Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-07

From Our Own Correspondent
NEW YoRx. Sept 6.
Unless some unlooked-for calamity occurs |
the season OF Isss-so viii be one Of unusual |
gayety and activity. The crowds that left these |
shores to attend the Paris exposition are re-
turning earlier than was expected, partly be- |
cause OF the difficulty in securing passage,
partly because prices rule higher than usual
abroad and after seeing the exposition little
remains that is within the ordinary run 10 pay
Tor discomfort This, together with the fact
that an unprecedented number Of persons re-
NAMED at home this season and enjoyed their
own comfortable houses, lends an air of occu-
patton to the cities very uncommon at this
early stage and fills the commercial mind with |
pleasant anticipations-
The later buyers, those who will bring us the
latest and furnish the dress sensations for
ball and dinner party. have only Just left us
and Will not return till October, till Bar Har-
Dor mas emptied itself Of Its tide Of pleasure
seekers, Newport Of its cottagers and the wan
derers are at home again ready with check
book for the preparations for another cam
paign.
PRELIMINARY AUTUMN STYLES.
In the meantime there is the usual announce
ments of preliminary autumn STYLES. Was
there ever year when Scotch plaids were not
heralded when il was not announced that il
was to he velvet year, and when we did
not after all, fall back upon plain cloth as the
proper wear2 Yet plaided woods are always
with us and velvet also. VIII the majority Of
women learn anything from the present ease
and comparative simplicity Of their dress2 is q
question that has its bearing on the future. Il
never realized the folly. even the indecency. of
the hitched up, tied back, and unnaturally
bumped mp skirts, said an intelligent woman
recently, It'll since we have returned TO
straight skirts, and now / dread every threat
ened revival" but why revive them2" asked
the friend whom she addressed; .for myself
they will never revive. Twill never again lend
myself to such mountebank display or mere
effort to accentuate that which I despise
There is now possibility Of independence in q
quiet way; without assuming anything that is
outre, and there should be enough Of good
sense among women 10 make stand for a san
itary, comfortable style Of dress, varied in de-
tan as they choose SO long il does not in.
fringe the Laws OF health and decency"
QUESTIONS OF HEALTH.
1t is a hopeful sign that medical authorities
are beginning to speak out on questions that
affect the strength and life OF children through
the mother, and the experience of open air and
better living is reacting upon patients, and most
OF all upon women.
1t is not necessary to health and sound con.
situations to wear flannel, but If flannel is worn
1t ought to cover the body evenly and not be
put on and taken of recklessly to accommodate
whims and party costumes. Wooden underwear
for women is of very recent date. Fifty years
ago 1t was not woven, and there are women
still living who have never worn il who have
lived to great age, who have reared large FAM
lilies, who have worked very hard and never
succumbed to sickness, and vet been very in
adequately clothed, according to our ideas of
comfort.
RECKLESS CHANGES.
Rnt fhoca a.
hard work and hard living. Their clothing did
not vary in warmth or protective quality 1t
was not wool and fur in the morning and tulle
and lace at night 1t was not a woven wool
garment covering the body on rising, under a
wadded gown, and this thrown aside for a low
silk vest at night, under silken bodice which
leaves arms and shoulders bare. 1t lie the reck-
less changes and contrasts which injure the
health, especially of those who lead hot house
lives. Something has got to be DONE" said a
leading physician not long since, ''or we shall
have no next generation, except that which
comes to us from Ireland and Germany"
THE PROBLEM OF THE STEEL AND THE PAD.
One of the difficulties which will assail the
fashionable dressmaker when her clientele ap-
pears is what can be done with last winters
gowns. There is always a certain amount of
making over every season and the modiste
usually suggests in what way handsome left
overs can be turned to account. But steels and
pads present many difficulties. The first in
jure the fabric, the last take up the mate
rial, SO that greater length is required and this
must be disposed Of. If women are wise they
will get rid Of the obnoxious pad and two Of
the steels, making an arc of the smallest one
for the top Of the skirt, as a support to the
habit bodice OF cloth, no more. 1t also sus-
tains the huted folds in which the back of the
skirt now hangs and is all sufficient, while it
| does not impair grace or freedom of movement
and Is not In the least burdensome.
NO FLoUScEs AND RUTFLks.
Fortunately there 10 no movement toward
the restoration Of hounces or rufies, or those
addenda which make a woman's life more of a
burden than ii need be, and which are not in
the least beautiful, only receptacles for dust
and a costly way of destroying the long, lovely
zines which woman's dress should naturally
form. If founcing or ruffies are used at ali il
| ought not to be cut of the length by placing
| them round the skirt Of u dress, bat Longitude.
naily in wave-like lines, that would follow the
motions of the figure and blend with its move.
ments. There is a tendency in this direction
| now in the use Of lace, and it comes to us from
the Vienese, who are always graceful and pic
turesque In their employment Of the accessories
| of dress.
BLACK AND WHITE.
There is every evidence that q great deal O,
black and white will be used this season--white
in very rich materials for evening wear and
black for more useful purposes. The reason
for this is the utter hopelessness Of any bu,
| those who can afford to employ great artists on
their costumes reaching elegance in color. In
| summer one may wear q white cotton gown In
| the morning and dark blue serge the rest oil
the day and DE dressed, but in winter IL is diff.
ferent. The plain old pink, blue and corn-col.
ored silks have disappeared. A gown is of q
tone, not color, and its perfection is gagged
by the way the tone 10 produced, the degree in
which it is preserved.
There is no difficulty about all black. II is q
mere question Of cost and combination Of silk
and velvet, of lace and jet, Of more and faille,
| satin being at present out of the category.
"All white" calls For more discrimination and
| is susceptible of more artistic treatment. There
| are possibilities in tints and shadowy sugRes-
tions Of color; but still the pure ivory tone 10
30 lovely and SO generally becoming that il
| may well be considered to leave little to be de-
| sired.
| THE "BEsT" BLACK SILK.
1t is curious how permanent hold ssbest''
black silk has obtained upon the feminine mind;
the traditions Of il seem to be handed down
from mother to daughter and 30 ON for genera
tons. It is the dress that il saved for, waited
| for, looked for and sometimes cried over If il
should prove deceptive or the dress maker fail
in reaching the standard. An object 90 long
anticipated may wen cause perplexity when Il
is at last within ones reach. It seems impos-
| sible to deal with 1t in any simple or ordinary
L ALL A. a a "a a