Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-03-01
NEW Y0RE FASHIONS.
winter, as Fereerdafaed. Not n = &C.
ees~-Ihe Ieateu Season -Sprf ~
fasht.ps I'm Suits. Costumes, Hats,

tfFOm OuT OWn CorFeSpondcHt.l
NEw YORK, February 3.
s winter, past now, according 10 the
snAnsc' was preordsined 10 De q cold one
By fashion, which has grown so a., .,on,ei
tohsvlng It's mandates obeyed thai N oui:a
'Vfsot 20 provide for the possible emerrenrv
\ ~ @hliu one. Everything was 90 be fur. or
| fufFl 'ano with the curious species of p<xcho-
log1eal oeceptlon we can and DO SO ofien
| practice .rpon ourselves, the dealers I'm fnrs
1 believed Va vat they wished 20 believe isis
in larse stoS'es, and and them now unon
their hands, With no chance of sale before
a change in style ieprivIng their goois
| OF half their value. Hand times, 60 be
a dealer in furs In an uncertain cli-
mate like this. one would think they
would all feel like emis 'sting 10 Russia.
| There NJ one garment, however, which will
outlast the pres present season., a n tnaI Is ,he
| conditions which exist for women In society,
| in large 10 is exsctly what they need for a
msnent Mace FssbsonssIs " %o S.sa S peS,
| live in well warmed and perfectly ventilated
houses, do not need and do not wear much
summer, except when they walk. WHAT
they require mainly is a thoroughly warm
| wrap 10 put over their thin clothing, 20 pro.
tect them AT the theater or opera, and in
stepping from the warmth OF indoors 10 a
carriage; and for these purposes nothing
could be better devised than this fur-IineS.
wraP,whie.I envelopes the whole person, but,
not being embarrassed by sleeves, does not
| crush the lighter dress. Moreover. the cost
or the garment, the rich fabrics OF which IL Is
composed, and the clasps of wrought and
precious metal which have been Introduced
10 give them the requisite finish, all show
that they viii neither be common nor short
| lived.
The gay season is over until Easter, (Which
| occasions little revlval,) and Lent has he
gun, bringing TO many a blessed sense OF
| relief The Office OF society" women is no
| sinecure now a-dayS, Notwithstanding that
| fewer - syTK ~
| formerly. But the business OF regular ere.
| ceptlons" occupies vast amount OF time,
| and the machinery OF charities and char
| liable entertainments still more. II IS
| curious fact that there never were so many
| constitutions" never so much money eX-
| pended In Keeping them alive, aud never
| was charity (the popular kind) more fash
| lOnable than now. Yet n a case OF real and
| desperate need occurs there is no existing
| provision for it-a new institution has 10 be
| created, with complete corps OF Off GERS and
| managers, expensive buildings, ana an an
| nual disbursement of many thousands OF dol
| lars TO meet IL. But 10 return 20 Lent. Hav-
| ing few holidays Of our o n, we are beginning
| TO adopt those OF our neighbors, and or
| other countries, irrespective OF their par
| ticular natural or religious significance.
| Mardi Gras is the last added TO the list, and
| will soon become the synonym FOR fancy dress
| parties OF peculiar and some what eccentric
| type. Mardi Gras this year was celebrated
| In hundred different ways, by persons VINO
ten years ago had never heard oft Pound
| parties, "candy pull" parties, Dickens"
| parties, Mother Goose parties. cold time"
| parties, and others, al infinitum. Toe
| 'pcund" parties are new this season, and the
| proceeds are always used for a charitable
| object. Invited guests take with them a
| pound OF any hing they choose, and label IL
| according to the wit aud sense at their COM
mand. OF course there is scope for much
humor and fun, which is perfectly allowable,
If IL does not degenerate into coarseness; but
| when you buy pound of real shell jewelry
ana find live lobster in a box, there rs little
| more 10 oe said. There is not enough hi gn
church among us to make Lent very much a
1 Ctf San md If i'm rfnn~
| of that which is done, is from a practical
! and hygieDic, rather than a religious point OF
| view. People stop giving parties because
some people DO not go 70 them. aud because
| the interval affords an opportunity for the
| performance OF household duties, ana the
making OF necessary preparations to meet
the spring when IL comes. Young girls like
the opportunity il affords them OF getting
themselves up in entirely different style, ana
think IL looks foreign and romantic 10 wear
black and go out in the morning 10 church,
just as the young men are going down town.
| CHURCH DRESS.
BLACK Is always favorite church going
dress IN New York city, and particularly is
| IL so this seas on in conjunction with the
help feeling devotional in a really handsome
black silk suit, with cream colored hat,
trimmed with cream-colored cachemire lace,
| ivory SILK tIe, and ivory tinted gloves There
| is serenity, satisfaction ADD thankfulneSs
| that We are not as other people are, in every
line and fold OF il. Nothing loud, no con-
| trast OF high colors, is ever worn at church
| by really fashionable or well-bred woman.
| II would show what is worse than irreligion,
| had taste" and, after all, there is connec-
| ton between taste and morality, whether
| piety has much 10 do with IL or not. In this
matter OF church dress we only initiate our
rIenen cousins, and we are OF late years
| fine, soft black cachemlre for silks. Black
cschemire dresses are in preparation this
season as fashionably and extensively as
last, for spring church and street wear.
always associated more or less with black
SILK, usually OF the soft, hand finished kind.
The simplest and most popular method OF
making them is with a trimmed or pulled
front, shirred sides, and draped back sleeves
in which lengthwise puffings OF silk are in
serted, and a cufrasse basque, the latter
being now universal, unless the dress is cut
in the princesse style. The fine "knife'
plestings which have been so well worn are
this season used TO edge shirred 1ounces, iu-
stead OF being employed 70 form the entire
trimming OF skirt, and, therefore, less ma
terial is required, while the effect is even
better than before Flat folds, bands and
braids are also coming into vogue so rapidly
| that many OF the spring suits and costumes
will be completed without the addition OF a
hounce or ruffie.
SPRING STYLES.
The whole winter has been so much like
spring, the exceeding mildness of the tenn
perature rendering 1t impossible TO wear
very heavy clothing, that il seems hardly
worth while speaking of spring fashions, as
involving any great change In the actual
character OF clothing. Heavy cloth suits
| prepared for season something like the pre-
cedfng winter of 1874, in intensity and sever
ity, have in many cases not been brought
out, The silks. cashmeres, and light things
worn in the fall having seemed so much
more suitable. What is really needed, there
FORE among the majority of ladies, are III ?
suits for demi-season composed OF standard
fabrics, and for these there is already q very
active demand. The new materials SO far as
they have made their appearance, present a
few novel features, They are IN checks, clear
plaids, and Stripes, and the large meshed net +,
and lace patterns which were so fashionable
! .ast year. The stripes are used TO Compose
entire suits, and are trimmed with plain
material put on IN bias folds, but the checks
/ are generaiiy usei for trimlltng for sleeve,
less basque and overskirt or princess tunic
J without sleeves, the latter being still made
: OF the same material as the principal skirt
and different when the dress is composed OF
| | two materially from the boddice. the pretty
striped cambrics and percales are most suit
able for making up Into summer suits for
young girls for country wear, and need only
, be suppleme nted by a white linen, or pique
| suit q summer silk for church wear, and a
| alar,aca 10 he all fficianf for