Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-05
MISS FLORA McFLIMSY.
The Woman OF Fashion. Her Make.
mp and Her Uses in the World.

1me woman OF Fashion. Her Make.
mp and Her Uses in the World.
"A serNrrSzc DISSERTATION on DAME FASHION AND
HER DEGREES PEW POINTS on THE sPkiso
NopEs-rHg CHOICE on A BoSNEr-FRocKs AND
GOWNS AND HOW To MAKE THIN
From Our Own Correspondent.
NEW YORK, May J. 1888.
Fashion has been growing more comprehensive
and diversified for many years, but the addition
OF every new idea seemed only 70 create more and
more confusion The majority OF women could
not rid themselves Of the fixed impression that
fashion was our autocrat, whose sum total OF
mspdates they were bound to obey. But IL Is be-
ginning TO dawn upon them now that there are
fashions and fashiOns-fashions which exist for
some and not for others, fashions which are only
known 70 q limited number, and which the ma
Jority would not want TO copy, II they had the
chance.
IL is the misfortune OF those who seek informa-
ton In regard 70 what they shall and what they
shall not wear, that that ms only been consid-
cred fashion which came within the reach OF the
few; the needs OF the many were ignored This
has been natural, because 1t is in this limited d.
rection that the new things appear, and 1t Is by
the few that the new departure in any direction,
II FIRST made. But certain order and classified
Jon are now growing out OF our hetrogenity,
which demand attention, and Will solve many
problems very large class OF intelligent, pro-
fesS,onai women are setting their own fashions.
working them out In many Instances for them
selves and making standard which others are
glad % accept As yet they are at a DISADVANTAGE
our fashion books and fashion plates all repro
ductsons OF German or French styles, and give
only thai which Is beyond the reach or wholly IN
suited 70, common, everyday needs.
Yet original productions are not only impossible
because so costly, bat we have become so welded
10 certain conventional ideas and modes that
originality IS not appreciated; IL has 10 creep in
by slow degrees and mask itself under some ac-
cepsed FORM. You cannot force coffee instead OF
chfcory down The Threats OF people II they are used
TO chfcory and determined to have 10 Neither
can you induce them 10 get rid OF that which they
preston OF taste.
Stili, an advance has been made Those who
began some years ago by being practical and
The women who wear lOw-necked evening dresses,
gold-embroidered dinner-gowns and silk UNDER
the neck with long sleeves and a serviceable cloak
or jacket, are very many. There IS no need to
enter q crusade against Miss Flora McFlimsey."
She Is a charming contribution to the social life
the history and literature OF the world. Who does
not admire her daintiness-when she Is dainty
her deficacy. her sOftness, her laceS, her never
ending variety which stimulates the rest OF the
world Do song and heroic deeds, which breaks the
hearts of men with admiration and women with
envy, bus Is only languiuy and temporarily inter-
eSting to.her.
Then she gives so royalty what she no longer
wants, yet what some women who have only
imagined such luxury but never seen it. would al
most die to possess. How can they conceive that
because there Is later cut or q newer tint the
the rich fabric It's prestige In her eyeS2 1t IS for
this tlnperiouS and imperial demand that genius
and skill are constantly exercised It Is this which
creates new wants and forces the world TO supply
them The high novelties In silks, through which
the color gfows in fitful, rainbow flashes, for
Shis regal creature who has been satiated with
contrasts and slekened with harmoaies. For her
are manufactured bizarre BengalineS plaided on
one side, striped on the other so that the bewiider
and The witenery OF surprise added TO her Iascina
tons
satin and enbroderies OF silver, her tiny feet
pressing flowers, her veil dropping orange bios
SONS and exhaling their fragrance. Yet, presto,
moment and she IS a deInure mouse IN grey
robes of wool and watered SILK, with only a faint
little indication OF her real self in her glittering
ornaments half concealed, OF steel and silver
The charm OF her Is that she seems to be Der
feetly indifferent to her clothes yet you never can
tell how she will look or what she will appear In
next She may be gorgeous flower In poppy red
and cream lace, decked with hundreds OF yards OF
ribbon, or she may announce herself, always
sniiingiy, as reduced 70 this one poor gown OF
folds between her and restitution, unless her
dreadful dressmaker, who never keeps her word
sends her home something TO wear You know
she has stacks OF clothes, closets full and ward
robes full. but you forgive her, you even sympa-
thiSe with her and think the dressmaker ought to
Dc ashamed OF herself Is II because she Is al
ways smiling and apparently sweet tempered?
Certainly she always knows what she wants
and anu always gets II she is heavy tax upon
without her? IL would be a grey nunnery a
New England village IN Puritan times, a perpetual
study In black and white on hard lines without
tints or shading. There is not many OF her the
reason why she is talked about and occupies such
large space Is because she always nils the
stage" When she Is present no one else Is OBJ
served. she radiates, she corruscates she flashes
into light or subsidies into darkness. She occupies
no nnddle ground- she wears her garments black
and "traiing ike the night or spangled and cut
SIX inches rrum the ground Ike ballet girl She
has apparently no liked tastes, for she sometimes
LIKES one thing and sometimes another, and MOTH
ing pleaSes her long,
Last week a box came from Paris How its con-
tents would have made some wonen's eyes giis-
ton- Her maid put the dresses on a ..formn or Law
figure. which Is copy OF her own. There was a
lovely costume OF black lace over silk trimmed
with a fine and curious embroidery In colOrs II
was accompanied By a mantle OF lace over silk
with long, pointed ends, very straight and very
short on the back and with falls OF rich lace for
sleeves, outlined with embroidery like that upon
the dress The hat OF Lace was trimmed Win
flowers, which reproduced the dark and rich mix
There was a walking suit Of gray cloth. trimmed
with cut-steel passementerfe that was fne as
lace and had the effect OF beautiful embroidery
draped al the side over pa OF peach and WHITE
striped silk and satin, and crossed in srrpIice
fashion over pointed vest OF the same stripe
There was an India silk OF two shades OF CELERY
green. striped ana bordered with moire ribbons.
and another OF gray CgoOelin) blue covered with
shadow blossoms tn pink and white and trimmed
with lovely lace There were tea gowas; one OF
soft, reversible silk, gray and canary, combined
with striped canary DrOcade, alternating with a
SL4PO VI gray satan ue Lyon. Another was or
cream-strped moire-antique. with full 'front.' form
Ing diagonal folds OF palest pink creme de chine
re1inSOte dress was OF benCaliue in a strtue
confined Win bronze corded silk; the bengalfne
forming the coat, the silk the skirt and crossed
vest Inls OSnt, Which must have represented
With little sign OF approval, until the bottom OF
the trunk revealed a Derry" cloak gathered at
the neck; such a one as Irish peasant women
wear and which have been made the fashion
ihls produced ecstatic comments. II will be
thrown around the lair shoulders OF the owner
once In a drive TO Central Park Then she viii
say. what hideous thing" and her maid
SeWser Will prudently remove IL out OF her sight
but rlora y a Very fascinating person, notwith-
staining the fact that she does not think OF any
not and could not be Flora II she put her own
white hand 10 the wheel and bore the burdens OF
most Of Us
TIE CHOICE OF BONNET
have said that the large body OF Intelligent
women ind lt often di11cult TO obtain models
Particularly illustrated designs, which they can
copy In materials suited to their needs This f.
especially true In millinery. Private tmportations
this season are full OF novel suggestions and very
colUettish- Straws are OF cOlors, the brtms turn
straight up from the front, and on the left side 4,
TINS the exterior, and which now starts from the
back but - mounted high, so as 10 show from the
rOnt- There are chartreuse, green and black
strawS peach and canary, wood brown and ecru
and q raspberry tint, lined with olive. Black
straw hats are lined with white straw and
trimmed with peoples and black picot ribbon, one
half Of the width covered with a lovely modern
Initiation OF q real lace
BESIDES the straws, there are Transparent ma
tenals and trimmings which combine coIOr-ya-
me and unfarnlshaole. These are very dtfYerenr
and lar superior to the spaDgle and glitter ina