Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-01
scheme of color required for the proper prcsen.
tation of the play.

walking and visiting dresses for winter wear.
and the majority are Of fine cloth, very much
trimmed with velvet, or OF velvet as literally
mounted with fur. very handsome mouse
colOred velvet is made with pleated skirt and
long Hungarian pOlOnaise, bOrdered With otter
A wine-coiored velvet has pointed bodice to
the edge of which the drapery is laid in close
fine pleats- The skirt has a falling puff in front
above deep border of Labrador fur. which
extends around the bottom. A mantle Of the
same. lined with quilted satin to match is Dor
dered with the fur. A very original costume
mas skirt of brown cloth (nut shade) a habit
basque OF the same, and vest OF gray uncut
VeiVet fastened with garnets. gray velvet
toque, with group Of brown feathers fastened
with rich buckle of garnets. completes this
stylish costume. Ali dresses OF this description
are. OF course, short and usually made in two
pieces-skrt and coat or basque. The skirt
may be trimmed. pleated. or plain, as preferred.
although the most of them are trimmed and
somewhat bOuffant. Pleatng Is, however. q
rage. and many handsome visiting skirts are laid
in box pleats at the back, paneled with killings
on the side. and finished with series Of shirt
puffs in front. Or they may be pleated all
around in close, single killings, if the material
is good enough not to require OVERLAPPING.
One of the most effective short dresses for
calling Is of very rich dark blue silk. cut i'm
squares and lined with gray Ottoman silk, over
box pleated 1ounce Of dark blue velvet The
habit bodice was Of SILK, with velvet collar lined
with Ottoman and trimmed with very thick and
soft chenille pendant fringe.
Cloaks and mantes are shorter than last year
and arranged with funcss at the back, where
they are held in by an interior belt over the
tournure. The mantles have no sleeves. as the
name implies, and the cloaks. Which partahe of
The dOiman shape, show nothing at all new eX-
cept tendency towards simpler fOrlns-as. tor
example, the paletot, which has already been
revived and will undoubtedly be one Of the
leading shapes i'll velvet next year.
There are always novelties in fabric, however.
and one of the latest is a cloth with loops re-
warm material In plain and large indistinct
checks, and in lovely shades of green and
brown green and dark red. and the like 1t
makes up well with velvet of the plain shade
killing habits, it may be remarked while on
the subject Of cloth, have been greatly i'm
proved by shortening the skirt, and are now, by
recent system of cords (only seen upon i'm
ported habits). adjusted without trouble into
Walking length. This is great convenience.
FASHIONABLE FrRs.
I1e most fashionable fur at the present time
Is undoubtedly sea.skln, and it has won its
place after very hard and severe fight by vir-
tue of Inherent merit. For many years it held q
place in England which was not accorded to it
here, and few believed then that it could ever
rival Or supersede the then popular mink
twenty years ago the height Of every woman's
ambition i'll the dress direction consisted in the
possession OF dark mink cape and muff. the
value being measured by the number of the
dark stripes which are found in the back of the
mink. Now ladies in eastern cities will hardly
take mink for a Gift unless it Is put in as lin
ing. rs 1t Is now occasionally in silk circulars
There are reasons however for this reyclu-
tionary change more creditabie to Judgment
than mere caprice. In the first place, mink
never was dressy fur; it was solid substantial
and respectable; but not refined, or suitable for
dress occasions. 1t was, besides. very difficult
to discriminate between qualities that
possessed real claims to consideration
and those that were manipulated for the market.
These draw backs do not exist in the case of seal
skin. Its depth, its color, its softness. it's fine
shading adapt 1t to fastidiOus tastes while its
qualityis SO easily asccrtaned its genuinene-s so
readily tested that no lady need buy in ignor-
ance OF what she Is purchasing. The Shetland
seal ranks the highest and is really an economi-
cal purchase, for it literally never wears out,
while its beauty and luxury are a JOY forever
In Paris a Shetland seal paletot cloak will cost
I'VE hundred francs (5lOO); in England. twelve
gulneas (s65); here, from $3.50 to $3.50. No
wonder ladies take the opportunity to make
the eyes of the officials Of the custom house and
the heats OF August or September. The shape
OF the seal skin jacket and paletot has greatly
improved OF late years. 1t was formerly short,
square, baggy and i'll fitting. Now it
is cut to the figure, Is longer, higher
upon the shoulder. and the sleeve is
shaped to the top of the arm. The pa.etot
Is succeeding the jacket. and next season will
DE the most sought for, as it is now the newest
Of the sealskin garments. This lovely fur can
not DC SO well utilized as some Others for the
smaller garments, such as FUR capcs and TRIM
mlngs; probably it is too precious to be cut up
ana wasted. For these purposes black fox
natural beaver. gray fox and rat fur are largely
used The latter is not often sold under it's true
name bat it is very largely enpIoyed and ia
Il of
for it is soft, dark and durable. Otter is one of
me prettlest and most expensive furs used for
trimming purposes. and Its exquisite shade of
brown and soft sickness have long made it a
fayOrite with gentlemen. for whose collars
capes, mufilers and other cold excluding aces
series it was almost mOnopOliZed What is
called Labrador" fur in Paris is a beautiful
brown, long-haired fur. for which we seem to
nave no name or corresponding trimming in
this country-not one. at least, that is prepared
in the same way-althOugh it has the appear
ance OF belonging to the fox family.
MUFFs AND CIRCULAR CLOAKs.
The NUTS are small and always correspond to
the garment or fur trimming used to complete
the rest ofthe costume. Seal, natural or dyed
beaver. and black or gray fox are the most used.
and are more fashOnaby employed than those
that are made to match suits A cloth suit
trimmed with fur and mutt to match is an econ
omy that is only an economy when home made.
and that does not pay for specializing at the
hands OF a high-priced mOdiSte; but such a suit
is always lady-like. whether fashionable or not.
The fancy NUTS. too. have largely disappeared,
proving how little hold q mere folly can ever OBJ
tain, even upon the minds of the fOOlish-who
fortunately for the world at large, can never get
a firm grip upon anything, for if they did, or
could. they would cease to represent folly and
folly itself would cease to exist, which would be
pity, since it would deprive the ass of their
occupation of railing at them.
uf lined circular ClOakS have mot with a end
den revival this season. probably because they
have been industriOusy worked up; for they are
costly and only desirable as wraps. Fifty and
sixty dollars is the price asked for good fur
lined Circular Of ottoman silk with lining of
dark gray well prepared squirrel that will not
she'd its coat upon Il WOODEN dress, or any dress
Corded Sicilienne is made up into cheaper
clOaks and lined with inferior fur; but this is
not pure silk and wears gray and shabby as well
as shiny. and is altogether very poor pur-
chase. Much better would it be to get q warm
furry Gnside) beaver cloth, best quality. Make
up in long Hungarian or doman style put on
border and collar of silk plush, and face sleeves
and front with twillcd Surah Such q cloak can
be made for 50 and will Outwear two CHEAP
Sicilienne circulars.
BALI. AND DINNER DRESSES.
Few ball and dinner dresses have as vet made
their appearance for the season, for it has not
yet begun, but the imported designs Indicate
the direction which fashion will take, and the
original toilets made expressly by distin-
guished mOdiste for a recent trosseau are well
worth q mention. One of these consisted of
pink tulle over pink silk with pink satin front