Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-01


DRESSING AT WATERING PLACES
Until recently there have been bu! three
great watering places In America-Safatoga,
Newport and Long Branch-Sut TO these must
now be added Manhattan Beach. The latter
differs from all the others in the temporary
rather than transient character of its popula-
ton, but its great cOncOurse OF visitors, aver
aging 10000 daily, certainly gives il charac-
ter OF its own At most watering paces-cor-
respondents with lively imaginatlons to the
contrary nOtwi, ,hstanding-the ladies are un-
suitably dressed, becauSe-perhapS from mo-
tives of economy-they try to war out their
flourish in pretty morning dresses, but the
mammas, as rule. reserve for this purpose a
robe de fatigue which has Seen service on other
occasions, and both daughters and mammas
trail about for dinner and in the evening the
once handsome, but now somewhat shabby
looking toilettes whic have done duty at ball
in town. Correspondents, as before remarked
with lively imaginatiOnS may recount the go-
ries OF watering place toilettes, but the fresh
dresses prepared for the special purpose are
comparatively few and usually belong to
bride, debutarte, or the wife of some very
rich new man. That cOStlineSS Is the eXcep-
tion is sufficiently evident from the fact that a
woman who appears in more than ordinary
elegant toilette or succession of tOiletteS is
heralded Immediately from one end of the
country to the other, and furnishes a subject
Tor tongues and pens which lasts longer than
the frail hnery which gave rise to the com
ment.
There is style of dressing which is adapted
to its particular locality, which is in harmony
with the place and its occupations. The sea
side requires short dresses, of all wool or
linen, with a touch of color in their ornamen-
tects from the glare of the sun, which gives
one freedom with ones hands when searching
for shells and stone along pebbly beach, or
man, has fitness entirely independent of pic
tureSque form or dainty fashion
At Saratoga, on the contrary, one can revel
in white and delicate cOlors, in lace and tichu,
in cooling fabrics and soft fiu:tering trim
mings, for the clear air, so crystalline pure
leaves EO speck, takes out no stiffness. sug
gests no collapse, but seems to preserve every
faS ld1Ous f0id and dainty tint intact.
Newport has no character to sustain and is
not characterlZed by the al JrescO summer
llness OF other resorts. Its cottagers live pre-
cisely the same lives in Newport they do i'm
New York; their dress has less display but
more tineness than the dress of Saratoga, and
though it is never outre, often shows Strik-
ing individuality.
At Long Branch and Saratoga the fashions
OF the shops meet you everywhere aud stare
you out of countenance An expert could tell
where every costume came from, whether
much it cOst-the difference being in the
it Was marked down" fhe SHa gioves, hand hand,
kind sold in lots and turned out as long as
there are purchasers. Richfield Springs is
rather different from che "great" watering
less Pretention: The eople who go there are
mostly respectable families whose daughters
are well brought up and DO not fiaunt in jew
ELS and sliken attire The ladies belong to
thelr duties AND To whom dress Is Su60rdi-
naed to the active care of the welfare and
happiness OF their families. Their dress
is always OF a good, pure fabric, but
often independent OF the latest fashions and
you know that its making was not pushed or
put of until the last moment, but brought in
CAnCn rhnt,s Gaf,
latest cut had made its appearance and was
executed probably by dressmaker working
10y the day under mo- herly supe rvision and de.
siI able because She could cut and make dresses
for the children. All this, the qniet, some wh At
Stald style OF the dresSmaking will tell YOU as
Well as ME, and to me the story is more inter
l1 estlng M than anything that could be tod by the
most sublime efforts of French modiste OF
course there are more RANT effects. There
are gay young married women whose dresses
were part of an elegant trOsseau, and who
sport menus and mlttOnS OF lace; there are
pretty girls Just come OUT whose whi e
barege and valenciennes over silk were worn
at their nrst parties last winter, and VIII, are
as bright and fresh and happy as if the world
were to be one long summer, and existence
made up always Of pretty white barege blue
silk and valenciennes lace.
Our New York watering place cannot be
quoted for the dress of its lady frequenterS.
Out of its 10000 daily hdbitues 1900 are men
many OF them the DOCTORS lawyers, bankers,
Journallsts, and business men who cannot get
away from New York during the heated term
and the residue clerks and citizens who can
afford an occasional holiday. The ladies are
drawn from the working classes, and care
for the occasion. Their usual attire is
co!ored skirt with white sacque, or a cheap
muslin bought readymade for $50, and of
lett after the days outing. Of course there
are representations of other aud more refined
sections OF the working population. Neatly
dressed women In black and gray and brown
merit whose iS hStr
ness. But for fashion pure as well as simple
one would not 60 to Manhattan beach.
THE REVIVAL OF WHITE BAREGE.
One OF the subjects for cOngratulaton is the
revival of barege for evening dresses and for
occasions when thin material is suitable
At present it is confined almost exclusively to
white and any pale gray or mastic tints. and
is usually trimmed or Ornamented with white
satin. The satin is not used for pipings, but
for folds, bows and bands. the neck and
sleeves are finished with very fine and narrow
scant rutfles of Valencennes lace.
The preference for white toilettes is as
marked as ever, and In TACT there is nothing
fabric be simple or costly The cream colored
gasoline is good substitute for barege be-
cause, although not quite SO thin, it is fully as
soft and much more durable. Both gasoline
and an. barege ma make exquisite evening dresses
Tor young ladies' more suitable as well as more
becoming than white silk, because less opaque,
and more capable of holding light and shadow.
to restore the panier and full drapery has been
at least, partially successful Ali the dresses
now made by French mOdSteS exhibit some
modification OF the panier styles, and it seems
10 DC simply a question OF time aud grace
whether We Shall again be subjected to the
bunched-up skirts Of the Dolly Warden era.
AS yet there Is less cause for complaint than
watchfulneSs.. The panier, so far, is SIN Ill,
and arranged more as wings than as the dis
torted hump which it appeared formerly. The
slender shape Is preserved, and the slight
drapery formed by the fullness in the back is
either divided or outlined by bands and bows
and trimmings above the train, which is. as
before, held in secure positions.
The new short dress which appears in bunt
ing, beige and other summer tissues is great
improvement on the killed skirt and cut-aWay
jacket style of the early spring; at least for
married women. It.cOnSiStS of round skirt
bOrdered with plating which ascendS nearly
to the knee. The front Is finished with a sue.
cession of plain folds, reaching nearly to the
waist, and the back, with q slight drapery
which Is divided by shirring over which the
upper part falls upon the lower in the form of
a panier The bodice is round and attached
to belt, the waist Is trimmed with capeS or
folds to form bratelteS, and ichu is added
which is knotted in front and renders it COM
plete for street suit.
Later In the season, and as the fall advances
the design may be made in wool aud a Jacket
added, cut long enough to nearly reach the
top OF the plating, and ii lined iJ will render
the costume sufficiently warm for ali but the
coolest weather.