Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-01
FASHIONS FOR JANUARy
New Years Gifts-Tables aud Toll
sttes-street and Indoor Costum es-
Features of Winter Fashions


eeeded by sunshine more brI'usut, skies as clear
and an atmosphere Just sufficiently keen d rive
zeSt to holiday preparations aud holiday fesiiy-
titles. Year by year New York draws a larger
portion OF Its nonresident population from diff
ferent parts OF the country, and even from other
cities-persons who, having few ties and no in
surmountable obstacle 90 the grathcltion q
their desires, como 70 share in its gayetieS aut
relieve tue tedium cf the otherwise nOnotonou,
existence.
Its variable climate o. alternate frost, -noy
and thaw, is usually great drawback to en-
Joyment, but SO Tar We have had nothing OF this
sUrt 10 complain Of, and all outward circam-
stances have been as favorable ID endowment as
heart could desire.
Socially, the season can hardly be said IN
nave begun until January lst. All the prelim-
mary evenls psrtske more or less OF 4 domestic
character. and lead up to the important aud
time honored day OF days-the celebration OF
NBw YEAR GiPrs.
Largely as Christmas has grown and in ,reaSei
ln Importance IN the American mind, there are
many TO whom Il plays quite a secondary part 10
the festival OF the New Year. In fact Christ.
mas If beginning TO be considered the childrens'
festival-the New Year that of the .sgrown
ups"
GIFTS are more probably universally disSrib.
uted at Christmas, but the New Year ts bgyfn-
nlng to acquire character Of its own on the
distribution OF CARDS. flowers, pert iumery ami
eoL-bonIeres in addition to its own particular
speciality of New Year cals. Ingenuity is eI-
hausted by the representatives Of these high in
terests 10 unite OrigiH6l ideas with exquisite
beauty and delcacyof production, ana the re-
the palate.
StIaw Yoxes mounted with all sorts OF ou.int
rural devices, ami satin bags painted with Chi
nee figures and edged with thick silk cord
which is tied loosely around the TOP, have taken
the places OF plush, sltin and painted boxes OF
CRANES, bon-bons aud chocolates OF past
years.
The New Years cards, too, are of elaborate
devices, more ike valentines than cards, aud
form dainty little fans, or are enclosed In boxes
which, when opened, reveal a series of pretty
scenes through arched doors or windows.
A charming New Years present, Rnd a very
new ore, Is an antique drinking fountain.
which, by touch, spoats delicious perfumerv
At the sides axe doors which also open with
touch, one revealing the picture of the giYer,
work.
Among cultivated and artistic people aud
their imItat0-s all Old things are lust nov iu
special demand. An old piece OF china aud Old
scrap OF lace: an antique coin, vase, cup OF OF
rament; little piece OF carving, the tiniest ar
ucle oil real Venetian glass, are valued beyond
The most elegant productions of mo iern tunes.
Not that there il real Al ectiOn for such things.
CT appreciation Of their value from an as sthetic
point OF view. It is simply a sentiment, or
fashionable caprice, picked up aba Dad or from
people who have been abroad, and which fn1s
its qualification in sTtiCles industrious sly made
ID order, as often IS in the rae and valuable
curiOsities which n specially affects 20 Admire.
The small estimate pat upon ne work OF noble
lives, the destruction or every landmark which
stands in the way OF material proc ress, the
neglect to garner up all that Ia the past which
msde the present What 1t is. shows that the
value attached to the Od = of a very superficial
description, not wUIth the mentioning ercept
some Of the many WI ms OF constantly chSHging
fashions.
Flowers are a favoIite gif5 this year. and
florists complain tha; they cannot get enough OF
climbing plants and plsn6s in POTS 70 satisfy the
demand. Baskets OF flowers among intlu 2tes
have qrite gives glace TO plants IN pots, fern
cases, trailing ivi 2 ingenlOus'y cOucssls b
frames and lattice work, and beautiful iard.-
nieTss. Hundreds OF drawing rooms are tdra-d
into winter gaTdeUs by these appliances.
NEW YEARS CALLS.
The cosmopolitan character OF New York
SCciety reduces % course, diversity OF OF iuiOu
on the subject OF exercising New Years calls
and what one pSrsen is disiDciined or finds n
inconVenie9t 20 do, they are apt to think tha
no one else does. The war, with is deatts ana
breaking up OF families, did much ID welkou
the clam of a long established and f4vSrIt-
custom, but it has been gradually recovering
from these effects during the past few years.
and tie ceremonial Of calling aud re. ewing
calls is now not only duly hOnOred in New YJrk
but is extending TO other cities.
Doubtless there ls small element in our
modern society 70 whom the beautiful Old cas-
tom has title $ ignifcaDce-a class with leisure
who meet at day and evening receptions sUd
entertainments until they are heartily sick Of
each Other, and consider the special parade OF
NeY year calls Wholly SQpeTuQ0uE.
But this class is, alter all, very small, espe-
cially the male portion of il, and My consists
Of foreigners. AmeI.can men hsVe not as vet
become so degraded as not TO be ashamed OF
having nothing To do, nor so civilized as not to
ind come difficulty in doing It. All the rest, the
busy men, especially If they have been deprived
OF the pleasure TOR time, find at least enough
enjoy ment in hunting up old friends and iU pay
ing social dues TO compensate for the trouble it
costs them. Ladies calls, which formerly were
made on the second day OF the year, are now
quite obsolete. The offering OF stale cake and
vine is considered uncOmphmeutary, ana fash
tOnable women carefully avoid making any cals
whatever on that day.
TABLES kND TonETrRs.
These questions are as important az ever, less
because Of their extent and elaboration than in
consequence of the uncertainty which attaches
TO them. a prOtUSe table is not only not re-
quired, but II is an evidence Of bad taste, and
opinions are various as 20 what constitutes
"siDple" refreshments. One thing is certain,
ard that is that the Use of wine, and especially
liquors, Is discouraged in the best quarters upon
this OCCASION, anC tea, coffee, chocolate, beef
tea, and lemonade recommended Is substitutes
Beef tea seems and odd sort OF drink to offer 70
peTtumed and sid glOyed callers, but it il one
Of the things, If not the thing itsslf, AMI il is
regularly and largely supplied by leading re
staurateure as ice cream. Another m3derndel
icScy which may be mentioned in this cOnnec-
ton consists Of broWn-bread sandwiches. The
me at (VesI or ham IL simmered together for six
hours il a email quantity of wafer until IL l.
nearly reduced to jelly; il then stauds till It j.
COlU, WUeu the ana bones (lg there are auVN
are removed, and the remainder chopped inc
seasoned, and spread like butter between slices
of thin brown bread, little mustard being
added like any other sandW.ches Now il l.
well known that gentleman despise ladies'
"Cake and wine" but they grow rapturous over
well made beef tea and brown bread sand
wiehes.
The toilette for New Years day is a question
OF time and taste rather than money. II need
no be expensive, but IL should be effective.
The generally subdued lights, the tone Of car
pets, OF wood work, should sll be studied, ami
the dress (or dresses, If q group of ladies re-
ceive together,) should all be studied. Said q
lady who was invited to spend New Years day
with another, "Shall you have lace curtains
put up before New Years." al do not know"
returned the other, 'why?" "Becsuse your
rooms are dark and the toilette / have arranged
requires the relief of white lace against the
dark background" Most persons have known
what it was to enter q dark room in which were
seated q number OF stiff black figures, who all
looked alike, and in the same obscurity could
not be distinguished one from snot her-the en-
barrsssment, the distress, the desire TO get
away ~ quick as possible, ard the unwilling
ness ever 70 ind oneself in precisely these cir
cumsts noes again.
Black has unfortunately become the liyeryo
women of late years, almost as much so as il l.
OF man. Since the impression was conveyed that
black was safer and in some respects di
tinguished Dire q under any circumstances. black
has been the only wear and the principal part
and the available, working part Of the ward
robe OF thousands OF very respect lble lsdie-
c0neisfs a A hiack ailk and hlark aInaaa varx