Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-02

from Our Own Correspondent.l
NEW YnRv 0cfnfa

There was time when dress and writer's on
the subject, especially those persons technically
known as "fashion" writers, were spoken OF
and treated with contempt by all the world
particularly all the world Of literature. Anna.
teur authors and dabblers IN ink. women re-
1 10 1h and women who were simply ignorant
filing, and aired very limited, absurd or Uto.
plan IDEAS In regard to dress. which were too
1mpract1cable and revolutionary for following,
nom the intensely moral and literary stand
point, While ignoring the serious and con
sclent10us EFFORTS which were being made by
persons who had made Study of the subject
10 ,ead popular thought and popular feeling In
sense the basis OF their action In this as in other
departments Of living, thinking and acting.
Ihat sucn course was sound and had its
root In the nature OF things Is evident For the
" Boomer" the mannish reform dress. has
disappeared after exciting nothing more than a
ripple OF ridicule for longer or shorter space
gradually broadened until the Wisest pens and
the ablest periodicals do not consider tt bs-
meath them to discuss 1t, and great artists de-
vote time and their genius to Celebrating new
ideas and making them the expression OF ar. as
well asref1ned taste. The subject is IN short,
no longer considered frivolous one unless it
Is made so, as others are. by its treatment, and
lie is beginning to be understood that a woman
who understands the "whole art OF dress must
have mind capable OF something else IL she
chose to employ ii In a different direction.
Modern dress Is, In fact, as many-sided and fas-
Chatting as the modern woman, and even yet
how little either OF them are understood! The
quickened life, the awakening impulses the de-
sire for distinction, originality, must have a
Venice. and why not lind 1t ia dress? Natur-
ally 1t Is made such a medium and this gives
us the 1if1n1te variety which is the distinguish
ing feature OF modern fashion. The every day
tol!e1s OF one woman may take her from the
extremes or grave Tn gay, from lively to severe
yet not be out OF character and not excite any
particular attention.
Her pretty morning toilet, simple yet coauet-
fish, Of pale blue cashmere. we viii say, with
It's lengthWfse cascade OF t1ne yellowish lace, is
exchanged about II O'Clock for q walking cos
tune OF satin and jet, and this again, when she
returns, fer trained dinner dress of silk en-
brp1dered with flowers in natural colorS and
trimmed with fringe. II she remains at home
This dress Will perhaps serve for the entire eve
nlng, put II she Is to make an appearance at an
choice made between q cream colored satin
and brocade and Vatican dress OF foulard
trimmed with Vallenciennes lace and red satin
ribbon. over petticoat OF red satin trimmed
with narrow RIFLES Of the same.
1t Is quite common TO see mothers on the
promenade and in the cars with two or thre,
children, the Whole party dressed In dark blue
or Invisible green flannel. No trimming. only
hats and large collars OF coarse lace
or Madeira embroidery for the little ones. The
chlldren'S hose are the same color as their
dressesuthere Is no show-instead, the utmost
simplicity, but how distinguished this sifnpllcI-
~ Is! The same lady will, perhaps, make her
appearance at a reception In dress which Ia a
study OF exquisite effects, Or she Will go In q
long. straight gown, with round bodice, and
"pag" mat used to be carried for knitting work,
at her side.
There is great deal of courage and daring
exhibited In these different modes OF dress.
imagine the sensation that must have been Gre
ated by the first woman that wore "bangn lin
these latter days3 Previous to that time the
nigh forehead. as an evidence OF Intellect. was
obligatory. The hair used to be pulled back
f0TfJIrl6 orr jpcru n
and stnged of when it would grow In spite of
all Efforts to the contrary. Blue was then thu
recognized color for blondes, pink for bru-
remarked, the first bang produced a startling
eHect. Ii was pronounced ''hideouS,' but It
was copied. artists admired it; IL was found to
give the Greek outline to faces which never
ished.
The ulster, too, has no beauty except that Of
use, yet 1t also became an established and
place. These and kindred changes and inncya-
tons show growth in at Least one art element
the Willingness to sacrifice mere prett1nesS and
wnae Is considered s becomingness to use, con-
an actress has to learn is to eXtinguish her
personality in that OF the character she assumes.
and the greater and stronger aud wider her
SINK her own identity In that OF the part she
assumes the more perfect artistic she Is. Notn.
Ing Is more common than to hear il said OF an
actor aS; OF actress He COR shel plays very well
Same-1t Is always John Robinson or Mary
Jones, as the case may be-"
This up TO sew years ago was the fault Of the
American style OF dresStng-il was pretty bnt
ever, thing was sacrificed to prett1ness Il made
lne long Tor something that would dare to be
ugly: AID We got 1t In the English Balmoral
sKlrts and boots, in the Aforesaid ulster, 10 the
org coats and American waterproofS. The
French have a weakness for preCtines5 and
irapery, ard we followed it slaylshly; It is only
OF late years that English IDEAS In ufsters ami
t!r1vlng-coats and walking jackets and tailor
made suits have crossed the channel, and they
have impaired an element OF strength which
has improved as Well as diversified modern
fashion.
England Is also responsible Tor the art and
aesthetic IDEAS which have lately been intro
duCt d into dress. The historical had been laid
under heavy contributions by France during
The past half century, so that there was not
much LETT to draw from that could be made
practically useful, but the association with the
art idea aided the efforts at restoration aud has
made of the Duchess OF DevonShire and NJ arie
Antoinette and the Empress Josephine stronger
fashion authorities dead than they were during
their lives.
CHARACTERISTIC STYLES.
1t is easy to see, therefore, how wide the
range becomes for those ladies TO whom money
Is 10 object, who have q passion for dress, as
some have for china and brlc-a -brac, and MAKE
a study of it.
Among the new and characteristic styles are
garments WHICH are COPIED, or rather aGapt61'
from the Old English "Salock- rock The
Su ockffock Is the dIsttng uishing feature of the
honest English Wagoner's attire Ii is the in
variable concomitant OF his gray corduroys as
he walks alongside his wagon cracking his whip,
for the English teamster would Scorn TO ride.
1t Is mace OF some coarse kind of cotton or
linen securing cloth, is cut square like sack
With Side holes rounded out for the sleeves and
straight shirringS back and front, which are
repeated On the top OF the sleeves and over.
brought with q rude Kind OF embroidery. per-
haps In herring-bone stitch, executed In colored
cotton.
This is the garment that, With some moditlca.
lions, is now made OF silk, satin and Sicilienne,
enriched with jet and elegant embroidery and
trimmed with costly fringe or lace. The cut OF
course, Is improved, but the fulness, the shir
rings, the general Idea Is preserved, and it mus,
astonish the humble driver OF rOad-carts consid
erably to find his ancient frock used as mode
by the fine Ladies who ride In the !'RoW" and
come down to the "Hall' occasionally co sur
prise the natives
ANOTHER IMPORTED STYLE
Another characteristic garment Is the "S,lr
pltce;" it is, In fact, the canoncal gown will
slight variations This is also full at The throat
but Ii extends nearly to the feet and admits O
latitude and, 1t may be added, of longitude as
to sleeves In eavy black silk or satin anC
with the addition OF Tam O'ShanJer" can III
black velvet, the costume of Portid would be
very nearly reproduced, and certainly ought to
suit aspiring young women who are signing 70,
Coke and Blackstone and are ambitious of legal
honors.
Quite different from this Is the monks dress
a long wOollen robe With wide sleeves and re-
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