Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-02

| the silk itself made into bows and one Of the
| large strawberry sprays which combine delicate
| foliage with the white blossom, and the green
and ripe fruit This if of fine natural tints, fur
| nishes good little touch of contrasting color.
In wool the design may be simplifed. The
skirt may be simply box pleated, with smooth
paniers or small rounded apron made ofvelvet.
and cape made of plain velvet. The bonnet, as
in the other case should match in straw, and be
| trimmed with feathers. OF course the drawn
| silk would not be appropriate with this.
| Very much more snowy dresses for spring are
composed of rich brocades In two colors. CON-
| bined with plain satin surah. In the colors
several tints are blended, SO that the effect
| varies with every motion and exposure to light
and shade, but a certain harmony OF tone is
preserved throughout. These silks are Of Ameri-
can manufacture, and the most striking are In
shades of soft pink upon delicate lilac and in
| olive upon peacock blue. With the former Is
put lilac surah or Ottoman silks, with the latter
olive or peacock blue. as preferred. The brocade
| is used for the upper part of the dress, and the
drapery at the back which though short reaches
nearly to the top Of the ruching or pleatings at
its edge. the front is sometimes draped en-
pd'sser, sometimes has plain princesse sides tied
over the draped or pleated front with ribbons.
| A still more recent mode reverses this process
arraDges the plain fabric in series of pleatings
or gathered founces at the back. and ties the
| princesse side formed between them so as to
form series of falling loops and ends. This
game OF see-saw.. simple reversion OF
ideas, is one of the most common
features Of fashion. What has been very de-
cided in one way is sure to be followed by re-
action In the opposite direction. At the private
exhibition of imported dresses, which takes
| place at the show-rooms Questionable modstes,
| one constantly hears, 80, that is exactly like
dress had last year. only SO and SO is reversed;
where. that was full this is plain, and vice
| versa" In the workroom OF a young but en-
terprising firm of importing dressmakers, some
lovely pink and blue chamberys have been made
| for Newport, fiOnnceJ at the back and tied and
trimmed with velvet and Edelwess lace. Fete
| toilets from the same source are the loveliest
| combinations Of delicate fabrics ever contrived
by taste and skill. They are composed OF en-
| broidered crepe du chine and tinted satin or
satin surah covered with filmy depths of what is
| known as pompadour lace, with raised roses in
| needle point very dantily made and wrought in
with the pattern so as to seem part of it
although these roses are in fact applied with
| lace stitches. Crepe du chine embroidered and
brOcaded has taken the place of nun swelling
| In the construction of elegant toilets for young
| ladies' nun's-veiling having become common"
| 1t appears in exquisite tints and qualities and
combines wonderfully with the softness of the
p0mpadour lace, which Is not used in such
| masses as were the cheaper laces employed
upon nuns-veiling, but as deep and rather scant
| fiouncing. often in short lengths at the side,
across the back, or as paniers, rather than
| entirely round the skirt. or course the beauty
of the combination and arrangement largely de-
| ponds on the skill Of the modiste, who has
power to spoil the best intention of the finest
| fabrics, and often succeeds In doing so.
WIDOWS OUTFIT.
Some dresses Of extraordinary beauty were
made recently for widow Of thirty, who is
about the matrimonial state second term. One
was Of Ivory satin, with long plain train en-
| broidered in rich scroll pattern with pearls,
white jet and heavy silk down the sides and
round the bottom, which was edged with mar
row triple pleating lined interiorly with double
pleating Of lace The front was cut out in
leaves, in triple series, embroidered and laid
over founces Of POmpadOur lace, the width
diminishing toward the bodice, which formed
very deep point, and the hollows Of which upon
the hips were filed in with embroidered leaves.
below which were deep paniers of the lace The
bodice was cut square, embroidered In front, and
surrounded with standing fraise of exquisite
lace. The sleeves were formed OF single puff
OF satin and double fall of lace, the lower one
descending over the elbow. Another dress was
avery delicate combination Of shrimp pink with
a lovely brocade on tinted ground. The bodice
of this dress was cut in one with the train,
which was trimmed with irregular falls of lace
at the sides and softly pulled at the back The
entire front was covered with network of pearl
embroidery, as light almost as lace. and forming
barred sections. divided by twisted ropes of
| small seed pearls, which cost as much in time
and labor as jewels.
dress of bronze satin and brocade. latter In
an olive pattern, is for walking or riding II is
all OF color and accompanied by an immense
hat OF bronze straw, faced with velvet and
trimmed with long and wide bronze plumes.
A very rich short dress is for garden parties
1t Is combination Of cream and gold brocade
with Old gold satin and beautiful lace. There is
nat lor TINS dress Of cream satin, edged with
gold and trimmed with magnificent plumes of
old gold.
The simplest gowns in this trousseau are Of
India silk tor morning wear, very much trimmed
with ribbon and lace. The travelling dress ia of
pin checked surah, lined with strawberry and
trimmed with Irish point under the mantle,
which forms 9 very stylish visite high on the
! shoulders. tied In at the back, but with long
ends in front. The bonnet Of French straw
matched the general tone Of the dress, which
which formed its garniture represented the
colors In the minute checks and also the straw
berry lining.
Russian morning dress for present wear
was of ivory cashmere lined with ivory surah and
bordered with q broad band Of black feather
trimming: A very delicate one Of white India
twilled silk had border composed Of several
rows OF gathered lace shaded with tiny white
and pink silk pompons which looked like gar
den border OF English daisies
The list seems endless but a black violet must
be mentioned composed entirely OF black satin
and lace, the lace mingled with the satin. and
the whole effect heightened by mantle formed
OF deep plaitings of lace with a shower of fine
jet down the center Of the back and high pleat-
ings upon the shoulders. forming deep epau-
lettes. With this dress came a small bonnet
with sparkling jetted crowns and pleated brim
of real lace.
YOUNG GIRLS TOILETS
While married ladies array themselves with 50
much magnfcence and In all the colors of the
rainbow, the young girls, particularly those that
affect English styles and manners are putting
on airs OF extreme simplicity. Their brothers
are jockeys and stable boys, and they are milk
maids and pretty waiter girls. One cannot re-
spect such an exhibition as this even when it
seems praiseworthy, because there's no con-
science in it. 1t is mere masquerading 1t does
not make them any more truly useful, or eco
nomical, or sensible, or willing to face the es-
sential conditions Of an honorable and indie
pendent Life. 1t is part of the curious medley
which we call life, and which makes those who
fare and dress sumptu0usly every day some
times to wish for nothing so much as the poetry
Of poverty, its freedom from conventiOnality
and It's picturesque elements, without its hard
and binding circumstances.
These simple dresses are sometimes Of cash
meres, sometimes OF cotton .sateen, ginghams
n A na&h l.;