 worth.
Necklaces composed Of many strands of pearls
fastened by diamond clasp, great ropes of
pearls used as chatelaines, or upon the silk or
velvet bodice, from the right shoulder to the
eft OF the bust, pearl or diamond combs, pearl
or diamond hairPiDs, pearl or diamond al
gIettes, or both combined, are the effective
forms which rich jewelry takes, and which i'm
parts such radiance to handsome toilettes.
Dull gold, next TO diamonds, pearls and tor
quoise, (the latter always associated with one
or other Of the former, is displayed in striking
but not such massive ornaments as formerly.
moorish and Venetian styles have superseded
the Egyptian, and exquisite fligree chains and
clasps are used to suspend the lace fan and
handkerchief, instead Of the solid pattern re-
Gently employed.
Another use for the chains and chatelaines OF
rare and delicate wo, knanship is found in the
immense number of lowers which IL is fashion
able for lady TO Cary, and which il is quite
ls.rossiple Tor her y provide for with her
hands.
me sonors OF belle ship, indeed, are beginning
10 be gauged by the number of boquets which
young ladies carry in their hands or dispose of
soout Their persons; Some hang from the chste
travelling bag, and two or three held fast by the
glttering teeth Of the boquet-holder.
Boquets arranged for ornament are not al
ways natural, although, Of course, they are
considered n ore elegant when they are so; but
some young ladies, II is observed, always wear
the same kind of flowers, are averse to having
great pretence Of inhaling their fragrance vet il
svastly more like bottle extract than flower
odor.
WHITE SIMPLICITY
White and black constitute the most distin.
guished of all evening toilettes, but the black
glitters with silk ana jet embroidery, and is
covered with flmy lace, while the white bears
no resemblance to the washed and starched
muslins of our grandmothers' time. Nothing is
now 30 costly as white toilette, considerlngit it,
fIailty, the making and the flowers being its
chief items Of expenditure-the material, IN
taIatan, Brussels net, or even tulle be selected,
being its least cost.
There are, however, really simple toilettes
wise pus, the former in front the latter upon the
ribs, the back forming long pouf, aud divided
with bands of silk or velvet, dotted with studies
from pastoral life in the shape of enlarged PAN
zies or elorifed daisies, garlands Of the same
constituting the sash and trailing of frem the
bodice. They are principally used for dane
ing purposes, and are cut with demi- trains of
very moderate dimensions. They bear no com
parison with the grand toilettes of white satin
and silk, covered with tulle, draped with clouds
OF lace, every yard representing a homestead
for poor man, and held in, here and there
by great trails and sprays of splendid tropical
flowers or clusters OF white water-lilies.
Quite the newest and most costly method of
ornamenting white dresses and oyerdresses is
with flowers and grasses, arranged as founces
and fringes. Some Of those descend from the
waist, others outline pufis and simulate over
skirts. Delicate forms are particularly effective
in forming these combinations.
Among the pretty and not too elaborate white
dresses worn recently was one Of white tulle.
hounced TO the waist. The tunic vas OF white
faille, thickly embroidered and fringed with
white silk and white Jet, and draped back with
garlapds of ferns and frosted crocue blossoms.
Another richer dress was OF white tulle over
soft satin, finished corded silks, Brussels lace
fiounce composing the apron and panier, and
feather trimming, and narrower lace forming
frinpee upon the skirt below; magnificent dis-
monde (eolitsiree,) o diamond comb, and dia
mopd necklace constituted the ornaments
COLORe YOR RRrDRR.