Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-02
THE EVENING STAR.
Fashions FOR TIE VIEW YEAR.
Dresses for Evening Wear ma New
Years Receptions, Historical Cos.
TUNES, Ornaments and Novelties.
from Our O,cn Correspondent,

| enceS In fashion when seen in the mass than
when observed in small quantities or separate
| parts. ThuS the grand aSSemblage, the ball
the crowded reception afford an opportunity OF
| judging upon the points Of difference between
the dresses and those of the present, and decd.
| ing as to the correctness of statements and
| opinions. The most obvious point OF distinction
is the absence of puffness, If one may use such
| term, from the more recent styles, and the
greater richness, or at least ettectioness of the
| material, or fabric. The over-Skirt has disap.
| peared from the new, and more elegant COS
tunes; there is no torturing Of the stuff into So
called .drapery;" on the contrary. the long folds
| and natural outlines so necessary to grace are
preserved, and the stiffness usually avoided, so
characteristic of former epoch, when dress
the Temember that til thin nat or -
sipid material always takes refuge in ''pussy''
Cesign, and competitive skill which is so largely
developed in these days. has already done
us tbs service of Kidding us of the
troublesome putting, and punching which is
necessary to conceal its poverty, Almost all
often one plain, one figured. not a crude. de-
/ tached figure, such as were formerly set at In
tervals, like patches, upon plain surface, but
an irregular blending of rich colors, and per-
haps metallic threads, into the warp and wool
| Of the texture itself "Gold CLOTH" for Instance
has been revived, and is used in combination
cation of color to glass, has also given us trim
| mingS which make of a dark velvet or satin
dress, an Illuminated missal as glowing, and as
richly and tremendously blended. other dis
coyerieS In chemical science have given us very
| brilliant what are called diamond" effects
| upon materials of light and thin texture, which
| laid themselves to great variety Of combina-
| lions for evening wear and must influence fash
ion largely when the new possibilities are under
! stood and made use Of by manufacturers.
THE INSPIRATION OF FASHION.
One great fact to be taken into account in the
| consideration of the general tendency of fash
| ion is the total change which has taken place
| quite silently, and without any flourish of
| trumpets or roar of artillery, in the source of
| the inspiration of the changes in the mode Up
to within the past twenty-five years the dress of
European women, and also of those who fol-
| lowed their lead, was, and had been, mainly de-
pendent on the capriciouS fanceS of royalty, and
Toyalty's fayoriteS, and so difficult is it to I'M
learn old ideas, that even now, under repub-
lie, France still clngs to its traditions, and hav-
| ing no empress, or queen, or court favorites to
| furnish basis of authority, brings out In
| ghostly succession an indiscriminate assemblage
| OF queens and parasites, putting the SompadOur
| by the side of Marie Antonette, and Maintenon
| IN close proximity to Anne OF Austria. This Is
picture sque, but it is not practical, and this is
| pre- eminently practical age, for, while few
| ladies In Europe and America are copying his
| tor1cal costumes, and getting them talked about
| as If they were fashion, new motive power is
| gradually making itself felt, which had it's rise
| in this country, but which is spreading over
| Europe as well. and which is really born of the
people, of women themselves, and find its eX-
preston In the popular. paper pattern. The
paper pattern Is, and must be, practical needs,
| and what is bad or superfuous will in time, by
process OF natural selection, be dropped out of
| it. The genius of people is always in advance
| OF their environment, because this was created
| by the wisdom, knowledge, and material pro-
| gress OF previous PERIOD and when women
| lind that fashion Is no longer arbitrary; that
what they. demand they can have; that the fea-
| lures OF fashion, whose pattern is most IN re-
| quest are oftenest repeated, they will under
stand what is meant by my first assertion, that
| the tendencies Of fashion have changed, and
| that the inspiration of the future will be very
different from that of the past; that is to say,
while In the past it has come from the few to
| control the many, in the future 1t will come
| the few.
| OF course, the development of industry and
| inventive skill in manufacture, has always
been powerful factor in determining the style
of the clothing, but it is acquiring greater and
pletes the leverage necessary to even and work
the machine in the interests and for the good of
the greatest number.
| EVENING DRESSES.
One Of the most elegant dresses made this
| season was for the wife of great railroad mag
nate, and it was worn at a ball given by Mrs.
the entire front cloth Of gold, with insertions Of
| wonderful iredeacent bead embroidery upon
lace, a'a gold LICE. The elbow sleeves were
he go!tl lace; thick gold cord covered the bot
tom Of the dress, and gold, and tassels were
| 'estooned upon one side, an arrangement OF
leading and lace occupying the other, for which
also a bird of paradise had been provided but
| It was found to look really better without it. so
| was not used. There was no oversairt, no loop
| ing, no drapery, only folds, and natural lines.
and the effect OF wonderful depth and variety
| Of color. The cost was 800, and it might be
called a typical dress Of the best designs used
this winter Overdresses and OVERLAND dresses,
| look now, and especially in such company, as II
| they belonged to past era Long puffings OF
lace and net are placed over, and combined
! vided with bands, or drawn straight down,
or across; the stvle, however irregular, al
ways preserving the outline. There Is another
| style which is sitter and straighter, and less
| graceful The skirt is straight at the back and
full, the front is gored and shlrred, or quilted,
or embroidered, or painted by hand. The
| and set In band below the elbow. This is the
Queen Anne style, and is very imposing in rich
satin, and .brocade, or velvet and satin; the
| OF the bodice, the satin the whole front of the
| dress, which has square stomacher, always
trimmed across with lace, and rows Of pearls,
| Is allowed to young ladies, to whom deli
cate, diaponous materials, and a GER
tain: flow and irregularity Of drapery, is so
a recent grand ball was Of pale gold-colored
tulle, over the same shade of satin, the tulle
| drawn straight across the front, and draped in
small red peoples and gold thistleS; square cut
basque Of gold-colored satin, and gauze sleeves
to the elbows The finishing OF the skirt and
alternate gauZe and Satin with crimped pleat-
ing, full point despr'it lace beneath.
Two-thirdS Of the fall dresses for young ladies,
however, are white, white silk, or satin, W tn or
without lace gauze or pekin trimming, or COM
bination; and they are simple or COMPLEX, as
desired, only the drapery Is never loose or fuSSy,
as Topped overdreSs would look like a
last years, or older, and what girl likes to
have her dress quoted as ''old as the hills"
Cream colorcd barage is also very much
admired 1t is very soft, light, and becoming;
grows in favor, as it can be worn so many times
without appearing the least soled, and Is as in
expensive as Indian muslin. The prettiest
dresses Of this description are made of a combi-
nation of plain with satin striped uarase, over
princess lining of twilled French satteeE Which
has cream or ivory tint, and Is almost as light
and firm as silk. The design describes long
basque, rounded off from the 'front.' and forming
close panieTs over the hips, with elbow sleeves,
and square or shawl shaped bodice. The train
is small, and consists OF mass OF narrow plated
nounces, with irregular drapery above. The
garniture consists Of ivory or cream white satin
ribbons and the front of the dress to at least
the depth of the basque is sometimes composed
OF finely pleated satin. Instead Of cream color,
some young ladies prefer mixture of gold COL
ored satin ribbon, or gold wheat or
gold cord with ivory satin in the gar
niture; and still others ruby satin best,
and ruby satin mixture with the
ribbons This intermixture OF high color is,
however, mistake in conjunction with simple
material. Ivory and ruby look well together
as ivory brocade and ruby satin-but white ba-
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