Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
WRITER FOR THE STAR HAS MADl

l AoofninaDie Long Skirt ana Peaked Sloeves
A WRITER FOR THE STAR HAS MADE
"A an investigation among the mon Of Wash
ington to find out what they think Of the pres
emit fashions among women. He encountered
considerable difficulty in extracting any infor-
nation from the married men. They said that
necessarily their knowledge on the subject was
gained confdentialIy and they felt some scru-
Piles in giving it to the public. and ono married
man confessed no was afraid ~ say what he
| thought
And what" said Tn, srln man, .'are you
| afraid of"
| "Ahem !Ah--ah-well. now, You know, I'm not
exactly afraid. but-but il she read it. now. she
nigh. know who said it, you know, and then
my position would be decidedly uncomfort-
able"
| But the unmarried men had very decided
| views for tho most part and expressed them
| freely. An effort was made Mt the same time
to ascertain what the ladies think OF the pres
ent fashions for men, but it was not very en-
coursging. One lady declared mems apparel
barbarous. She suspected it was designed solely
| Tor ugly men and to hide the defects rather
than to show tho besutiea Of the human form.
FROM woMASs POINT OF VIEW.
eff you have good legs" she said, "they are
| hidden by shapeless pantaloons; IL you have a
good foot you eucase it in an English shoe,
| which makes 1t as fiat a. q babboon's, and ii
you have good figure you cover it over with
| an overcoat cut in the shape Of an oat sack. 1t
Is my belief that all men are ugly and are
| ashamed to let the women know how badly
| shaped they are
Upon being questioned as to tho changes she
! would make sbo said something about silk
stockings, silver buckles, laces and coats tight
| about tho waist, and she confessed little later
| that her views were not wholly disinterested,
| since the stockings, buckles and LAGOS might be
made available On somo occasions by women.
| But to come back to women's clothes, which il
| the real subject OF this article.
| NEITHER SEX APPROVES OF THE OTHERS DRESS.
''Why do women dress as well as they can
and beautify themselves to the full extent OF
their ability" This was the question put to a
| certain woman who ought to know. She
answered by asking:
Why do men dress up?'
"Ihey dress'" was the reply, ITO please the
Then said she, 'ths women dress to please
But men don't generally like the way women
| Dress
To this she answered promptly: "Nor do
| women like the way men dress."
| WHEN MEN AND WOMEN DON THEIR BEST CLOTHES.
There is evidently something wrong some
where. Let US look little into the matter. Il
| can hardly DO pretended that man or woman
dresses solely for himself or herself. Look at
the people In the country or in any isolated
| small place. Do they wear good clothes or take
any pains with their personal appearancel
Docs e. hermit who is living only to please him.
| self wear dress suit for dinner every day?
Does the farmers daughter curl her hair and
put ribbons on when she knows nobody il COM
L ing tn TAXA temp M ipdaad Ruk tho bor ruiy
| brushes himself up when he sees pilgrims COM
ing down the road and the farmer daughter
lets out the curls and puts or the ribbons when
she goes to church. The best dressed people
face IN audience he dresses his best, il he il
going out on the crowded street he dresses well,
| II he is going to stay in his smoking room he
| puts on ragged old jacket
IT s THE SAME WAY WITH WOMAN.
But man dresses most carefully when be il
| going among women and q woman puts ON he,
most glorious gown when she is going among
men. Thus it is clear that they dress for one
| another. Now, of course, mon who are going
| 70 stag party or about their clubs dress
| well, and SO do women when assembled q,
| luncheons or similar entertainments which are
| exclusively feminine; but these things are ex-
| captions. The best dressing by women is when
| they are going to meet men and by men when
| they are going to meet women. I, is impor-
cus
| think Of their fashions.
young man." said TIE SrAl writer to an
| observant dude Of this city, do you like the
| styles women wear n0W2'
''Yaws. yaws." he exclaimed, rapturously
.Pawsitiveiy, yaws Nevah, in all my expert
| ence, have ! seen anything 90 bewitching az
the gowns the girls are wearing now
he LIKED THE GRACEFUL FOLDS
What did he like about them? Why, the folds
Of the skirt, falling easily, was, he thought the
perfection Of grace. He remembered, with a
shudder, the hoops of his youth when a woman
might be bow-iegged, knock-kneed, spindle
shanked, or anything else that was ugly and
nobody would ever know it. Those were the
| days when o woman took mp az much room as
| three ordinary men, when II required o curious
knack to sit down well, when silks and satins
were drapcd upon the wire frame without any
| regard to the human shape beneath Long
years afterward the hoop skirt, no longer used
| to support won,en's dresses, graced nearly
every dirt pile. Practically indestructible. il
might BIO seen in vacant lots, on river banks
| in ash barrels, accompanied by its companion,
| the old tin can. When will tho last hoop skirt
be found? Who will be the person to say 1t Is the
last? 1t is only the other day that one was seem
It was black with rust and part of 1t had disap-
peared, but there was no installing it, and il
had every appearance Of being good for forty
/ years more OF ash barrel service. Ages hence
| when the scientific men excavating shall find
| tne5e puZznng WIRE frames what Will they SUD-
pose thom to be? The inquiry Is most inter
| esting one.
THE TALoR-MADE oInI.
| Another thing that this young man liked in
the female costume Of the present day is ths
silks and satins are not worn upon the streets
| or in the morning costume as they used to be-
The cloth Is in better taste, it must be admitted
and it 10 becoming when it is we'll made and fitt
close to the figure. The "tailor-mado girl" i,
the result Of this. She must hold herself we'll
| however, or she will be a rank failure II she
| wants to be thoroughly successful she mus,
step along az though she has some vitality; she
must be fresh, healthy. good to look upon ant
and good to rely upon. One thing youni
man can rely upon with reference to HER. o.
II he should marry her and continue to main.
| tain her upon ''taiior-made basis he woult
find that this simple costume, which looks VI
though II cost 10 little, il a most expensive lux
ury.
THE DETRsrABLE LONG SKIRT.
But there is one thing in particular that tn,
young man who has been quoted does not like
and that is the long skirt that sweeps the pave
ment and that many we'll dressed women ar
| wearing now. Thcro il only one thing that cal
be said in its favor-it is graceful on tai
woman. But what does any ono think Of it
gracefulness as it sweeps along dirty sidewail
in the city? Many women hold it up. Cal