Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-01
From Our Own Correspondent

NEW YORK, November 80.
No better opportunity could be desired of con-
trasting conventional with artistic fashions than
has been afforded by the initial season at the
neW) Metropolitan Opera House and the adj
Vent at the same time Of Miss Ellen Terry, the
leader and at the same time the most admired
exponent of the modern esthetic movement in
dress. which began and still finds its truest ex-
preston in the England which has received so
little credit for good ideas in regard to clothes.
The Metropolitan Opera House represents the
most wealthy and fashionable element in New
York society. 1t exists because this clement
could not obtain the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
not the recognitOn-it wanted from the con-
servative elements or the old Academy: and its
tiers OF boxes arranged in amphtheatrical or
horseshoe form. exhibit as complete an acpre-
Gation OF conventional fashion in full dress as
can oe found anywhere on the continent. The
dressing, too. is for the opera The season of
balls and grand dinners has not vet begun La
uies come from dinner at home or at a hotel
rom dining at DelmOn;cos or the Brunswick
anu ai'hou@h they may pat in an appearance
at Wedding or weddiGc, reception yet these
are comparatively informal and do not demand
extraordinary attention 70 dress The opera is
therefore the important event of the evening":
ami IL Is TOR this the toilets have been specially
prepared
TIE VENETIAN TONE.
The interior of the new opera house is some
what remarkable for quiet uniformity of tone,
which is hardly relieved by the reiculated panels
and china mcdalliols on either side of the stage.
The general tone is yellow. The boxes are lined
with old gold. and the balconies in front of them
with neutral stone gray. which has the color
effect of stone baluStrat!e. There is no
Chandelier. the circle of lights being set in the
ceiling such way rs to produce a much more
perfect distribution and an avoidance of the
dazzling reflections that often come between
the eyes and the stage in the old Academy, and
also prevent the brilliant cOrruscatiOns of light
and color which the glittering mass of pen
dant crystal caught and threw back and forth
between the boxes. the balcony and the par
quete. Oh body part OF the house The new
house lacks this carrying power in its grouping
Of color and Orn;i;neatatOn The interior of the
boxes is cold and chilly. because there is nothing
to warm i. into life or wake up its hidden sun
shine. and tie beauty of the curved lines which
enclose them is lost i'll the hard grayness which
ones eyes cannot follow with sympathy or
pleasure and which narrow ard shut in but can
not act as q medium Of exchange or commune
cation.
These details are necessary for an understand
Ing Ofthe effects produced by the fashionable low
neched and shOrt-sleeyed style of dress as worn
almost universally in the boxes at the opera.
The yellow tone has been the lOXe of the past
two seasons and with stained glass to bring it
out. and with rich and varied color in the stately
costumes OF the figures which move on it. it is
bright, inspiring, and delightful; but nothing
can be imagined more cold, less bright and less
Inspiring than fashionable New York audience:
and when to this stiff conventional chiness is
added rows Of bare necks and arms and cool
uniformity of tint that is almost atmOs-
pheric, the effect becomes depressing. and one
wishes that some sort of understanding had
been arrived at by the painters who decorated
the interior OF the house, and its boxes and the
ladies' who were to occupy them. For what is
the use of Venetian background fOr cOnven-
tionaiiZed utterly commonplace figures.
THE REVIVAL OF THE Low NECK.
The low neck may be said to be on the ram
page. 1t is dominant. 1t is universal in ultra
fashionable society, and it is accompanied by
the smallest and shortest of secves-not straps,
but real sleeves, only short and close to the
arm, not puifed or set into band The Vene-
tian style as brought down to us by artists and
writers when Venice was in Its glory was very
splendid Sleeves We're double, long, close and
flowing: bodices were pointed, richly embrod-
cred with gold or precious stones and finished
at the neck with the fan-shaped collar Of stiff
embroidered lace. The robes We're gorgeous in
color, OF the richest velvet and brOcade; and
the deliberately trimmed hair was often sur
mounted with small crOwn-shaped head dresses
OF velvet encruSted with jewels. Contrast the
picture presented by this magniiicence with the
dulinc-S and salneness of rows of necks and
arms not remarkable for beauty. whitened into
ilfeiessesS. and only alternating in the different
degrees vi plump and scraogy. The astonishing
lnbecIlity OF Il blind adherence to q fixed STYLE
is its frequent and exceeding unbecomingness
The display of bone is as painful as the display
of flesh is disgusting. Both require the modify
ing Influences of the soft and gentle fabrics
which trail their length upon the ground. leav-
ing the upper part OF the persOn-aimOSt to the
Eaist-pitifull! unprotected.
ROUND OR SQUARE
depends upon the kind of shoulders OF which
lady Is possessed. If she has good" shoulders
she may wear q round waist, and the more it
leaves them exposed the better. If she has not
good shoulders she should have the low bodice
cut square. so as to bring strap over them,
this being the only concession fashion makes to
the weaknesses common to the form divine
But who is to be the judge of different kinds of
shoulders: Not the possessOr. And certainly
not the dressmaker. for she would risk the loss
CT customer. the happy correlation or cor
respOndence. therefore, which should exist be-
tween the shoulders and their covering, or
rather ,mcOyering, is as uncertain as home
made bread or bliss in matrmOny
popularity Ofthe low bodicesis that they are
nearly always OF q different and richer fabric
and often vary in color or shade from the skirt.
The freshness OF the skirt Is of course of little
account, it being but little displayed The
fashion. therefore. of velvet OF satin bodices
affords an opportunity for utilizing old hand
some or light fluffy trimmed skirts which
could not bear close contact or the bright light
and critical inspection of ballroom or dinner
party. great deal of gold silver or beaded Orna-
mentation Is used upon them. and some of those
that are cut down very low i'm front are filled in
over the bust with fullncss of gold or silver
silk gauzc. which is partly concealed by the cor
sage bouquet OF natural flowers. which SO often
gives the finishing touches To the bodice Quite
number OF new hodiCes have been made OF
black. AID richly trimmed with gold passemen-
Ierie, lace or embroidery for wear with gray
PINK, black and white, and black lace skirts
Cod embroidery upon the new mouse shades
IS effective. and bodice Of velvet with q richly
embroidered top and skirt of satin same shade.
the velvet panels gold embroidered, made q
beautiful dinner dress.
OF Course. there are ladies' even in society
who will not be bound by any arbitrary rules,
but insist ON following their own devices. These
are put down rs ''ecCantrics' and if they are
rich ard handsome they can do it with impu-
nifty. One lady of this description, rich in her
own right. adopted hat is known as the 'de
Metlci' collar. and continues to have it made
part of every handsome toilet, season after sea-
son. There is another whose velvet robes with
their close. single pulled sleeves, straight full
skirts, narrow embroidered satin fronts and
small square of embroidered satin ut the throat
reproduce as nearly as possible the beautiful
dress worn by Mary, Queen Of Scots, minus the
peculiar cap But unfortunately this lady is not
Often seen at the new opera house where she
would make picture.