Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-07

From our Corresponds
LONDON ESG, June d.
There is nothing more striking Ia LondOn-in he
dress Of wOmen-than its infinite variety. We talk
about this modern diversity In America: and the
constantly increasing resources certainly furnish
Us with unlimited opportunities; but as yet the
majority are slow TO take advantage OF them. In
the street, and particularly any gathering which
brings number OF women u the same class and
general habit OF life together the uniformity with
which they have reached certain tone and stand
ard, Is 80 usual that departure Is the exception
and attracts attention rs an evidence OF oddness
not OF eccentricity. In London on the contrary,
outside OF little orthodox and conventional circles
notwo persons viii DC found dressed alike. Each
seems to have a standard OF their own, or GER
1l.lly, " ue ilutpehueht OF tnat OF any o'Lsr
person and only influenced, not led, oy
the local and changing fashions or the season.
Ons OF The reasons for this sovereign attitude OF
the INDIVIDUAL, which has grown largely In the
past lew years, Is the "wanL OF time" All English
women have serious business on hand They must
either earn llvIng against fearful odds or they
are engaged IN one or more OF the innumerable
forms OF philanthrOpic endeavOr To assist Others.
Here IL Is not individuals alone that must be
helped but whole neishbOrhOOds. townships and
communities. Machinery has driven and con-
tinues 10 drive hundreds OF small and IargJ. neigh
pOrhOOd industries from the Market knitters,
lace-makers. wcayers plaiters, needle-workers and
the like. AsltatOrs make US OF their mi5eries 10
create disturbance, but women are called upon TO
md ways OF relieving and permanently benefit
ting them, and thousands OF schools, classes and
created and fOsterej by women Of rank and In
nuence for Jns purpose Of meeting the emergency;
developing and aiding the old skill or guiding 1t in
new direcJionS
FACING THE WORLD.
on the other hand there is a class OF women
bred 70 comfort and even luxury; but above all
20 an Unborn belief in difference OF caste, who
have been deprived OF income and compelled TO
be theirs by right OF BIRTH OF breeding Ofinherited
claim Many OF them have display ed courage
That their ancestors showed on fields Of battle In
defylng prejudice In fOrsaking and ingloriOus
dependence, and taking up whatever they were
best fitted for that would furnish livelihood for
themselves and their families. In the midst OF
this multlfarIOGS life these practical and 1ncesS-
ant demands there Is not much time for ehlgoses,
except 10 make living out OF them. Women buy
fewer clothes, md they wear them; they do not
make them over. They add 10 the last years
gown a new touch OF lace or passamelterie, but 1t
may or miy not be harmonious or cOngruOus,
though II viii have a certain relation 10 the ind-
vIdUel, which makes IL and its wearer interesting
10 one who il a social student There is an entire
absence however, OF that effort and strain, the
part OF the majority, 10 be IN the --latest" STYLE
Tor high fashion Is quite beyond them, ard there Is
les ~ the cheap Imitation OF elaborate designs
abd rich fabrics than with US
1T Is 80 hard To tell how TO dress IN America"
said an American lady resident here, ''fOr dress Is
So mixed have gone at home 10 an evening re-
walking costumes and bonnets; and have been
invited 10 a breakfast and put on handsome
bui PLAIN veiSet waISlng dress such as would
borough House here, and found dinner dresses and
hall evening dresses and flowers and lace; and
detected looks. which said plainly looks
could that l was inadeQuately equipped for the
occasion" The truth Is. that while there Is
greater variety there IS more exactneSs In dress
here, and much less equality. There Is a far
larger number OF women who make no pretec-
siOHs 10 fashion or society," 10 STYLE or TO keeping
up with the latest Ideas. and VINO yet are intelf-
gent and moderately "well-Io-do" OF course
there are many different grades and classes in
society; but, strange 10 say, they blend more than
with since has become the fashion be liter
AIRY or artistic, II hot artists; and the dress of
conventional or unconventional character OF the
group 10 which they belong, never shews the sole
e.sns which are the result OF ignorance Of all
elety.
CURIOUS ASPECTS OF DRESS
Apart from the mere question Of prevailing fash
Ions, the question OF dress now presents SO many
curious phases and aspects in this great metropo-
lis that IL cannot be treated fairly except In con-
nectiOn with he social problem with which II has
cOnIected Itself That these Will change the
external aspects Of the dress question or greatly
change or modify them, Is not TO be Inferred The
world Il always being turned upside down. vet
always maintains It's equilibrium; and IL is so
With all apparently revolutionary movements:
They cGe-ue TlppieS, sometimes storms, but tLey
do not really change the Natural course OF things
1hrSe Httle movements In dress are, OF course,
the meresJ little nipples: but they are Indicative
Ol the singular fluctuations and social phenomena
which marx our present era. IL is impossible To
realize IN AmeTlcI-Or at least IL was-tle strong
leehng which marked the separation OF caste, and
which existed uatil lately In this country, against
following any trade or business. A shOpkeeper
has or had, no existence save ia his shop, and a
woman shOpkeeper-nO existence at all, Tor she
WAS Obliged 10 CLOAK herself under a mans name
or Dy iul,IS that tell nOUhing IN Order 10 be able
10 carry ON business, without suffering under
manifold ulsaDi.IJles
WIIhin the past few weeks however, all that
has changed The women's property act has
eia0lrd wome n TO do business like men. and the
i tHat ha1 OF IL has fallen into their
haEC>- women nave become owners OF properly
through success IN business; they have Invented
anu patented novel appn noes, and men, seeing
tIe success acnleSed Oy independent effort, en-
courage needy WOMEN to set aside pride OF birth
and custom and e. tine arena 10 compete for the
prize At lest a dozen women OF birth and former
fortune nave DecOm- mliIineTs, dreSsmakers, de-
siSnvT7 or shOp-kerpers ia one branch Or another
Nlthh recent dale, anu have Oeen more or less
Successful according To their energy ana aptitude.
Among tines. i a beautiful WOMAN OF very nigh
rduN i4dee,i. who knows now 10 extol her own
NJreS--Iedrned IL, sue says, al charity bazaars-
and has already succeeded 50 far that she l., not
obliged u present. herself at her shop" before
np'L, and lncn comes III an irFcprOach4Ole coupe
Ms iady showed me some recent novelties from
Paris II seaside hats which were yeTs striking.
lhey We're very large, and OF coarse, black fancy
straw; She DrlIns 1ned with plated Belgian Lace
the exterior JrnameBted with pro:usiOn Of tue
bftucucs % the poplar or vine leaves; oats,
grasses ia natural UNITS, and Win long stems.
OTHER SUMMER SHADE HATS
meet decided want, particularly In our more
sunny climate. These also are very large and
most picturesque in style anu shape. They are
inaGe VI embroidered muslin, very nne Insertion
anu eu-4u.> Or UI CLOUD" muslin, tinted white
1.d Or sw4 into senl-Opaqueness, Uut exceedingly
llsEt aiid delicate. Inc trimming is a potlJ or
AfJllci4l EJweTS are never seen upon what are
kHO"n - "lftlsJic" hats anu bOnneJS, tut the
hover b"uHets anu the 1lilJag ed leaves. and
fruits are among the successes OF the season. A
OiFtOi srs4uJe sOfac time agO established nilli-
Lcry, wnlCH Has since been Incorporated In one OF
Lac D. shops. Uut the originator still has the
sOpeiintcairuce " H. IL was pleasant TO md
ven lttrliseaJ and attentive Young girls ia at
bhIAlCr, anu an air of TeInenieat and modesty
ebyGt Tue d''slsus which was very attractive.
Ohe p-ttts BONNET hI1 crown or dropped rose
Ie1fcs Vcd cU-Jr), wIJh a Orin OI black Lace
NElcd tAc.Oscs ICsrs, al1 against which a
BRANCH Oi natural rose leaves made the
aIsr'ite- Iue bTd-I OF u lovely bonnet was
o. iE.A'd cr.iOIEC AMI silver; the trimming
fJ-lS lid pulls n Yalr-sreca silk crepe ami win
CT-pe ~lLl u shower OI delicate green and silver
OAts, AL long tune strings Steel aud straw Is
he" eJilLl1IslOn IN = Hae, open, lace-lIke braid
VIII which uelc4te gray .luke or lisse Il COM
blued. the Q. naneni alton c1wsiips or pale-yeIlow
IJ~rs, WIN their leaves. Charming UIaCA-lace
IOhlris are Iatse over god net, finished with solt
Pallet lace front, and JIllancd win a branch OF
perfectly -l2iGfal looking poplar or small vine
RAVES ~itA jrHdT!i4 PietJy bOnnets are made
entirely Vi ~ lac VI rcd transparent currants upon
net iOun la;iJa- IHey have quite ngh, pointed
Dillls, ana are edged with the natural ieayeS.
4Itg nave no OTIH.HIentaIiOn but the graceful ar
TAAscilri4t CI the euTTAn;s, and are sJrlngless.
Me- AXE NOT ALWAYS SO SUCCESSFUL
as Mr. HuTsh IN going OCt OF their sphere" Some
ume ago, = Sun OF an equerry 10 the queen, opened
dTessIi-lsi2g estabilshmo nt IA London charged
Ll;I Iric.r. and eSsayei the role OF modesto and