Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-04

ChaIdCteIlSulC
and Fur and Their Wearers-After.
noon Receptions Evening TOi-
letteS.
From Orr Olcn Correspondent
NEW YORK, December 5 1880.
Women who have seen MdlIe. Bernhardt must
have been struck with this fact In regard to her
much talked-of costumes, that the principal
feature OF her clothes is the ease and grace
with which she wears them. Doubtless she
does think good deal OF them and about them
French women are economical, In a way Amer
lean women would never dream OF copying, and
though the cost OF the Bernhardt wardrobe has
been greatly exaggerated yet stin the outlay
must have been large and the result is to be
made the most Of
No apparent thought or consciousness of
dress obtrudes Itself upon her representation of
character or mars its performance. 1t Is part
OF it, OF herself but seeondary-entirely So
representing, as 1t ought to be. Nor Is there
anything Violent or obtrusive about her tot
,ettes: the; They are rich, but almost uniformly
carried by crude or striking contrasts. To un-
educated eyes her dressing is Disappointment:
mot half as handsome because not half as
snowy as that OF some" of our second and
third rate actresses. But to others the glimpse
Of refined art In her clothes and way of wearing
them then Is lesson, and the enjoyment obtained
tanned from her acting.
IVORY T0ILETTEs.
There is no such thing In fashion nowadays
as dead white All white fabrics used for
more becoming than the plaster OF whitewash
which the costumes of Opaque white, whether
SIX or COTTON, represented. There Is nothing
able in the way OF dress than an ivory toilette
OF rich satin or brocade. with lace and embrold-
cred trimmings. Nothing can possibly 90 be-
yond It; =, The question Is only one OF difference
sequent enhancement or lowering OF the gen.
eral tone and effect. All satin or all brocade is
more elegant and more refined than combina-
lion OF the TWO fabrics IL Ii be rich and real,
pure in tint and silk all the way through.
OF course the cost Of an ivory toilette differs
Considerably 81 s1 There are the evening and
snail party dresses for young girls of thin WOOL
trimmed with Breton lace and ivory satin rib
con-. There are plain princess dresses OF ivory
surah or ivory damasse with only the finest OF
there are dresses which cost fabulous sums
that add to the cost of satin or brocade at from
Si0 TO sSe per YARD masses of silk and pear!
Land embroidery and dozens of yards OF real
LapgueGoc or even DuchesSe lace.
Gle OF the loveliest OF Sara Bernhardt's
dresses is negugee Of ivory satin with an en-
tire front composed of narrow pleaJlngs OF
ribbon constitute the garniture. The general
effect CT softness and grace is indescriba6le, but
great deal OF 1t was due to the fact that 1t
Of her. TIE best efforts in the way of dress of
American women are too often spoiled by the
Impression which the gown or garment gives of
nav Deen MADE lor some other woman. and
the case since the advent OF ready. made dres,es
for women. White toilettes are evidently Ia.
Vorltes OF the divine Sara. She wears them
always for negligee, and the costumes for every
character In which she has been seen here In
clude some that are all white. The bali room
dress dress In Camille Is perhaps the richest. 1t is
stitch, the yeining and outlining executed in
seed pearls. 1t is enriched with other ornament
tation until 1t reaches real magnifcence Two
OF her dresses In Frou-Frou are white and one
solid dull red velvet, combined with red satin.
Miss Clara Morris has never made any point
or any parade OF the cost OF her dress. vet in
many respects she Is the best (because the most
accurate and characteristic In her dressine) OF
any actress On the American stage. cost mas
nothing to do with 1t. She Identifies herself
with her part, makes herself for the time being
Tue woman she represents, and endeaYOrs to
diess as that woman would dress as well "a act
as mat woman would act. Whether the dress
coS's Que Collar or one thousand is all the same
CHARACTERISTIC ToILETTES
Inc bridal dress for "Jane Eyre-' was once a
matter 1or consideration with Miss Morris. 1t
was suggested that as she was DOOR girl ana a
Gou Gi1 glrl unused to the habits and ways of
pOLte society, she would most naturally wear a
plain colored silk. gray or brown, with lace TO
relieve its gravity. But Miss Morris decided ON
lhick. plain, white satin, with demi trained
high AND AND c gas9uS des on Of trimming made
slta!i bit OF real lace added to the f1ne tulle
pie4aIlng at the neck. For" she said, .sshe ia
o ot 90 puUr Sne cannot afford dress and she is
spihg tO marry itch man, TO whom In her way
ane VIII Want TO do credit. She is. beside
naturally refined and her taste viii revolt at q
;I anu at ythlng less than the best; but 1t
wiz VIII NC Mllnout ornament, both because She
CANNOT Afford 1t and because II Would NOT he I'm In
accordance with her previous position ), The
fre Ire S Was 81 90 exgusltely neat and simple that
10 copy 1t exactly for her daIIphters wadi,n1
uIess. AT the time "Alixe" was first brouohff
Oua, Doiiy warden oyerskirts, ruf11es aud blsfIes
~ oe rage and the dress intended for Alike
V " neai om ntr Iirst appearance before the New
noIh PUBIC was after the usual pattern. The
altist, however, young and comparatively tnexo
FeeaTd to , hs n sue was had her own Ideas In
aesaiu " lne proper costume for French GIRL
secluoed, stlll considered child, who has nave,
seen society but belongs by birth and tha
ned crcles She Sh hs fa framing o to the most
Oversklrt, and dressed in a simple dress nf
white wool, with round bodice and satin SASH n
Inere was was a, general outcry at the absnrdiy
girl presented from some OF the denizens of tho
green rooms out others thought it an fnspIra.
uOn; ana the point Is that 1t was true and has
remained the dress OF Alike In the play of
r, The three dresses worn by Miss Norris as
Cora In Article AZ" are all studies Of artistic
esG1 me BE- f5st Is req and black travelling
tie and beaver bonnet tied down with Garnet
Inc second ID red "snake" DRESS the pattern
VI Iuc uIOcaoe IepfesenClng scales, the Stnuous
serpent1ne binding OF the long train emphasi7,
Ing the reptile idea. The third dress il q nnr.
geous mass OF red satin embroidered in branch-
IKE patterns with solid bullion gold The lover
nar To- OF the front is shining mass consisting
The general idea Is to symbolic the 5ass,onata
characterlstics OF this semi savage Creature hv
natogS Sig sSa eHiGr which all
lshe Is very rich to indulge her taste for ho.
barrie splendOr. 'e LUZ par-
AIT INSTEAD OF FASHION
Wnnoutm the least drawing upon the tmap,.
taking the place OF fashion as authoritT IN ny.
dress OF many American women. This is mar i.
ticuiariy observable In the quaint forms the
any assemblage OF Wei dressed persons. Such
GepartuT from orthodox rule would have been
termed eccentric and froWnad down wear. 90