Evening star., 1894-12-15

= III M
Wf %EkEl |U busiest and be 3
Nl Y a>2F dressmakers a few
kA-~ Is days ago.
w each . ~sss customer a s'r'y sss Of
then build the dress
to show to best advantage her good points
and to cover any defects or weak parts in
her figure. For instance here is the bodice OF
dress to be worn by young lady of short,
stout figure at her sisters wedding. 1 put
these perpendicular bands of satin trimming
down the front to give a narrowing effect.
These sloping epaulets Of the new blue
miroir velvet have no break on the shoul-
ders. but fall in straight lines down to the
points. and so add height. The sleeves must
of necessity be very full to- be fashionable
but they are draped in such way as to
suggest length rather than breadth.
This other bodice is part of the BRIDES
travelling dress. i have puffed in front here
this cerise velvet and put these bands OF
fur across the figure. Her complexion de-
mands some color and the fullness rounds
out the uncomfortable hollows that too
much stopping ever an easel has produced.
The tone of the mink fur combines beauti-
fully with the cerise of the velvet. and the
bluet OF the broadcloth composing the cos
tune.
Now here is part of another brides
trousseau," she said. as she turned to
where her French tailor was pressing and
pounding vigorously with a hot iron on a
wet towel over the seam of a golden brown
coat-and, by the way. this hot iron and
wet towel process has much to do with the
immaculate set" of the collars and lapels
Of the coats and the absence of the dis
tIacting little wrinkles above the darts.
Some stylish Features.
This brown is an imported armure and
will be made with a perfectly plain long
coat with double stitched seams and closed
to the throat. The skirt has great width.
as have all the skirts this season. its full
ness gathered in three very large organ
pipe pleats. stifrened with horsehair lining.
A narrow band Of marten fur will go
round the foot Of the skirt and Will out
line tl.e edges of the coat.
THE visiting dress that accompanies this
IL also an imported material OF dark blush
gray. It is made with slightly pointed
stretched pattern. An original feature on
this are the two tapering box pleats from
shoulder to waist In the back. These
slightly fuiled frills Of passementerie.trim-
relieve the somberness of the costume and
give II a moro dressy appearances.
The home evening dress In this set is of
peacock blue taffeta, covered with tiny
hecks Of yellow and white. The front Of
the pointed bodice of this ts entirely COW
cred with cream Irish point lace, which.
with rOSette9 OF the SILK mere ana tnere, are
the only trimmings on the dress.
"And now let me show you the chef
d'oeuvre Of the trousseau-the wedding
gown. Could anything be richer or simpler
beauty Of this Is all In the f1t and finish
and IN the richness of material The long
train Is It's only adornment. The bride to
wear all this hnery has her home In Wy
oming. Yes, have customers 80 far away.
] believe have sent dresses to every state
In the Union. Just two weeks ago sent
two handsome costumes to a lady in In
dian territory. This extensive area for my
work Is. Of course. natural In Washington.
II use mainly the French styles. have
them sent direct to me from Paris, and SO
lose no time. Indeed. frequently have de-
signs a whole season before the proper ma
terial to make them reaches this country.
wish we had as skillful designers here
there are in Paris, and manufactured our
own materials for the finest costumes.
believe in home productio at any rate
and would prefer to follow American
fashions and use American goods. / do not
want to disparage what we have now and
there are today come fine designs Ia New
York, but they have not vet attained the
artistic perfection Of the French artists.
Dress styles in Different Cities.
''To certain extent each city has its
own characteristics In dress. New York
women follow the French fashions direct.
The Philadelphia women adopt more the
palmer English style of dressing. The En-
elish fashions are, of course, the Paris
fashions. but modified to suit the simpler,
more severe taste. generally. OF the English
people. Washington is, In this regard.
unique. 1t follows TO stated style in dress
or. rather. 1 should say. 1t forms it's own
modes from a combination of all the others
to suit its peculiar functions and its cli-
mate. There is no large city in the coun-
try where women of fashion dress as airily
and brightly. and withal as fashionablg.
as they do in Washington in summer. To
see a group of girls on n warm summer
day walking down Connecticut avenue ar
Iayed in their delicate, fluffy muslins Of
various cOlOrs. reminds me more of a dis
play of beautiful flowers than anything
else. In this respect Washington has more
the character of a fashionable watering
place than of a metropolis
Yes, l must say | have n good eye for
color. II is necessary for artistic effect
You must know the value of the proper
combinations of color to complexion and
figure. Indeed in this work there are two
or three special qualifications necessary
ari they could each employ special artists
though fortunately for myself. I believe /
possess them all to greater or less extent
To begin with. in selecting material for a
costume texture and tone both influence
the general effect
"If the best result is to be obtained
therefore, experienced eye for color and
texture must guide the choice of mate
rial Then, every woman knows how very
much her appearance depends on the cut
ana mt OF ner gown. The draping must be
in accordance with the requirements of
her figure: pains must be taken In the
sewing, and lastly. though by no means
least in Importance. the finishing of every
detail must be perfect as is possible
So. you see the making of a dress requires
the occupation of many specialists of
varying degrees of artistic sense and prac-
tical utility the horse shoe nail, whose
complicated construction was made famil-
lar to US in the old childhood's adage And
so to make a harmonious whole 1 prefer
70 be allowed to suggest materials for my
patrons, and indeed. as you may imagine,
long experience has made me really a tex
tile expert. l am sometimes troubled at
being given piece of goods to make up
of a style year or two old. though IL may
be handsome in itself, while If | had been
consulted L would have recommended
something quite fresh, for fashions in
textiles change almost as often as do the
modes of making. And it is so with trim
Inings. New designs and new materials
are constantly being shown"
Its Face Is Against 1t.
From the london Globe.
Ir order to prove the docility of the bull