Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-11
7m mAsosM LONDON.
Fashions IN the Streets, In the Shops, ct the
Flower Show, In the Theater.


From Our Own Correspondent
L0NDoy. JuGe 21-The smiling fields gemmed
with buttcrcups and daisies through which we
passed on our way to London, and which pre-
sents the same bright aspect that they must
have done for more years than the oldest man
or woman can remember, for they are the eter-
nal theme of English poets-were no bad pre-
paration for the exaggerated simplicity. the sort
of parody Of early English" which character
ises the present fashions.
In New York there are feeble attempts in this
but here the idea originated and finds
a hundred modes of expressions besides being
so queerly mixed up with French fantasies that
there Is apparently nothing real or stable about
them, but a curious sense of seeing them as part
OF performance, at the close of which they will
all disappear
The features of eye Early English" are: the
hats and bOnnets the gathered and belted
waists; the sleeves forming close cuff to
the elbow; the long puff to the top;
the large collars; the pelerine capes; the short.
straight skirts; the revival of old colOrs;-old
blue, old green (Which is more than half Yellow,
old gold, and the like. The odd Frenchy mixture
is seen in the tie-back the strict outline of the
costume which allows no free play to the limbs;
In the quantities of white lace used for trim
mings: in the snowy contrasts; in the odd use of
Japanese designs; and in the odd combinations
and free use of bows and knots of ribbon.
SEVERE ENGLISH COSTUME.
The strict old English costume is short dress
of checked or striped Bingham, pattern very
small Skirt, shirred above two narrow fiOunces
and shrred in series twice again before reach
ing the line of the waist-Once below the line.
once across the knee. The full bodice is
straight. round. and broadly belted in-round
the neck is a large King Charles collar. and
the sleeves straight to the elbow. but pulled on
the top down to the elbow. The bonnet is a
In n hrn ctr nifphf
quilting or ruche of flowers set far back in the
the interior so rs to frame the face.
For children the costume is accompanied by a
poke sun-bOnnet OF exaggerated dimensions,
made OF the gingham or material Of the dress
There are quantities of these dresses in washing
quaint collar the straight waist, the small leg of
mutton sleeve, the broad belt. and the close
short, many ruff1ed skirt-enter into all summer
costumes, more or less. with exceptions.
TAILOR MADE DRESSES.
For example, tailor made dresses are much
more common than with us. and much more
patrOniZed by the best people who
tastes INDUCED in by the fast" set.
The taller made costume is of serviceable
cloth. serge, beige, or some other light strong
material in fine mixtures of olive, brown, tan,
almond and ruby shades The usual
make consists of a walking skirt trimmed with
killing. and a long close fitting jacket or polo
naise very neatly and simply draped. A small
straight cape may be added. There is soft
light hat for this dress, with brm that can be
turned down in any direction. and which is more
like furry cloth than felt; very light of texture
and in all shades Of colOr-ruby, flannel white.
peacock blue, cinnamon, and almond, brown and
gray.
The general appearance of goods in the shops
and people in the streets do not differ materially
from the general appearance at home. 1t is only
n q n Cn in 10 LOGS
in others. On the whole there has been a grad
ual assimilation of ideas. for we in America have
taken on more color, while in England the street
dress Of the majority has become almost univer-
sally black. cut after American patterns.
This is leading us in Paris where the business
women have made black uniform. to the adop-
ton by the richer and more exclusive class of
old colOrs. and particularly of the white tints of
which they can keep almost the monopoly. as
the latter are too quickly sOled for general use.
OF course this is largely the case in America also:
put whatever separates class is more defined
here, though much less SO than formerly and
strikes the newcomer with more force.
BLACK SATIN SHOP-wOMEN.
1t Is rather curious that the respectable dress
OF the middle class gentle women has been
End shops, particularly the dealers in fine lace
goods and mantels. say for the saleswOmen."
it being very well known that the dress is pro-
vlded for them, or at least made a condition of
their positions and either counted in as detluc-
ton or a perqusite. And indeed it is of Great
Importance in the perpetual trying on of rich
lace and silk and satin mantles that the dress OF
the saleswOman should be free from rOuChness
that it should be smooth and well fitted over a
good figure, and all these are advantages that i'm
good shops count on the matter OF deSirSbty
and even salary. The black satin dress has be-
come really cheaper than black silk. An adul-
terated black silk is the poorest of all silk fab
RIGS. but satin may be fine, thick and smooth
on the surface, and serviceabe. yet have linen
back which is visible to no one. These satins
make really elegant-lOOking dresses and are I'M
marred by snowy jet trimmings such as too
often nure the black satin dress Of the lady,
for they would raise rough points of contact.
and must therefore be avoided.
AT A FLOWER SHOW.
Yesterday was the last day Of a flower show
that Is very ''sWelF and brings out all the titled
and has many distinguished lady patronesses
l looked in vain. however. for any of that spen-
dor of costume such as is described in the col
umns of fashion Journals. and was reminded
constantly OF the thick white cotton gown"
worn by the daughter of a duke at Newport
who casually remarked on seeing the spendor
OF the white s::tDa and laces, the brOcades and
the diamonds. that she had not brought her
best gown with her--shc did not think she
should want it. At the flower show were MANY
great ladies' in cotton gowns. who evidently
had not considered it worth while to waste their
best gowns on such an occasion. and the thrift
1t betokened was certainly commendable i'm
them. although it disguised certain Americans
who had paid their half-guineas in order to see
a really arstOcratic display of tOilettes.
Excepting on private occasions. flowers are
not arranged here with half the taste or variety
in the florists windows of New York
city. Each separate kind of flower is massed
together in punches without foliage. and though
they are cheap enough, yet one must buy sew
eral lunches and arrange them ones self to get
q handsome bouquet or to fill a basket
NOTABLE COSTUMES.
Some of the dresses were elegant-a happy
mixture OF artistic intelligence with sense and
taste. Among these was one of very pale flesh
tinted silk, embroidered with wild roses and
brown foliage, over ruff1ed brown satin skirt.
A deepcOllar of old Mechlin. with an embroidered
band and narrow pleated upright edge of satin,
was worn at the throat.
A charming dress was of old blue satin, made
up with cream Spanish lace, and worn with a
mantaet fichu. one end of which was thrown
over the shoulder and fastened with a great
cluster OF pale crushed rOses-a similar bunch
fastening the scarf drapery upon the skirt.
AN eHectlVe dress was composed of black
satin skirt, short and killed at the bottom. An
OVerskirt OF cream Surah, draped straight across
the front, and very much SHRED; and black silk
bodice, with pulled sleeves with deep Surah
Guns. and small, straight Surah fichu. trimmed
Win lace The bonnet was coarse straw lined
with black velvet. and trimmed with an almost
straight band Of black velvet and a bnnch of