Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-04

! many-edged instrument I'm the hands OF IL
/ ignorant The effort just now In the con 5truc
! lion OF artistic dress by the intelligent m5dst,
! or the lady OF culture is to use and blend mate
RAILS 10 such way as 10 Lad up TO and form
single effect Which Is suggested rather defined
and whit n. though possessing no meaning fol
the ignorant or those who do not possess the
key still strike every one who secs Il with q
pleas ant sense OF harmony and completeness
The frat thing to be done to get this eject Is
10 Top off all superfu1tles and redunGEncieS
and reduce ones idea to its lowest terrre In
other words. decide what we do not wanc be-
fore we begin 10 consider what we do. The
idea is not yet developed into al art, IS thought
Of but ~ few, and IS clearly understood ~
none that VIII be likely to undertake the ta7y
OF teaching It 10 others. But It Is the true idea
OF dress and contains law obeyed Oy every
one who endeayOrs to make her dress express
It's true ana honest purpose. Probably actresses
are the orIy class who educate their eyes and
Their lnteligence to the artistic point 80 far as
their dress Is concerned; and OF these there are
very feW Who know when ana where to STOP
even II they have learned how to begin dress
Wcrn oy q celebrated actress In the first act
idea wish TO convey. il I could reproduce its
exact pictured semblaDce. which OF course is
impossible It was composed OF brocaie OF the
palest shade OF green and thick. pure ivory,
White satin. The effect was such that q trained
eye, without finding any shape or manipulation
or materials to represent the mower, said al
once, ''Camela:. There was no fringe no rib
bOns- no ends OF this, that or the other BUT
perfect simplicity and purity OF outline, aE3 the
white and pale green.
Two other dresses worn by the same actress
during the progress OF the same play Wsre
equally correct and representative o. the central
1uta OF the act during which they were Worr
one OF soft thin ivory WOOL, with round Shrred
waist and bunch Of heartSease at TIE belt Was
q simple cottage dress. Another OF white satin
and OTocade. gliJtering with beaded lace and
fringe, which flashed back the light from COR
seous GisInond5, was a pau oresS; and each OF
these dresses was so distinctive as 10 tell it's
own story; so perfect In its way that nothing
could be ADDED to or diminished.
THE ART IDEA
g only new as applied to dress The
theory OF it has always been applied to
plays, and il has been adopted by the modern
school OF French noveli5ts. That Is. a modern
French novel turns upon single Incident upon
Which every thing else that happens has bear
Ing, towards which 1t leads and to which it Is
sunordindled, and n the elimination OF which
the story ends.
This central idea is the main thing and the
art Is Ia building Up aud around and about IL
so that the laws OF harmony and proportion
shall be observed and the subordinate parts
snail not overtop the main structure or disfgure
Instead or add TO and beautlfy 1t. How often
this is done III Dress Trimmings piled up on
worthless fabric; costumes top neavy, one part
being out or all proportion TO another; col0rs
lighting each other, or the whole giving the
impression OF having been brought together by
an earthquake or CONFUSION in Cry goods rather
than by deliberate forethought and intention.
women t. study up the art idea and adapt 1t to
everyday use except so Tar as it may prove OF
use in simplifying details and getting rid or
enCUmOraI CeS. The general principle Is identi-
cal With the special principle laid down as ele-
InentaTy, viz: 10 first lind out what to get rid
Of, or what not to have, and then the task of
what TO have for the purpose required Is very
much siMplitled.
GIRL DREssMAKERs.
Why DO not the girls or to-day become their
own dressmakeTs? They would find an extra
ordinary stimulus and pleasure In the occupation
AID there is nothing that would do more to
take the nonsense out of them and put sense in
It's place. Paper patterns and the shortening
OF the skirts have made the task easy and once
undertaken 1t would not be given up for It
would he more interesting than fancy work"
Probably the tnduceC1ent to many would be
much greater IL the custom OF giving girls an
allowance fCr dress money was common here
as 1t Is II England. But unfortunately 1t Is not
and the majority of the daughters or Weil-to-do
fathers feel that the effort would not be appre-
ciated and would bring them no COmpan-
sati0n. Young women whose parents occupy
high positions in England frequently do all
their own sew Ing in Oraer TO make their allow
ance-Wlich ranges from $50 10 $3.50 per au-
nuIl-GO Its work. They ayshaye one dress In
q season made By dreSsmaker, not more, and
this viii probably be supeIlntended D. dress
maker Ill the house, who occupies her time In
cutting and fitting, While the young lady her
sell. with perhaps the help Of family seam.
stress does the sewing. There Is a great adgan-
tage III this becomiGg acquainted with
methods and personally cOnversont with WAYS
and nears. with the eXlgencips and nee sIfies
Of work, Its limitations dS We'll as It's pos5Dli-
lies. A good servant would infinitely rather
work Tor mistress who was thoroughly &C
| quainJed with the duties to be performed ana
| therefore willing to make allowances; and on
! the same principle, iC Is easier In N aklng Il
! dress TO satisfy one who Knows tnan one
| whose Ignorance makes her at once exac Ing
/ and Ion. app: eciatVe.
AT THEIR MERCY
| 1t IS strange 10 what al extent American
| women aI0T themselves to exist at the ,nercy
| OF dependents, through Want OF actual knoS
| edge and practical experience Of Work Some
| times they rebel against an innovation, Or ions
/ continued abuse, Ou5 the throwing up or thj
| work and the dread or being left 10 their OGI
| resources brings them back quickly TO tGt
| proper state OF subsection 90 The dreaded cool
/ or the inflated mOdlste.
| The coat sleeve such as women are at presaD
| wearing only exists by the sublime unc d.
| seriousness OF the laws Of philosophy and ana
| tOmtcal formation on the part OF the Wearer5
| There is 10 elbow TO IL or In it. The outsld
| seam is rounded, it is true, but the inside sean
| is straight, aid every bend OF the arm parallze
| 1t. Thirty years ago coat sleeves were cut so az
| 10 allow TOT gathering upon the under side
| Which gave perfect ease 10 the arm and alloTe(
| IL 10 move and act With without strain or pain
| Now this Is and for long time has been I'M
| possible Women Who are not engaged in WOrl
mat requires the steady use OF tie arm anC
y
| those engaged In writing, working at tee
| graphy, painting. or operating a sewing ma
| chine suffer tortureS.
| Ladies' who do their own dreSsmaking 500
| learn 10 pay attention to these details OF com
| fort which have nothing at all to do Wit
| fashion, but II is impossible 10 impress then
| upon the average dresSnaker. For one thing
she is 100 busy 10 attend TO individual def all :
! She follows copy. and only branches out Wner
! you would rather not have her-tn trImmin,
| and In massing up "draperies" This sleey
| business has become one OF the minor miserIes
, With the reduction 10 the width and genera
| outline CT the dress. the sleeve has grown close
| ana shorter until IL hGldS the arm like a vic
| ana covers IL ike another Skin. The white In
| Siue Gun mas SappeaTed-there is no room
tor IL. Inc sleeve is three inches shorter thal
| the arm, but the long glove is Supposed tn c1m
| down 10 meet 1t. The tight sleeve Wnnld he leo
Objectionable II 1t were occasional. but II Ia tn
sleeve or the every dag working and WaIkIn,
dresses; the occasional sleeYeDthaI ia IN
u!eSSE SletFG-iS varied and modified In man,
OlutICht ways, and often is Il sleeve at all
NRen street Jacket is made py n Gra7S
( maker e1a Suo", with, say, wooden dress m
/ misery Is double. The arm is twice encaSssd :,
| sleeves which are so short there Is no s.nnII,
| upon them, and so straight that they SION al
/ tle VitalcuTlentS and send the blood Tushincr r
I me mead "heFe 1t creates in a very Short tin
/ 2 lovely fed nose. There are patterns of sleeve
/ "a which luint5S Is allowed for the eIboy nm
AtSSfndktTS 90 not seem to get mold OF them
/ Lei ladies' who are about having spring suiT
! ara jackets made look out for the Straight. mar
| aIy sing coat sleeve. go
! THB NEW TWEED.
/ The new spring tweed for suits are all WOO