Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-01

THE LAST NEW THING IN FURs. ETC., ETC.
ETC.
From Our Own Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Sept 30th
The ''openings" of fall fashions are about as
dlstracting events as can be imagined to the
majority Of women who have little time to
decide between the merits of a multitude of
fabrics, and often buy in haste to repent at
leisure. The only salvation Is to decide before
hand what not to buy, and this Is about as good
preparation as any for a wise choice. 1t will
usually be found also, that from year to year
certain stand I'd fabrics and standard articles
keep their place or are only removed to make
way for something equally well adapted to many
uses and faithful service; and if the purchasers
of these tried and proved styles and materials
lose something in the way Of popular novelty
they gain much In the way Of permanent salts
faction.
All early designs, all early patterns are now
experimental. They are merely samples which
dealers place before their customersto see which
will take with majority. The difficulty is a
want of nice sense in adapting one thing to an
other, pattern to fabric. p design to the ma
teriai in which it is produced, and the whole to
the individual. The daffOdil pattern, for exam
pie was very successful last summer in cotton
Saline; this fall it is reproduced in rich brocade
ouu uocS uut UeSeTVe I'd Dc SUCCESSFUL at aL
The daffOdil had simple natural assOciations-it
suggested the country, country living and cOun-
try wear-but no lady who had cotton Saline
dress in daffOdn pattern Will want duplicate
in rich brOcade. Besides, the associations are
not in harmony with the subject.
The wooden fabrics in dark, rich shades are
beautiful, and they are combined with Ombre
trimmings, which are great improvement on
the Ombre standings which appeared last season.
They are darker. 1rlner, more artistic and pro-
nIo "A nNI
dark olive. seal brown. invisible green and dark
est tint of wine and mulberry are still the lead
ing shades, and great skill and taste have been
displayed in combining cOlOrs. in the Ombre eff
fects. so as to produce the best result The ma
terials are fine and close SERGE heather cloth,
Atwood tweed, Vienna and Umritza cashmere
This last is softly draping, and comes under the
head OF esthetic materials. 1t is used for plain
princesse house dresses In lighter shades of
green, terra Gotta red and Egyptian brown.
The new cloth suitings have color effectsintro-
duced into them, which in some lights show
plainly. in others are almost invisible. The
heather mixtures are the prettiest and most
suitable for costumes A proper way of making
Is with draped basque-two fiounces Cor more)
upon the front, headed with close shirring: shir-
red plastrOn upon the bodice and cOachman's
cape shirred round the neck. This is suitable
style for all plain wooden materials 1t is better
than side drapery, which is only suitable for
more fanciful materials and toilets.
Pushes show many novelties Among them
are terra cords and shaded stripes in new color
ings and combinations, the most striking and
original OF the recent designs in plush, however,
consists OF small fan or oval shaped leaves,
shaded In different tints, and overlaying each
other exactly like the pheasant feather fans.
which were so fashionable two years ago. The
effect is very much the same and used as trim
ming it is difficult to tell at distance whether
it is produced by feather, embroidery, or richly
piled fabric.
Combinations will not, however constitute
the most elegant and distinguished costumes of
the season. Suits of plain plush or velvet, with
lining OF satin wherever it is visible and but
tons OF bronze, old silver, c. carved pearl. will
De more exclusively worn, the skirts showing
little trimming and no Overskirts, and the coat
bodice having jabot of lace.
Waistcoats are rentrOduced into London. but
mere the large collar or small cape is preferred.
Seal brown suits are made with skirts upon the
front of which there is great deal of stirring.
and which are finished with deep basque high
In the throat, and buttoned over in double
breasted fashion from the bust down. The cuffs
and rolling coat collar, which forms revers,
are OF seal brown plush, lined with brown satin
Merveillenx, and heavy silk cord or ornament
is usually arranged on the coat at the back.
Inc Jersey dresses are very pretty and likely
TO be fashionable with the very best class of
women who are not too old for style which is
youthful as well as graceful. It is made in fine
twilled wool. with two killings and bodice of
elastic cloth buttOned at the back with small
gilt or silver buttons, and glove fitting The
scarf drapery is arranged in a double series of
folds and is turned upward, so that it easily
forms convenient pocket on the right side
Thick. soft silk in darkly blended cOlOrs, satin
merveilieux to match, or dark crimson, wine.
or garnet silk, or corded satin are used for these
folds
THE RATIONAL DRESS.
There is much inquiry in regard to the
''RatiOnal' Dress Association in England. of
which Lady Harberton is president. and which
owes to her the invention ola costume intended
to solve the problem Of easy locomotion and
freedom from weight, which are and have been
the great desiderata in dress intended for prac-
tlcabie, comfortable, every day wear An
immense amount of ridicule has been expended
and an unnecessary exposure of ignorance made
In discussing the basis Of Lady HarOertOns re-
form, because 1t involves what she calls a
divided" skirt, what is generally known as
trousers In reality these only differ from the
trousers which accompany ladys riding habit
In having deep yoke attached, which fits
around the hips, but does not touch the waist
line, and also in being longer and wider about
the ankles. pattern of this divided" skirt
cut and sent me by Mrs. E. n. King, the sec
rotary ofthe Rational Dress Society. lies be-
fore me now and attached to it is q diagram
showing how the woke or ''band" should be
attached or worn so that the weight or chief
pressure may fall upon the lower line where it ia
united to the divided skirt. Mrs. King writes
from London:
The pattern of the Rational Dress Society.
winch forward you. is the one send for LADY,
tryclcle riding That for walking is Just the same
only 1t Is generally preferred about four inches
larger around the ankles" printed descrip-
ton OF the divided skirt is as follows: 1.-THE d.
vlded skirt is skirt divided between the legs co
as to cothe each leg separately; the under-cloth-
ing suitably arranged beneath this BY this
means greater convenience and freer use of the
limbs Is gained, and, for the first time the lower
part or wOmans body is properly and decentIy
clothed. The divided skirt should come to about
the ankle. quite clearing the ground. 1t can be
MADE as fui or as narrow as the wearer may de-
SIRE An ordinary dress skirt is worn over this.
winch may be as much or as little trimmed as the
wearer may fancy. although to secure liehtness
the less the better. Also this skirt NAV be worn
as long or as short as the wearer may think
proper. The divided and upper skirts must be of
the same material. The divided skirt NAV annear
under the top skirt about two inches without eX
citing the least unpleasant notice. The divided
SKIRT ana the undergarments are fastened to a
broad band lifted round the hips SO AVOIDING
pressure or any sort round the waist The ton
part OF the dress may be any loose body or Jacket
the wearer may chose, always avoiding bands
ngatures, or pressure OF any sort from below the
nxed ribs to the top of the hips. In a costume of
this sort the weight of clothing NAV be reduced
one half because as the divided skirts cover the
body fully and evenly, fewer layers of clothinT
are required and less material in their cOnstr,lc-
how hHp ~xx 80