Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-09
FEBRUARY Fashions.
The Season OF Ralls-S0me Striking
Toilets-The Promise Of the Spring.
Mourning
ON Our Own Correspondent.


NEW YORK. Feb. s.
The season has not been an unusually gay one
by any means. On the contrary. the long con-
tinued depression has bad a most disastrous
effect in reducing the amount Of social gayety.
Still there are always enough people who have
money to keep the ball rolling, and whose
atmosphere is unaffected by local or temporary
causes. The gay" people are largely the rich
from other cities. who live in hotels and board
ing houses who come for the winter months to
have good time and to spend money Law
ishly in dress, balls. theaters. suppers, and the
like. 1t is these who give most of the theater
parties in return for the hospitality In the shape
OF dinners and receptions which they receive;
and 1t is the floating population which largely
mis- the theaters and opera houses. Private
oais nave not been numerous. They have al
most been relinQuished in favor Of subscription
balls at DelmonicOs-which cost little. and at
which 1t Is now quite the thing to bring young
daughters for their first Introduction to society.
The dancing at private houses seems to be grad
ually restricting itself to germans" which en-
pioy comparatively small number OF the guests.
While the rest are interested spectators and for
which the usual long narrow. drawing room can
De utilized to advantage These are practically
cinderella" dances-a fashionable London pro-
test against the enormity which late hours
have become in the British metropolis. ger
man. that is an ordinary one. is a small and
early AFFAIR, beginning at nine or ten o'clock and
Closing at one or two. and requiring only light
REFRESHMENTS not an extrayagant supper.
FEATURES OF THE SEASON
The conspicuous features. so far as dress is
concerned, have been the revival of the low
bodice, and the extent to which the use Of
feathers and fur has been carried In regard to
the first, evidently, as was remarked recently,
the ladies of what are called our best society
uxo fhn
any credit for Imagination. and are determined
they snail not be ignorant Of ANATOMY The
second has fully justified the assertion made in
the beginning OF the season: that furs would be
dominant and feathers take the place Of flowers
| as ornaments. The novel ball dress is still the
one described two months ago, with the raised
MOWERS, or shaded and graded balls in chenille
plush or velvet, upon the front; the plated
train, the low pointed bodice outlined with
Oriental lace, and the groups of feathers upon
the left shoulder and skirt in place Of flowers;
and the feathers have these great advantages:
that they are softer and do not crush. Fur has
been employed in bands of extraordinary depth,
both upon cloaks and dresses, the restoration of
the coat and pelisse forms being favorable to
this mode of trimming. A striking and pic
turesque application of dark fur consists in using
1t as trimming for cashmere or India wool for
indoor dresses. Laid in q diagonal line from
the shoulder to the foot Of the tunic, or down
each side OF the front and around the bottom.
III.
and highly distinctive. 1t has always been COM
mon enough In Russia but here the combination
has all the freshness of novelty while fur or
sN ans down have been almost the only fur used
for dress trimming.
SOME RECENT COSTUMES.
1t is not necessary to study temperature IN
winter for indoor dresses in great cities, for
such slight changes as occur are easily provided
for by soft wrap or knitted shoulder shawl
Ladies. therefore, can follow inclination and
temperament in regard to the warmth of their
clothing, or adapt it to special circumstances.
In making round of morning calls Ii is not un-
usual to find one lady wearing a wrapper of
India muslin over primsose SILK, the garniture
only wide meshy lace and floating ribbons
Another will appear In warm soft robe of GRIM
son wool, with broad chincilla bands folded
around her throat and stretching down to her
feet: pretty dress worn by lady recently.
while receiving afternoon calls, was of gray
blue (smoke gray velvet clasped with wrought
silver over full skirt front Of ruby SATIN The
outstanding collar was lined with'ruby satin and
Old lace, the lace extending I'm abots down the
sides of the front and outlining the skirt and
its extension, The pleated back was lined with
rudy satin, and turned over from tbs basque.
Among the beautiful dresses worn at recent
dinner one was of fine Venitian lace, made since
the recent revival OF the manufacture, and drawn
full over rich white silk. Tunic and sleeves
were edged with lace, and the ribbons used were
exqusitely painted with lilies Of the valley, the
MOWERS being repeated In the lovely cOrsage and
mana bouquets. The ornaments were single
strings Of pure diamonds round the throat and
round the wrists. Another notable dress worn
on the same occasion was black velvet prin-
cesse dress cut diagonally across the front.
which was draped low and outlined with amber
beads, three rows OF which, fastened with clasps.
were festooned from the shoulder and carried
across the breast, as an order A third dress
was OF mouse-colored velvet, and with this were
worn very striking ornaments made of polished
claws and silver mounted.
Mrs. Langtry's dresses in "Perir' are very
handsome, except the evening dress which Ia
vulgarly low and striking The first is a bronze
satin, with shirred front of India muslin over
pink satin wide scarf of Oriental lace is ar
rayed as collarette, fastened with pink satin
RIBBONS. and drawn off as drapery upon the
skirt, and the ends arranged at the back with
wide sash ends Of ribbon. A short morning dress
formed jacket, with vest front oyerskirt made
OF narrow lace plaitings; and third indoor dress
Is OF gray velvet with narrow trimmed panels
between which and filling in the front are pufrs
and plaitngs Of soft cream-tinted transparent
fabric, probably nuns yelling. Down the sides
OF the front are maccaroons of gold and silk
cord, and these also form ornaments at the back
The evening dress before mentioned is white
satin duchesse, the front enriched with fruits In
deep shades of red Above the low pointed
bodice is partial veil Of white lace and on the
left shoulder group Of blue ostrich feathers.
A bride receiving lately wore her wedding
dress of white satin, with the orange blossoms
removed and small groups OF white ostrich
feathers tied In their place with narrow ivory
satin ribbons. The blossoms had been placed
at short Intervals around the train on the folds
of thick ruche. above which was a line of
lovely embroidery in silk and silver The front
was ornamented entirely in this costly fashion,
the ruching and tied-in-feathers being repeated
to form the high jacket front.
Adress in preparation for the mother Of bride
is OF black velvet forming raised scroll pattern
almost an inch In depth upon the copper founda-
ton. The long plated train is Of the vel
vet. The panels are of futed satin outlined with
cascades Of gold embroidered lace, which sepa-
rate them from the satin front, which Is en-
tirely covered with lace embroidered in q mag
nifcent pattern. The velvet in this case forms
the high basque bodice and long narrow prin-
ceSse train. The sides form small paners edged
with the lace en- cascade, and the sleeves are to
the elbow. with long gloves and lace abovo,
Medici collar of velvet and satin lined with lace
The costumes for the Countess In Two
Alpine Roses I" about to be produced at the
Madison Square theater, have Just been received
from Paris by Madame Won Stanwitz who as
sumes this role. and one at least foreshadows q
style for the coming spring, while all represent
the latest French nodes The first Is carriage
dress OF Nasturtium satin and cardinal velvet.
heavily trimmed with the finest Spanish cream
lace. The skirt Is demi-trained, the BASQUE OF
satin covered with lace, the sleeves long aad
close lifting for the gloves which are worn over,
and Stuart collar Of satin lined with velvet,
20 6r,~- - H.