The Washington critic., 1886-08-21
SARATOGA SOCIETY.
CuricsitieS of the Hops at the Grand
Union Hotel.
GREAT SCARCITY OF BEAUx
m Important Question as to what
Constitutes Full Dress.
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL GOSSIP

This week everything reaches Its
climax here, and though there will be no
lack Of people for the rest of the month,
and the probability Is that business
will be very good far into September,
as several conventions and associations
will meet here during that month, still
this week may be regarded as the very
height OF the season. The postpone.
ment of the Grand Union garden party
until the last week of August will make
the close of the month gayer than usual
and keep many here who otherwise
might wander away earlier.
THE DRESSING AT THE nor
at the Grand Union last Saturday even
ing was the most elaborate have seen
on any occasion at Saratoga this sea-
son. The best place to see the toilets
to be worn at one of these hops is in
the spacious drawing room between 8
and o o'clock, the latter being the
hour for the hop to begin. In the par.
lor the ladies walk about or sit
where their dresses can be seen to the
greatest advantage. In the ball room
they sit in rows around the walls, and
the gowns only of those in the front
row can be seen at all, and they cannot
be viewed to any advantage, the fronts
only being visible, Of course, when
the wearers are seated in stiff backed
chair, with no room on either side for
the display Of train and garniturc
So no one is the wiser for the gorgeous
trimmings the sides and back OF dress
may have. Any sort of dress with
the front covered by an elaborate
apron, gotten up to look like the front
of an elegant ball costume, would do
just as well, so far as making good
show seated in the ballroom goes, and
then one needn't crush train of satin
or tear as well as muss one of tulle,
while so seated. Few dance, and no
one thinks of walking around the ball.
room, because all are too much afraid
Of losing their seats. 1t Is of first i'm
portanco, 1t seems, to get a chair and
keep it, though there Is nothing to be
seen. So three rows of ladies sit
around the walls gazing at each other
from opposite sides of the room across
the vacant space, where dancers ought
to be, but seldom are.
\ SCARCITY OF BEAUX.
There are usually about thirty or
forty women to one full grown man at
these hops. Sometimes when the ball
room has been full l have counted only
about half dozen men besides those
belonging to the orchestra and the
doorkeepers. One reason the men stay
away is because they affect to
find it so troublesome to put on dress
suits for the occasion. Scarce as men
are here, none who appear at the ball.
room door Of the Grand Union Hotel,
clothed otherwise than in the con.
ventional full dress suit for one of
his sex, is admitted on any terms, who.
ever he may be. To hear the fuss men
make about this regulation, and the
complaints of trouble of putting on q
dress suit, one would really think that
they had back hair to dress, bangs to
crimp, and trained underslirts to ar
range with reference to the length Of
the train OF the outside garment With
none of these troublesome things to
adjust, or bustles to tic on tight and
fasten so they won't wobble IA woman
cannot readily understand why men
put on such airs about the bother Of
going in full dress.
On the other hand there are many
glazing contrasts In dress on these oc.
easions among the women who attend,
for there has been difficulty since first
the rule was made, about seven years
ago, that full dress was Indispensable
at all hops at the Grand Union Hotel,
in deciding what does constitute
FULL DRESS FOR A LADY.
with n man it is different, since ii
means specifically one color and mate
rial-black broadcloth for the whole suit
and one cut of the coat. But no such
rule as to color, material or style of
making ladys dress can be adopted
so as to define an evening dress and eX-
clude those otherwise attired. There
fore no matter how woman is clothed,
If she have no bonnet or other cover
ing except hair on her head, and no
species of shawl or wrap around her
shoulders, she can, If she has card to
admit her, go into the ball room at the
Union. and some do go in wearing or
dinary street costumes, minus the hat
and wrap. Other ladies dress rs hand
scmely for these hops as for city balls
in private houses.
At one of them lately Miss Van
Nechten OF New York, with white
watered silk basque and long sash ends
of the same, wore white silk skirt
covered with two very deep ilounces OF
white lace
Miss Sawyer of New York, who has
lately been at the White Sulphur
Springs in Virginia, had on frock of
cream-colored lace, prettily made and
trimmed.
Mrs. Malone wore magnificent
amber satin covered with fine black
lace. Her ornaments were diamonds
Miss Malone wore lovely white
frock, as she always does in the even.
ing. She is not making her debut
this summer, being still too young, bu
will do so next winter In Washington
THE SATURDAY RECEPTIONS
of Mrs. Fellows OF New York aud hel
. daughters at their residence on the
road to Geyser Spring, have beer
very enjoyable and the past two Satur
days she has had Il host of visitors
Last Saturday there were singing and
instrumental music and Miss Laura
Wallen, the youngest daughter OF
General Wallcn, recited, and her elo
cutionary talents were much admired.
Many in Washington are acquainted
with the elder sisters of this young
lady who have frequently visited the
wife OF Paymaster Carpenter there
Miss Laura Wallen is not yet quite !
years old, Mrs Macarthur, Mrs, aut
Hiss Malone and Captain Mccartney
were among the Washington peaplC
who attended Mrs, Fellows last racep
tion.
Judge ITilton's usual "at home" or
Monday, aud the reception of Mrs