Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-06

HcIi} whether CSItdlQ laQTicS auQ designs are
the newest. We have at last arrived at that
stage of common sense where certain fitness
Is taken for granted, and garments may be
bought without waiting to see the last fashion
plate. provided they suit the season and pre-
serve harmony Of tone This is acknowledged to
be the essential element in all dress. the differ
ence between plain and full" dress, or street
and indoor dres4 -, that in Que case it is
the harmony of I4S city: in the other of COM
pleXity The plaInness of street dress for several
wears past has really developed it's excellence
The money that was formerly spent on trashy
trimmings, which made the wearers hideous or
ridiculous is now put into substantial fabrics into
handsome Innings and superior workmanship
There is no better evidence needed OF theimDroye-
ment which Is gradually taking place in street
dress than the contrast between what was and
what Is, even among the Dy DO means eyciu-
sive throng that I'LL the shops and sidewalks
Soft pure WOODS have been and are means OF
grace. They are sanitary. lowell to the touch.
gentle and healthtui in their influences. Few
know however what fine and pure wool really
is, fot the majority use it Ike their coffee badly
prepared or aduiterated. There are no wooden
fabrics in the world superior to those of Ameri-
can manufacture at their best. But it is rarely
We find them st their best. and when we do the
cost is annihating. The best flannel made in
this country is produced by Shaker community
at Amana. Iowa. II is q warm even beautiful
material. shrunk before being sent from the
MILL so that it requires no further shrinking.
and maintains all its virtues in the hands Of a
careful laundress. The red Amana flannel is in
demand among those who are aware of its suDp-
riOrity because 1t is dyed with pure cocnral
which contains whatever restorative properties
are attributed to this peculiarly i'm wool while
Tor the majority Of red fiannelS cOmInoner and
sometimes very harmful dyes are used. The
Shrinking process was formerly part of the
finish of fine cloth; now it must be done bv
the tailor or mOdiSte. 1t is not an easy process
for the dressmaker living in narrow quarters or
the amateur at home for it is necessary to
obtain a strip of unbleached muslin as long and
as wide "a the piece of cloth and dip It in clear
fresh water. let if drip until it drips no more,
then lay the cloth upon it and roll
it lightly in it. Fastea it with pins
and put it under pressure mangle is used
whenever one is available. and let the roll be-
come very wet. and thoroughly dry When it
comes out Of this il will stand water as brave
soldier stands fre--withOut shrinking The ac-
cOrdeon pleating is made by LAYING in the close
narrow pleats while the material is wet and
subjecting them to both heat and pressure till
they are dry 1t is the same principle as that
by which our graEdmOtheI's cap borders were
gauffered half century ago
Such tailor made suits as are in preparation
are bOx-pleated or laid in clusters of side
pleats, with wide box pleating between. The
oyerskirts are short and are 0raped to one side.
and the short coat bodice ia either buttoned
over on the side or made with revers and with
full skirt, which fills n the space above the
plaston. Last year this plaston and the mount
ING were often OF yelve=. this year the wool is
very stylish,y combined with darker shade of
The material. or with wool upon which there
are raised velvet or embroidered figures Small
half moons embroidered in shaded silk or
chenille are quite new designs in this direction.
but nothing of fancy character is 80 perma-
nently good and useful for street wear as those
which are self-colored Flower and leaf pat
terms have subsidized in favor of rings and square
DlOcks-''quadrlle patterns as the squares are
called and close arabesque designs are also re-
yived- The patterns of rich autumn fabrics
which have appeared. are in amethyst smoke
gray. and chestnut cOlOred satin and velvet
the surface .'thcky covered with curves and
Old architectural designs in cut and berry vel
vet and satin These magnificent fabrics will
be made up with satin front. covered with en-
brodered lace or with lace fOunces and pen
dant ornaments
1wlled silk serge. which is mixture of silk
and wool. is good looking and comparatively
inexpensive material for fall wear The silk is
usually white (what there is of it, which is not
much). the wool black. brown or dark gray: and
1t is made up over q silk skirt of the dark shade
the PLAIN silk being used for the full short front
or for facing the collar and cuffs: also for the
bow II bow is employed for the back
Shot silks are used for dressy purposes. and
show some charming combinations of color
lhey are made up for visiting and dinner dresses
with velvet In the darkest shade of the silk and
lace.
Almost all dresses are now made with the full
fronts. and the style is so run into the ground
that 1t cannot survive long. becoming as it is to
the flat and narrow chested. 1t is wasted and
worse than wasted on those who possess a we'll
rounded figure. charm that is certainly dis
played TO the best advantage in plain per-
iect.y lifting satin corsage.
What are called lace dresses will be in great
vogue again. the beauty of the modern machine
products and their comparative cheapness pro-
ducing finer effects for given amount than can
be obtained in any other way.
HOUSEHOLD LINEN
There Is no better test of woman as house
keeper than the condition Of her linen closet A
good and complete supply of this essential to
pleasant living is q luxury which it requires
habit and training to appreciate, and the de-
2rivation where such habits and training exist
is more severe than the absence Of other things
which seem more important. People who have
acquired some means. yet whose ways are not
over refined spend as little as possible on art-
cies oil every day use and comfort. and really do
not know the Unreasonable difference it makes
in the enjoyment of life to use towels of ample
size and good. solid quality, handsome napery
sheets heavy and laundred: and all in abund-
ance They reserve their strength for display
and are forever poor in those personal belong
ings, the possession and use of which make
one feel rich. There is inherent beautyin linen
more even imam ID SILK. 1t is delightful to
handle, and conveys sense of substance of
wealth. as well as of cleanliness 1t Is purely
an Imported fabric. very little fax is grown and
none manufactured in this country The finest
linens come from Ireland from the neighbor-
hood of Belfast, but those Of the second class
are imported largely from Germany the weight
ana quality OF these being superior to any others
for the money The fashions In the patterns OF
table linens vary almost widely as the fashions
IN dress fabrics. Just now they are
natural, and really beautiful. Growing
flax in its different stages furnishes
very delicate and pretty design: oats. among
which are poppes. another; and grasses. among
which are blue bells and swaying wheat a third
The borders are very deep. but unconventional
not enclosed in rigid lines. but forming sort of
dadO Of flowers and grasses with curled ribbons
between them and the lovely centers. One
pattern shows melange of fruits and flowers
and grains; another and the latest shows a CEN
ter laid in square satin blocks like ice Around
this at proper distances are broken forms as of
glass Tor flowers: outside of these are fiat bands
as OF color. some with curled edges as if made
OF RIBBONS. and here and tn. re srrays of flowers
or tied bouquets. This design y. 10th novel and
suggestive. Carving cloths are a recent inven-
ton. but they have grown very popular. They
consist OF large. square napkin. which is laid
under the principal dishes at the opposite ends
OF the table. Mats are less used than formerly
and when used are reserved for side dishes
carving cloths are not only more elegant but
more safe. They are made in special patterns.
with handsome corners. so that the design Is
not contained or concealed on the center as is
the case so often with mats and the like They
are OF the finest table linen damask, and no one