Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-01
From Our Own Correspondent
LONDON, July 25.

From Our Own Correspondent
LONDON, July 25.
London In the season--the early summer
Deason-is the most beautiful and enjoyable city
In the world. The weather Is like that of our
September, only the mist of the early morning
81 grayer, less golden; but 1t Is also more filmy
and veil-like, and clears away leaving the most
perfect Of days which so far during our stay
have been without a cloud. 1t is weather partic-
ularly well suited TO holiday making. and all the
world seems to be en- Jete. Crowds are assembled
every where for purposes of enjoyment: Cricket
matches at Lords, tennis at Harlngham, re-
gattas at Henley, fetes at the gardens, concerts
people who apparently have nothing TO do but
enjoy their lie. London has not vet begun to
empty itself of even the strictly fashionable ele-
ment. The park. Hyde park, Is filed with fine
equipages and elegant tOilettes, and the "Row"
shows no dimnuton in the number of fine
equestriennes followed by their wellappOinted
RroOms. Engagements are still three or four
deep on the cards, and the number of charita-
Die bazaars, of afternoon concerts, Eat homes,
and cOnversaZiOnes TO be gotten through with
seems miraculous 10 those VINO do not know
how to make business of society.
oUT-OF-DooR TOILETS.
Wraps play a much larger part in stylish
dressing in London than in New York, and to
American women upon a first visit the seeming
incongruity of light dresses accompanied by
heavy wraps and even fur capes is a constant
subject of remark and sometimes ridicule. But
the exigencies of their own climate. The sun
through the day is very hot; the air out of the
suns direct influence very COOL and over the
whole atmosphere, the moment the sun has
gone down falls thin, transparent vapOrouS
mist, followed by clear, cool, refreshing eve
nings and nights, when coverings for comfort
Is actually needed. An English woman, there
fore, never goes out without a wrap; not nece--
Bariiy for wear, but for emergencies. Wraps
part of the costume are less common than in
New York, but there is much more style and
expense put into independent wraps, or rather
HI,
For example: Upon a recent afternoon at Lords,
where perhaps L. 900 people were assembled
and from twenty to thirty drags, the toilets
we're all of the lightest and thinnest material;
Thin, Open-worked embroideries over batiste,
nee over silk. transparent woods, and gauze or
bet embroidered and draped upon satin or
China silk. With such costumes In cream and
banary, pale blue and strawberry, tiesh-pink
and terra Gotta, were carried long cioaks of ruby
plush. wide capes lined with plush, with hoods
md long ends that can be thrown over the
thoulders, and dolmans of chuddah cloth or
India wool, silk lined and fringed or trimmed
with pendant braids in the colors of the cloth.
At all outdoor entertainments there are great
diversity of toilettes. The preponderance silk
Is much less than with us, and confined almost
entirely to middle-aged women, dOwagers who
are not at all particular as to the fashion of
tEeir gowns, whether Of this year, last year, or
even previous period. They sail about COM
fbrtably, satisfied in the consciousness of an i'm
pregnable sort of responsibility of silk, hand
some brooch. earrings, and lace collar, accom-
panied by freshness and fashion in the persons
Of pretty daughters dressed in cotton or nuns
yelling too often vulgarized by satin ribbons in
contrasting colors.
But the color, the diversity. the light delicate
tints, the freshness of complexion, the bright
ness of eyes, the soft satin gloss OF the brown
hair, and the quantity of flowers carried and
worn, makes an English crowd upon pleasure
ground very charming sight. Jewels beyond
Z pin, small earrings, or a string of beads. or
bangles of Indian silver, are not worn by the
young women. Indeed, the exhibition of jew
elry Is much less than it was formerly. Dia-
uOnds are reserved for state occasions the few
ornaments worn In the daytime showing artis-
eefial. BOnnets and hats are simpler than with
9e, though the same materials are employed.
The coarse straw bonnet, which more or less
shades the face, Is as universal as the cotton
dress with young English girls in summer and
= always trimmed with cream lace and some
simple but not snowy flowers. Yellow broom
Or mustard coWslips, or pink-edged daisies, are
Avorites and look well with the gray blue ar
SMALL blue and white checks and the cream cot
tons often embroidered upon the material in
shaSes Of white, deepening to brown.
SOME SPECIAL FEATURES OF OUTDOOR DRESS
Trained dresses are now very rarely seen,
even indoors, while outdoor dresses are lnva-
H1abiy made so short as to clear the ground and
ave the necessity for ''lifting" over the cross
the feet more than Is customary in America
especially in front, where the dress skirt seems
70 ne sEs INSTEAD s Of AL
ence does not look so good, but the comfort in
Eearing Is considerably greater, and comfort In
England Is paramount. A very effective toilet,
worn by a handsome girl who occupied front
seat upon drag at Lords, was composed of soft
cream Yak lace over cream WOOL with high
bodice laid in cross folds, and killed with cream
satin; cream lace parasOl; large hat of black
chip and lace; black shoes and fine black, OPEN
gloves. "A large bunch of yellow jonquils was
fastened TO the bodice of her dress. A younger
and extremely lovely girl wore what was pro
nounced a perfect dress for her age and purity
OF style. 1t was of the finest wool (cream) land
IL minutest folds and bOrdered with wooden
lace OF cobweb fineness and most delicate pat
tern. The back of the skirt hung straight and
null, but across the front deep band laid I'm
nne folds formed close drapery, but without
bow or ends or baggy finish OF any kind to break
the simple lines or the perfect neatneSs OF the
contour. The bodice was in straight folds at the
back, and formed square of fine folds at the
throat, outlined with lace of the same delicate
texture, only narroy er than that upon the skirt
The broad sash was of cream watered ribbon,
and the large hat Of leghorn, trimmed with a
magnificent cream coored feather and loops of
rbbon. very fine gold necxlet, with pearl
lOcket attached, encircled the throat.
Costumes distinctly esthetic such as were
commonly seen four years ago in London so
ciety have almost disappeared, but many OF
tnelr features nave been incorporated into the
general tone OF dress and social life. The mod
ern scheme of color, for example, has been to-
tally changed from that of ten fifteen years
ago, and though the cause of this lies deeper
than the caprice of a f " enthusiasts and is in
0eed que 10 the modern discoveries in analine
dyes and the Infinite possibilities of grazing and
shading they have developed Still it is 10 the
esthetic movement We are indebted for the
early recognition of their possibilities in an
artistic sense, and for advocacy of a return
% the simple materials and STYLES OF oIden
times as a variation from the masses of costly
materials and conventional drapery with which
We were burdened. Naturally the improve
ment has been great upon the early experi-
ments In coal oil coors but the ridicue of straw
berry red and terra Gotta. of old gold AMI
0xydlzed gray, OF gray-green and bronze-brown
has quite died out and a clearness obtained in
addition 10 the depth and softncSs which makes
the old colors seem SO hard and crude beside
them that one IL surprised they could ever have
been tolerated. There is something in the soft
subdued tone OF the atmosphere here VIII en-
leaves the effect OF color and renders possible
70 wear shades and combinations which would
be TOD pronounced in New York An all
yellow costume seen at a garden party was an
example of this. The entire dress incIudi ~
the parasol, was in two tones of yellow and NJ
brought out exquisitely the brown Of the eS t.
and hair. and the delicate fairness of the skin.
Surah dresses ia soft shades of red, crushed
strawberry, terra Gotta, and shrimp pink are in
great vogue, trimmed with coffee cOlored IIre
worn with soft caps embroidered or covered
with lace to match.
All the draperies are close and fastened to one
sloe. InerS are no expansive tOurnoures and
no nounces: Inc skirts hang straight in fine
Kills or tucks, gathered at the back or laid in
platts II the materials are heavy Tie short
oraperfes are losing their prestige and longer
ones are coming in, and will prevail during the
coming autumn and winter. These side ttrlp..-
Ites were and are still features of eSthetic n,S-
tunes, as may be verified by comparing the
most fashionable styles at feie or a garden
party with the designs of Liberty & Co.
AT HOMES
Afternoon receptions OF an informal character