Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-01
THE EVENING STAR.
FASHIONS FOR THE NEW YE4R.
From oar O'rn Correspondent. ]

| Is how to avoid dress which is beginning to b.
| looked upon as uniform for dependents and
| yet retain its elements OF distinction and con-
| venience. When men servants and the entire
class of walters in first class hotels and reStau-
| rants adopted the black dress coat and white
cravat as the attire of their calling, gentlemen
| felt that they must relinquiSh them, but they
have rot been able To do SO, because there is no
other style OF dress which is at once so simple.
| so distinctive, and, despite whatever may be
| said to the contrary. so becoming. Go to a
| masquerade ball, and let gentlemanly man.
| in well made and well fitting evening dress.
appear among the ruffled and veiyet-coated
| crowd and the effect produced will be i'm
measurably finer, because it is the man
you see. and not his clothes. ColorS re-
qulre SOfteniDg, contrasting, toning up and
| ,ontng down. and were heightened when
| men wore them by the browning effect OF a
! powdered wig or a picturesque. gold-laced.
| tree-COrnered hat. They were also combined
| with lace, jewels, ribbons and as much or more
decoration Of various kinds as sworn by women
now. and with proprfetv, for they made an art
II dress and were obliged TO do so. or they could
| not have been distinguished. as some cannot be
! today, from their own laclaeyS. 1t is source
| OF frequent secret If not open annoyance to
/ MISUNDERSTANDING men OF uncertain man
| nerS and appearance, that at crowded recep-
| lions, where they are apt 10 hang around door
| ways they are OFTEN mistaken for and SPOKEN
~ by ladies there's the ruby as servants there
| being nothing OuJWardly TO differentiate them
| from the walters and attendants, except that
| the latter have probably the advantage in good
| looks a fine appearanre being deSderatim in
| a male servant. asd CONSIDERED in his wages
| though it is disadvantage in oEe OF the oppo-
| site sex.
What is to be done about it. is not yet decided
| return to colorS is not seriously thought OF.
though 1t may be talked OF for the reasons
! already given, and because a gentleman is more
| Enthusiastically gentleman in a plain dress OF
| black and white than in all the c0lorS OF the
| Within the past few years the question as
| sumes new aspect; an army OF young
| women and women VINO are no longer
mt hn I,..gp
| 10 battle for subsistence outside their own
| homes, have taken place more or less exposed
| to public observation. in stores, in Offices in
workshops and the like. These women find a
simple, conventional dress necessary, and here
| is nothing that adapts itself at once 10 the re
qu1Te1nentS and the necessities of their position
| ike the simple dress OF black wool. lnarnO
cachmore or alpaca. SO. ike the dress OF the
| same Class in Paris, it is fast becoming a uni
| FORM and whether ladies can or VIII continue
| 10 wear Ii or not has already been discussed
and an alternative proposed in the share OF
dark. solid cOl0rS. such as wine color prune.
garnet. brown, navy blue. bottle green ana the
like. which are dark, but do not ally themselves
with black, and are relieved sufficiently By the
addition Of white lace. This resource has to a
certain extent solved the problem for ladies,
but Lot wholly. These cOlorS and shades dark
though they are permit no admiXturC with
black, nor, properly, with any other single
color, except one that is complementary and
then only in small quantities. Their Use. there
fore. suggests problem Or a complication. The
dress must be Of one solid color, uniform
Throughout. with only the relief OF white. or if
must consist of an artistic blending either OF
the shades OF one color or many different col
OTS. Each OF these different methods has It's
admirers, and each receives fresh illustration
day by day in the elegant cost lmes designed bv
experienced and intelligent m0diSteS for ladies'
Of wealth and social position. BEJ there ara a
larger number OF women remaining who have
not abundant means, VINO have SIN less com
mand OF time, but who would like ! style III
dleSs, un0btrGSiEe but still Enthusiastically iady-
| IKE. and not be quite c0nfounded with Or ut
II a AFT afn
ladies' Seatnotte>>eS. and the like. some of
| whom may be much more truly LI3is;, but who
nevertheless belong TO a craft vii Z which others
| OF TIER sex may Lot care 10 DE identified.
Doubtless, tie costume OF a simple. dark solid
| color is the best solution YET offered - the
| problem, but 80 few as Vet understand the ne
| ceSSlty for not mixing II with Others between
| which and itself an anupatly may exist. that
1t is only IN exceptional Instances tnat il pr9yCj
| q success.
| AFTERNOON RECEPTION ToIIETTES
| Afternoon tea is the great success Of the
| season as an entertainments. and Saturday is
| The 1ay0Tte day FOR which invitations are IS
sued. The cards are informal, only al ordinary
| visiting card is used that OF the lady, the gen
t!enian, ii there is q husband III the case. assist
| ing to receive and entertain the guests bar not
| appearing on the bills, ii one may use such an
| expression, probably because business emer-
! yencies may require his presence elsewhere.
| ard that would be awkward ii he were an
| noGnced as host. Tie hours are usually from
| three to six or seven o'clock p. IN, and the
| whole affair is made as simple aud Informal as
| possible. II male servants are nOJ kept, two
| walters are hired for the occasion one TO attend
| upon the door ard another TO dispense the
pleasant refreShment OF cup Of hlt !"'.5''jj N
or h0hea, with Ht:!e cakes ana biscuits a, IN
| accompaniment. sometimes there are ices
| sometimes not There is lille ceremony Pea
| pie come, pay their respects. Chat with their
| Trends drink their tea. and so away again
| They can walk or take a carriage, ladies caa 90
| With or Without an escort. the hours being
| early. and they dress Just as they please,
A handsome visiting dress OF wool and velvet.
| OF SIX and bFocaGe. of velvet and satin. or any
| stylish combination OF dark, rich fabrics. will
| carry a lazy through q season, and enable her
to see good deal of society If she confines her
| self TO day entertainments, and does not 60 out
| much in the evening Bonnet5 are universally
| worn on such occasions, and even walking
| dresses (ShorD put in an appearance, b il the
toilettes are not confined 10 these. Many beau
| tlful dresses are displayed OF the kind cail4i
| strictly dinner dresses. made OF rich black or
| dark silk, or velvet. Or combination OF two
fabrics in a modification of princesse STYLE. or
| with deIni-trdined skirt, trimmed and close
| hitting coat or cuiraSS basque. with or without a
! vest. With such dress Il silk fur-lined cloak
and carriage is needed, but it is quite optional
| is employed.
Among the handsome dresses worn at a recent
AFTERNOON reception was a sguare-cUt garnet
| velvet, trimmed with old lace unQn the meet
| and sleeves. A bonnet shaped like q Marie
| stuart cap accompanied ii. faced with velvet
| ana euged with pearls, the trimming being COM
| posed wholly OF white ostrich feathers mounted
| on The top. Another dress OF black velvet
iiiStut eujlItis pam. was also very distinguished
| il was closed to The throat and finished with
| what is called a 'muriil0' ruhie Niiicl is q
| Triple standing ru1ile of delicate, plated crepe
| lSSe.
| An elegant costume" was of navy bi1e vel
| vet trnmed With bands OF white ana Gray
| doWnE feathers, and accompanied by a small
! leather bonnet 10 match. The bonnet had \
! baEd OF navy blue satin ribbon across The
| crown, tncd with old gold, and the end; We're
| fastened al the sides with gold gates. cogled
| from rustic models.
Costumes Of striped velvet are very much
worn on these OCCASIONS Of the material l-pOW-n
| as corduroy. 1t is usually a kind OF yeIvgteen
2l'tou9h some 81 il Is made i'll rjc. SIX velvet
| ne costumes consist OF a dr3pcd and trimmed
| NalEing skirt, Jacket, cut and snaeed with 2
| seam over tie HIPS like geutle.HaT,S coat ana
| vest, the vest being OF plain corded silk or
| S2in- or the shade OF the velvet OF corduroy
! 40 trimming is required except handsome in
| ia0 or wrought metal buttons. these fife
| jaUDtY StAie, ard the contrast of fabric being
| guile sufficient tG render them effective
| Among serious and elegant young ladies who
| 40 rot approve OF fast styles, the long close
| r2IciCt Of seal skin Is as much the rare as tine
| fCi-ilned SILK Cloak for InatronS and d0wa .crS
Tie CleSS for wear with IL Is OF brown Gamers
| E2!r, combined or trimmed with velvet or
| heavy silk. and q small bonnet Of brown velvet
| or silk trimmed with brown satin ribbon. lined
| with gold or eclu, gold ornaments and brown
4 l.t.f foot .