Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-16
STYLES FROM ABROAD.
More Reforms in Women's Fashions
Worthy Of Consideration.
DRESSES, HATS AND SKIRTS.
What Women Are Thinking About
Models Followed by the EngIish-Gar.
dening Costumes and Shooting Suits
The Divided skirt; Its m practicabilisy
Written for THH EVENING SrAn.

q ASHIONS from abroad send the ARREST
H. hats and studies of wash silk and fine cot
I'm ton gowns in little variations on each
The hats have transparent brims, for
instance, one with broad brim of black net en-
broidered in white point esprit, laid in quilles
on the satin wired foundation, the crown OF
large blue corn flowers clustered to veil but not
conceal the hair, with aigrette OF the flowers at
the left, masses OF gaIly striped ribbon bows,
with late flowers. like yellow and black rud-
beckia, zinnias and chrysanthemums or large
starry asters, are seen as fall approaches. These
rich flowers and ribbons are agreeable alterna-
| tives for the wings and velvet of the first Of
| September hats These are Viennese models
The English hats and bonnets of the season are
things to wonder at, not to admire. The effort
seems to be to get sailor hat on the tall pork
| pie, to which the English girl still fondly clings
1t is not remarkable that money is the only
| bait that tempts the ordinary English young
man into marrying. 1t would take avery large
fortune to overcome ones reluctance to the tall
and awkward English girl. who wears the most
| unbecoming things on principle, would
| say, and Is the most utter and Incredible inno-
cent on SO many points.
| If she Is six feet two in height. with q six
teen-lnch waist, she always wears a melancholy
! long cloak or short smart" Jacket, which
gives her the benefit of all her length. and tops
| the figure with pork pie hat and the closest
| possible brim.
THE MODEL THEY FOLLOW.
A middling middle class English woman
must be Of all creatures on earth the most try
| ing to live with, il her companion mas a spark
| OF originality taste The better class En-
| glish woman unconsciously models herself on
the high-bred ladies she meets abroad-aud
IN nizar tnn
OF French dressmakers in London has done ev-
| erythlng for her dress, 80 that a really elegant
Londoner might pass for Niennese as far as
| toilet Is concerned
The instructed American has a natural ey,
| for dress, and will by and bv be among the best
dressed women on the earth when she learns
| the artistic virtue and value of simplicity-not
to gouge out scallop here or a cash and
point there for the mere sake of sIashing and
gougng. or to insist on having her skirt ar
ranged in pleats one side and looped the other
| for fear of uniformity.
PREVALENT FORM OF INSANITY
There is certain insanity in this demand
for constant change in shapes and trimmings
the inability to restore any idea which marks
| the Eighty demented. Among the most approx
able of the late designs from abroad is a walk
Ing dress which might be worn by young
grand duchess at a German or French spa
Mark the transparent hat of mousseline dc soie
with futed brim, graceful, frilled fichu and
moderate sleeve, close enough to the forearm
for the long tyrol glove to protect it, the plain
full skirt with beading at the wide hem. 1t is
pretty model for fine cambria or soft
printed linen. The huge rush chair, which
screens from the wind, shows how comuk tey
our continental friends study comfort
Another figure In crepon and silk il a study
for early fall dress. The skirt, alternately of
plain wool aud knife pleated silk, reverts to the
| accordion idea, which is pretty in spite of its
vulgariZation. The sleeves may be of damask
! in embossed figures or i'll the fine cutwork done
by hand, which is different from the coarse
machine work seen valenciennes is from
crochet.
FINE cosrUMEs FOR FINE DANES.
Damask silks in old Italian patterns o; pea
| cock feathers, plumes, palms and heraldic fig
ures are in high vogue abroad with the
inner circles OF fashion. Newer patterns are
distinct ferns and papyrus or rich diaper,
made up with lustrOus soft gros grain. Long
polonaise effects will be seen in autumn dresses
with wide vests of embroidery or seeded Jet.
| Very rich plain princess gowns of damask or
plain silk have a close-titting skeleton visite,
outlining the shoulders and extending in long
| points on the skirt This beaded attachment
is fastened by hooks and eyelets to the waist
| so as to be detached when desired. Cloth gowns
| will be simple, with embroidered or beaded
neckbands and waists, large velvet pockets and
waists whose fulness is held by two large folds
each side the front. Belts are not worn with
| the new dresses.
SHOOTING DRESSES.
The shooting dresses offer good models for
mountain climbing and botanizing walks or
amateur gardening, for which there are some
excellent examples among society womon A
| neighbor Of Mrs. Hicks Lord speaks OF seeing
that lady busy in her garden mornings with
| trowel and plant fork, actually digging ia the
| flower beds with her own hands. And why
not? 1t is sovereign for beauty and good
spirits and demands q dress accordingly. A
plain skirt OF homespun, tweed or linen twill.
short to the ankle, with Norfolk Jacket and
| ample pockets Oh the outside of the skirt Just
! in reach of the hands, is worn by English
ladies for shooting over the turnips
IL Is to be hoped our women will be content
| to don the dress and draw the line at shooting.
| Killing for amusement is such unconditional
cruelty that a woman wholly unSeXes herself in
attempting this sport One can feel more re-
spect for Sarah Althea Terry drawing pistol
over her injuries than for well-bred woman
killing birds because it is the fashion.
GARDENING COSTUME.
For gardening or walks through the dew the
| skirt is faced ten inches outside of the hem
| with fine waterproof. The jersey drawers and
stockings in one of black wool are worn with
| such dress or the knickerbockers of cloth like
| the skirt High top boots an affectation,
| the buttoned gaiter to the knee being very
| much better. Gloves of reindeer skin are ad-
ylsed, as they will wear and wash. Linen
| CATERS to the ankle are very neat and comfort
able for town or country in the dusty days
| For Swiss climbing English women discard
| wells AS useless against the glare of sun and
| snow. Instead they wear q horror of mask Of
| thin flannel, with q gathered piece over the
| nose. A turkey rattle must be ornamental by
| the side of such disguise. 1t is no wonder
that one of their own sisterhood writes that the
| walking dresses of English women abroad too
often compine uginess and unsuitability in an
| almost incredible degree"
THE DIVIDED SKIRT.
Women seem to be slightly or more than
slightly off their heads about the divided skirt.
| The latest development is skirt on an entirely
| new principle devised by London tailor The
peculiar feature is that il is closed at the edge,
| with openings for the feet to pass through. A
piece of cloth some four yards long. we are
told, is used for the front and back widths
length in the usual way the stuff is hemmed up
certain depth, the extra length connecting
| the two breadths. the side widths are fitted in
and openings left for the feet.
| The description is copied exactly, but il you
| get any idea how the thing is made and how il
IL worn you gain more than do. Still, all the
| advantages are claimed for the new invention
health, lightness and warmth and whatever
else dr. ess reformers and doctors desire. l fail
| to see any benefit in these reforms beyond
| giving unsettled women something to get ex-
cited over and putting money in the reformers'
pockets. The reform corsets are ciums,er and
heavier than anything made by u good cor
setiere and cost twice ss much as the same
| quality in regular shapes. Where does the en-
| reimbursement come in q divided skirt, which
| 10 a pair Of drawers with each half two yards