The Washington critic., 1890-02-09

west the first two months OF the year
have been more seasonablc. Many of
the women who meant TO do without
winter wraps see the error OF their ways;
and the heart of the cloak. dealer re.
joices as he says blandly: "Not this
week, madame, we really cannot do it
for the next fortnight, we are so crowded
with work"
Under the circumstances the average
woman has to set her wits to work to
devise an outer garment which shall
have all the "air' of madc-to order,
unduplicated, stylish and altogether
soul-satisfying wrap. Now, if the
woman has an efficient ally in her dress.
maker, she can get valuable hint from
the accompanying picture. 1t will fur
nish just the golden mean between the
heavy sealskin and the light cape-in
fact, ii is just what is wanted in our
present climate. II should be made of
some plain, fine cloth, preferably in
one of the lighter sha DIES of brown.
The model shown is in one of the
soft, indescribable tints known as ashes.
ofroses, and is heavily braided across
the front to the very top of the collar,
in silk braid, Just enough darker In
color to make a pleasant contrast.
Every row of braid on the front, as
well as on the long cuffs, has its small
| button covered to match. The sleeves
are full from shoulder to elbow, where
| they end with rather narrow band of
ostrich trimming, like that which out
lines the wide braided front.
A DISAPPOINTED GIRL
One of the most disappointed of
girls must have been the stylish maiden
who saw few snowflakcs in New
York gradually melt away under an
August sun. And why? Just look at
the skating dress which she has been
preparing for herself. If you can
imagine pretty girl clothed in gown
of dark but glowing scarlet, with skirt
and sailor blouse, and sleeves so full
as 10 furnish sufficient warmth without
any jacket, and with just suspicion
Of black velvet at the wrists and around
the edge of her red cap, you can
imagine why The owner of that costume
feels that her health demands a colder
climate. Her long boa and muif come
in very handily for finishing touches
and no one will deny that she has rca
son to look pensive. / have sketched
her as an interesting exhibit of win
try toilet.
COSTUME ALBUMS.
Some of the women who have money
left over in plenty after buying the cost
liest flncry are making costume albums.
A book of this kind was picked up by O
visitor TO New York in the drawing
room Of young matron we'll known il
society. On the first page was full
length photograph of Mrs. Blank il
her bridal robes, apparently fresh from
the altar, while on the opposite pag,
was an artistic arrangement of the ma
terials that had composed the brida
toilet, satin and laces, with even stray
orange blossoms deftly painted here anC
there. The next page represented he
in well-fitting, tailor made suit, ap
parently just on the point of starting
on her honeymoon, while the opposite
page again supplied evidence as to the
colors and materials, which the pho
tograph could not give.
The rest of the book was arranged OF
a similar plan, the left hand pages beine
reserved for photograph of gown an(
wearer, while the right contained speci
mems of the materials and trimmings
Considerable ingenuity and taste wer
displayed in the exhibits of the latter
each page being adorned with some ap
propriate emblem, either embroidered
or painted, and carrying the date whel
the costume first appeared in public
Aside from the fancifulness of the idea
it really gave a most entertaining
chapter from Mrs. Blanks social his
tory. To the owner it would of course
prove book of memories, recalling tC
her many otherwise forgotten events il
her life.
A series of photographs, taken a
different times of any one person, neve
fails to be instructive. If you do no
believe it, gentle reader, just collec
all the works of art fondly supposed Il
portray yourself from your earliest in
fancy up to the present day, and 20,
&M