Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-31
SUMMER FASHIONS.
The Muslin Gcsyn-COttOn as Queen
Summer Wceds-The Shortcomings
OF the Straw Bonnet.
From Our Own Correspondent.

OF the Straw Bonnet.
From Our Own Correspondent
NEW YORK. May so.
Ii has been said In q previous letter that this
is an 'Off season. so far as fashions are con-
eerEed. Presidential seasons always are, AID
this year it is particularly dull socially and in
money-spendng way, because wall street has
tumbled all to pieces" and business sympathies
with failures and depression in stocks. There
Is probably no country in the world where the
fluctuations are greater and affect a wider circle
than in this, because there is none, where the
general prosperity is so great that possesses so
few fixed Incomes, so little certainty of
permanent individual hold upon accumulated
wealth. A 'erisis" such as comes with the
regularity of showers in April. affects all classes
of society, and particularly the dealers in such
wares as are commonly known Us dry goods.
American men are proverbialy generous when
they are flush, and will pay $50 for a wrap SOS
fer q bonnet. and $780, more or less for the new
spring dress. But few wives have any stated
allowance TO depend upon, irrespective of the
changes and chances OF business; and when
period OF depression arrives husbands shut
down, and experienced mothers with young
society daughters warn them to keep quiet and
not tSh Tor EiOney or anything that will suggest
outlay until the critical time is past. This is
not u thrifty or economical system, for women
BatGFaiiy take advantage of the occasional
spurts of iiberality to FAKE Use OF ali they can
get; and are so accustomed to periodic fits of
gloom and presage of disaster as to consider
them part OF the natural Orcer OF things and
hot as something calling fer serious considera-
ton on their part. the signs Of the times are
quickly seen and easily understood by sagacious
merchants and manufacturers, who at once sup
press costly experiments ard announce
MUSLIN SEASON.
Fortunately. warm weather admits of q good
deal of liSnlay at small and yyh hoo
OF yards and yards" of lace upon one dress it is
not necessary to imagine it as representing a
small fortune in bank-notes for lace which
looks very pretty at distance, ana trims eff
fectiyely. is now sold anywhere from 5 to so
cents per yard. and one car be covered with lace
almost u cheapiy "a with cheese CLOTH Another
oil the phenomenal clothing houses for women
aud children, for which all large cities have be-
come famous during the past fifteen years, has
been opened on the ste of what was Booths
thtater in Twenty-third street and adds one
mere to the costume establishments which
are cutting one ancther's Threats IN the effort
to secure Hons share of uncertain and unsat-
isiactOry trade The Department has been
placed Iii experienced hands, and among the
pretty and practical styles exhibited are soni;,
Charming novelties in garden-party dresses of
dotted muslin in darhly-shadcd leaf and flower
patterns. trimmed with oriental or pompadour
lace, and broad soft ribbons in subiued shades
which harmonic with the general tone rather
than with any special color i'm the design A
specially Is also made of nuns yelling dresses in
pink, cream and blue, trimmed with peated
lace. ana OF White dresses in India null trimmed
with wide NaleDCienneS lace and fine lawn
trimmed with needle work or embroidered lace
Dresses ready made and trimmed in the popu-
iar styies Indicated can be purchased from s35
to S35 each, and last season, though they are
not good for much beyond that. White dresses
would be the most economical of summer toilets
We're 1t noI for the expense and trouble of laun-
Gering them; but this is an important item. and
fhAir tfrStn fl,,
done by city or watering-pace hotel laundress
toiOred MnslInS are not supposed to pass
Through this ancient process of renovation
with care they are expected to last "a season.
without washing. and if a sudden fit of thrift or
necessity should prolOng their usefulness or rem.
der its extension desirable they are sent to
professional cleaner, who, for two three dol
lars, subjects each one to q dry-cleanng opera
ton, which makes ii as nearly new as q cleaned
glove 1t is so long since muslins were in fash
Ion that they are likely to be Il sort of rage
every lady. yUun@ or mddle-aTed. desiring one
or more for her summer wardrobe. Their pres
tige is heightened by the lovely tints and arts
tic character of the designs and also by the
comparatively simple ana; graceful STYLE of
making. There is nothing novel in tie modes
TINS season. They are all reyiyals of styles
which have tGPn mere or less well worm but
have probably held some reason within them
selves for their continued popularity The tie
lack" is q thing of the mast. Drapery hangs
e loose. and what may be called ''iOppy" if great
giRg puff is not SO much used as last season. but
II has not disappeared: and deep single fiounce
has largely taken the place of the pleated ruffies
TO which We have become almost habituated
The popular mode of making muslin dresses is
with one deep hilted or boX-nleated founce. a
Rounded apron extra divided and crossed to the
left; an irregular drapery at the back which
deepcns until it falls over the top OF a narrower
f0unce; and basque. which is SHRED or
lle2ted at the back. or cut short. leaf-shaned
and filled in with u fulness which is rounded
and lace trimmed.
White lawn dresses for morning wear are
tucked at the back from the waist to the hem
horizontally. killed at the sides. thus forming
panels. which are edged with a peedle-WOrk
band and arranged with two or three tucked
and Killed tlOunces in front. The basque is
p;cated lengthwiSe back and front and trimmed
with needle work. or rather with machine en-
broidery- This is bc!ted in with soft ribbon or
ye'vet. White and delicate muslin dresses af-
ford an opportunity for pretty dressing at small
cost. which the young should not fail to take
advantage OF. The expense of material is almost
nothing. and if they will spend half as much
time upon the making as upon a sofa cushion |
or the painting of a questionable placCue or
Jar. they VIII be almost certain to reach salts
factory results
HOUSE WEAR.
Distinctive hOuse-wear is now confined to a !
class, principally To young well-t0-dO married
women, whose cares keep them at home part
OF the day, bit whose duties do not stand in the |
way of dainty indoor toilets. charming
morning costume consists of fOulard i'm a
Clover leaf pattern. the front covered with q
dTaped apron of mall embroidered with a clover
ieaf design aud the shoulders with a square
handkerchief crossed upon the breast and en-
trOi'itred to match \ little breakfast cap is
made OF a half handkerchief of the same kind
ard the bow i the color of the clover leaf in the
dresS-yiO,et, strawberry or brown The null
my be- silk and embroidered with silk by hand
Some ladies execute this work for themselves.
some have Ii done TO order. or il NAV bc all
White in the SOFT tint peculiar to null This is
matter Of taste; bat OF course the specialized
Color and the hand work individualiZes it. and
renders il more costly. The fDulard is made ,lp
without trimming Oyerskrt. rounded
muslin cuff. edged with lace. finishes the sleeve
ant preserves the unity Of the accessories
The handkerchief morning caps were a little
rage seyera! years ago. Then they disappeared
Now they appear again in numbers like locusts
OILY the effects are less disastrous. Probably it |
Is only one way Of getting rid of slIDer album
cant stock that did not prove saiab.e in their
original form. great MANY temporary
''cr&zes In fashion are failures dressed up in "a
way to catch the eye and convey 81 impression
OF novelty which they do not in realty possess.
Summer morning dresses for girls are of fine
Saline. pure linen bat;ste and gln@ham in pale
tints OF blue, cream. straw berry celle and old
fashioned buff. Some are in minute checks: /
others plain and trimmed with prnhrGiderv