Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-01
SUMMER FASHIONS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY,
New York as a Watering Place.
[Fron, Our O,ca Correspondent1

never quite as deserted as formerly, even In the
midst Of the warmest summer days. 1t Is more
common than 1t used to be for very well-to-do
people to stay in town, and only 60 out for
short trips. The system of living in flats, and
the opening up OF Coney Island as fashion,
able resort, being principally responsible for
the change. There was always more or less of
trouble in leaving town for the summer season,
as the household must be broken up, servants
discharged and the members separated, to
come together again with habits and ideas
modified, and perhaps injuriously disturbed by
the summers experience. The regularity-the
fxity-upon which the actual permanence OF
family life depends was thus subject to annual
shocks, which some are only too happy to avoid
by availtng themselves OF such mitigations of
midsummer heats as are within their reach,
and retaining the safety and comfort Of their
homes. Besides this class OF residents, many
southerners find In New York all the require
ments OF watering place, in its nearness to
the seashore, and the freedom and convenience
OF space and proximity to large stores which
cannot be found at the regular summer resorts
To such an extent Is New York Inhabited that
an effort Is made to maintain little sort Of
social life. Parties are made that do not assem-
BILE under the blazing light Of chandelier, but
meet and dine together at Manhattan or Brigh-
ton Beach-take moonlight sails up the Hud-
son, or enjoy promenade and cooling glass
OF lemonade at a
SUMNER GARDEN CONCERT
The young ladies, daughters Of professional
men principally, who stay In town. find 1t not
so much Of a sacrifice after all, for the young
men are not at Saratoga, and but In a limited
way at Newport. They are in city stores and
Offices, earning their salaries, which they can
not afford to relinquish, and are only absent for
tne week or ten days vacation, which Is the
limit of the holiday time afforded them. There
are but few resources of course, at this season.
The theateIs are intolerable, and friends 'in
plise to find young ladies at home, charming in
summer musllns and f1uttering ribbons, ready
to entertain and be entertained, glad to show
on their accomplishments In connecting cooling
drinks. and suggesting an altogether new ideal
OF home life With the happy circumstances of
which the thermometer Is not allowed to inter-
fere.
MIDSUMMER FASHIONS.
Among this class in New York city, are very
pretty, the delicate muslins are revived, and
are daintily trimmed with Breton lace and rib
ping is done upon the avenue, are OF gingham,
checked In fine lines OF dark or China blue,
krey, ! dp,La' pink black and gola, upon white, and
Madeira embroidery as sWsls as the overskirt.
ard with a cluster Ofaloops in the different
cOlOrs Of the check at the neek.
New York houses are kept closed during the
walmest part OF the summer, and the midday
lunch, usually partaken OF by ladies alone. and
which Is therefore light affair of bread and
butter, tea and berries, or fruit OF some kind,
imposes no obligation in the way OF dress. A
ski1t and sack is sufficient and this toilette Is
retained until after the rest or siesta of the
afternoon, and until it is time to dress for the
six O'Clock dinner, and the evening. A refresh
ing bath precedes the operation of dressing,
and then young ladies attire themselves 10
their favOrite dotted muslins, and with killing
little curs, pretty oxford ties, and stockings of
thelr d. own emprolderlng, are armed for con-
quest.
The New York picnic dress is charming; so is
New York picnic. The dress is OF unbleached
cape and it is embroidered In olive shades rep aa
resent1Dg grass or moss, starred with small
daises or the brighteyed Iris broad -brim-
med shade hat OF willow straw is embroidered
to match, or very nearly so, for as these are im-
ported, and the numbers are limited they can
not always be found exactly corresponding with
The design OF the dress.
Another popular picnic costume consists OF q
combination OF plain and striped cambria, the
plain being used as q trimming A favorite
color is old pottery blue, and the costume is
sol to match, and a "Buttercup" hat trimmed
with a thin striped blue and white scarf. Brown
and pink is good combination for those who
can wear pink, but the details must be carried
able that pink should be becoming The pref
tiest Coney Island or "Beach" costumes are
9ae made Of bunting aa and trimmed with striped or
deep border upon the tablier. or rather Is
turned up on the front of It, and it also forms
the collar, cuffs and whatever other mounting
the design requires The hat Is usually large
and picturesque, and feathers are its principal
ornaments, In addition to the scarf or folds,
which match the fabric used for trimming
its trimming Is quite q new idea this season,
and involves considerable outlay, II 1t IS car
r1ed out to the letter. The effect is very odd,
where the costumes are diversified and striking.
One most agreeable fact In connection with the
dressing OF the present season is the absence of
all dress extensions, hoops and tournures the
neatness and naturalness of the outlines, and
the reduction in the length of the skirts
Dresses, walking length, are universal in the
street, upon excursions and everywhere that
may be called "out OF DOORS" even the most
dressy toilettes for the interior and for evening
wear show round demi.tralns Of only moderate
length. The ugly square train, which seemed
to have no reference to the rest OF the skirt,
would fall into no harmonious position, which
attached itself always as an excrescence, like
wart upon the end OF nose, has disappeared.
one might only hope, forever; but the eternal
law OF change In fashion fOrbids that, so one
can only fall back on the reserved right OF each
woman to put out OF her own life whatever is
unnecessary or detrimental, and thus the
square train to some OF us may never again
have an existence.
Dressing for the seaside with comfort, and
especially with reference to the demands OF
fashion, is very onerous and perplexing task.
The temperature is variable-it Is sometimes
hot, very hot, sometimes cold. often damp, and
constantly subject to that chilly moisture which
a6' takes the starch star out Of everythin and leaves
as II they had been sat upon by something wet
and unpleasant. For this reason seaside hotel
is not an agreeable place In which to spend an
entire season. 1t Is delightful for one day.
while the sun shines, the band is playing and
the people walking about upon the beach In all
the gayety and freshness OF summer attire But
it Is difficult to enjoy the gathering Clouds the
sudden fury OF tempest, or the dr1p-drip of q
steady rain on the single dry plank OF the piazza
with shivering body enveloped In a blanket
shawl, and no fire or comfortable hOme-like
room to retire to in these sudden emergencies.
A cottage by the sea is much better, for 1t can
be arranged for comfort. An open fireplace is
one OF the charming revivals Of this species OF
dom1cile, and there Is sense of luxury not to
be described In the seclusion Of cosy curtained
cottage parlOr and wood fire on the hearth on
chilly day or evening In July or August
But 1t will be easily seen that ladies' DRESS as
before remarked, must adapt Itself to many re-
qufrementS. II the means are ample, and the
laundress stands ready with nothing to do but
restore the original freshness to nuted wrap
IerS and ruf1ied costumes 1t is little matter how
soon or how often they collapse In the salt
spray or the evening mist. But II the laundress
is not there, and II the wardrobe is limited as
is generally the case, 1t ought to be well thought
out beforehand, and restricted to what Is most
use1ul and permanent, or Inconvenience and
mOrtlf1cat1On will follow.
The prettiest dresses In the world at the sea-
side, are neat, simple walking dresses OF white
opera flannel, or twilled cashmere The first
are the most suitable, because they are less ex-
penslve, and clean with more ease. They are