St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-07
A WATERY FETE DAY.
Il
It Was a Disappointment to
Stylish Women With Gay
Costumes.
Away With the Rubber Cloak
1t Is Not the Thing to
Wear Now.
A Gown to Defy the Elements
Has Been Devised, and
It's the Rage.
Some Of the Smart Gowns
Which Were Seen at the
Naval Review.
Special Letter to the Globe

Special Letter to the Globe.
NEW YORK, May 6.-Whenever in the
annals OF history did there occur on any
public fete day wetter kind of wet
day thanthe 27th of April 1898, the day
appointed fer the great Columbian naval
review, and looked forward to with
eager expectation by thousands OF eX-
cited and enthusiastic people. 1t was
the kind of day to damp the spirits OF
the most enthusiastic.
Anxious women with gowns hanging
In their WardrobeS for which they had
paid heavy prices, and which had caused
deep thought to designers and modistes,
looked out to see what the weather was
like early in the morning. They looked
out only to see the monotOnOus drip,
drip on the swimming payements, and to
read IN the gray sky no hope ofimprove-
ment. They decided either 10 go back
to bed or else to gown themselves in the
uninviting apparel which resists wealth
er, and in those sOmbre habilments to
defy the elements.
Poor, vain sex, that depends on it's
plumes for a large portion Of it's enjoy
mentS!
And so they scuttled to cab, to car, to
coupe, to train or to carriage mostly in
that WOefully unpictureSQue garment,
the Macintosh, known OH this shore by
the more descriptive name Of the rubber
cloak. 1t is a hideous thing-Venus
herself would deceive Paris IN such a
thing.
Now it seems to me that day like the
Ortb OF mil CbnuId tpaob WOmnn q
lesson. Allow me to point moral, al
though know that is an questionable
thing TO do. If care be taken and wits
and taste set properly to work, it is just
as easy to look we'll on damp day as on
a dry one, provided that woman be
dressed suitably. But remember, that
last clause is important.
Navy blue serge, that always defieS
the elements and comes out triumph
ant-sO | recommend it as the material
for stylish gown to be worn when
King Sol IS not in pleasant mood. If
it Is made as Redfern is making good
many, with black satin waistcoat, open
serge Jacket bodice and new funnel
skirt, it will be sure to look stylish. [
should recommend the satin vest to be
cut pretty high to show the least little
glimpse of lavender collar and skirt, and
a black satin tie to be worn with it. The
jacket should be semi-htting in front,
the vest being attached from the side
seams. The reVers always should be
faced with black satin; it gives great
SmartneSS.
With this should be worn a small
three-corned straw hat, trimmed with
the popular satin rOsetteS, and perhaps
a wing, but no flowers, no feathers, and
a woman can look trim in this without
that OdOr0uS thing. the lOathsOme thing,
the Macintosh. In this she may dare
to go into the damp without looking
like a fright; in this she may let the
beneficial rain of heaven beat upon her
without afterWard shedding tears over
the ruination Of her finery.
The day that followed, the day on
which the jolly Jack tars showed their
sunburnt faces to the admirlng crowd,
was more propitiOus for the smart
clothes of these human peacocks, who
look forward with pleasure to an &C.
casion of this kind. Then gowns of
velvet, and silk, and lace and trim
mingS galore came out like sudden
flight of butterflies; they settled on the
balconies Of Delmonico'S and the
Brunswick, and about all the principal
hotels. They spread their wings i'll the
sunshine and were happy.
Skirts are cut circular, and with one
seam, down the center of the back. The
fayorite trimming Is quilting of satin.
about halfway up the skirt. Trimmings
for gowns are all expensive and rich.
Moire edged with velvet put on in bands
with the velvet as piping on either
side is one of the most recent trim
mings. Bands of velvet Gagged with
bugling, braiding on silk, satin on