The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-01

Washington is fast becoming one Of the dres-
sest cities in the country You could carpet
Pennsylvania avenue from one end to the
other with the costly satins and silks worn here
of a winter, and there is enough velvet and
plush at every White House reception to drape
the Capitol from one end of it to the other and
from it's basement to the dear Goddess of Lib
erty who stands on her tip-toes on the dome.
A number of our leading ladies design their
own dresses, and know one two who wear
the most beautiful costumes seen here who
make their own dresses. On last New Years
Mrs. Senator Davis wore at her reception a
Greek dress of pink plush, out of which her
magnificent form showed in all its voluptuous
beauty. AS / stood beside her l whispered in
her ear that she looked lovely and that she had
the prettiest dress in Washington. ~ both de-
signed and made it myself" she replied, and it
was certainly as beautiful as any of the Worth
productions have seen this winter number
of American women give ideas to French dress
makers, and there are some ladies here who are
even bold enough to predict the fashions of the
future. During these giddy Lenten days-for
society is apparently more gddy now than in
the winter-many of the wives of our noted men
have been expressing their opinions as to the
toilets and dresses of the future. Many of them
have numerous new dresses which are to come
out after Easter and have to-day chatted with
a number of ladies on the dresses of the summer
and those which will be worn next fall.
MRS. GEN. sPINoLA ON A HooPsKIRT REVIVAL.
Mrs. Spinola, wife of the New York Repre-
sentative, was the first seen. Frequent refer
ences are made to her toilettes, which are con-
sidered among the most magnificent worn here.
1t is well known that most Of them originate in
Paris and on that account are allowed to be
well in the lead. Although of Paris make,
much Of their attractiveness is due to their
wearer's own taste. Mrs. Spinola has very
artistic ideas, and The gowns most admired are
frequently those which have been altered to
conform to her own instructions. AS her own
gowns are so far ahead of the reigning mode it
is easy to Judge what is in store for us by them.
Mrs. Spinoa said: 81 am sure women in this
day dress much more sensibly than they have
ever before, but these plain skirts are becoming
very tiresome. They make women look so
skinny, and there is so little chance for draping
that women feel awkward. On the last new
dress that received this week there are four
ruffles about the foot and during the coming
season | expect to see skirts rutfied and trimmed
to the knees widely worn The tendency is to
carry tH0 TullllIR clear W UuC WALSH, anu as UDS
frills come / already hear faint rumors of
the possibility of the revival of hoopskirts.
They never will be as large as they once were
Women never would submit to that do not
believe, but small ones are on the way. Doc
tors will welcome them, believe, for know
Of physicians who consider small hoop far
less injurious than tightly clingine skirts. My
latest Partisan gowns show that sleeves will be
puffed to the elbow, often in several puffs, and
a great deal of fullIess and trimmings will con-
tinue to give size to the tops and fronts of
bodces. Art dresses will not be so numerous
and trains will not be heightened There is
new style in India silks which | expect to see
much worn, since it is so cool and graceful.
For young ladies the simpler style of gowns,
ruffled about the skirt and with profusion of
chiffon and MULE about the neck, commends |
itself and will be the prime favorite We
women give SO little attention in Washington |
to hats and bonnets that have as yet formed |
no conclusions as to the features for the coming
season in millinery. In dresses, however, Paris |
gowns are always year, and in cases where one |
is well known as to be able to secure the |
choicest designs they are at least two seasons |
ahead, so that L am able to judge by that. A |
very fine Parsian novelty, if discreetly handled |
and worn with care, is really good for three sea
sons on this side"
SENATOR sAwYER's DAUGHTER ON JENNEss |
MILLER.
Mrs. Howard Whyte, the daughter and presid |
ing genius of Senator Sawyer's Washington |
palace is known as a most magnifcentIy |
gowned woman. Her artistic tastes result in
the production of toilets that are symphonies in
form and color, and several of them worn this
season are admitted to be faultless in every de-
tail, while marked by great originality. Mrs.
Whyte had hardly decided just what direction
fashion would exploit itself this sum-
mer She thinks the present mode is the
greatest advance yet made, and that the plain
dresses are most suitable for general wear She
said: 81 am believer in Mrs. Jenness Miller's
system and styles, and advocate their adoption
Mrs. Miller's styles run to no extreme, and |
do not believe that whatever change comes this
summer that women are going to adopt any
thing so exaggerated as to be unnatural, 1
hope they have too much good sense now. The
hustle was unnatural skirts tied tightly back
were immodest, and too much drapery was un-
comfortable. From the little thought l have
given to the matter should conclude there will
be very little perceptible change from the |