Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-03

happiness, since every show window is
Haunting full of bright-hued temptations
The only wonder is that women come
through the trial well as they do. 1t is
trial and one in which there is often
tragedy, for many a woman lays on the
altar of eXpediency all her artistic tastes
and harmonious instincts when she goes
about her spring purchases, knowing at
the outset that the frail bright new tints
and deceptive new fabrics are not for the
slim purse of the frugal shopper. 1t does
look, however, as though a measure of ar
tistic effort may be INDUCED in this sea-
son, even IL one does not write ones for
tune in five or six figures.
| 1t5h" bingham and Dimity.
There are ginghams for instance, when
the challies and summer silks are not ly-
ing around in juxtaposition, one wonders
how anything can be any prettier than
these ginghams. The colorings are in ex-
quisite tones. and are fast" SO far as the
wash tub is concerned, but one must look
out for Old Sol. His fervent kisses will
fade any color in art except the red on a
painted cheek. A pretty old-fashioned fab
ric that has lain forgotten in dust-covered
chests for nearly half a century is dim
ity. Now, it is very certain that a man
wrote the cyclopaedia, for ii says of dimity
"a stout figured cotton fabric, used chiefly
for bed hangings. Stout, indeed. Why all
the heroines for a hundred years sighed
and swooned in dimity dresses. Very scant
skirted ones as to width, and saving of ma
terial at both top and bottom. Stout? Such
utter nonsense, Why, every woman who
ever fashioned swaddling clothes knows
that half a dozen white dimity slips" We're
an absolute necessity to the well being of
the new little soul less than fifty years
ago. Dimity fell into disfavor, however
and the present generation has known it
only by tradition. The shop windows are
full Of it now, and il is just pretty as
pretty can be. Once ii came only in white
with tiny raised stripe in it, now il comes
in all the colors Of the rainbow, and about
six dozen shades that a aforementioned
rainbow wouldn't father. 1t is as soft as
lawn, but firmer, and is to be preferred to
lawn.
Some pretty satines are being shown
but they are not new in design, and the
longtime favorite is quietly slipping into
the back ground. Cltheroe is new cotton
fabric something like zephyr gingham
but comes in corded effect. 1t is very
handsome. and is capable of graceful
effects in draping. Canvas and the duck
suitings will be popular this season as
last, but neither can be considered an
economical fabric. After the first freshness
is gone everything depends upon how such
gowns are Numbered, and the result is
usually displeasing Both wash laces and
embroideres will be used extensively on
wash dresses. Some of the new effects in
lace are wonderfully pretty, and best of all
they combine durability with beauty.
swivel silk Bingham.
A new thing in semi-cotton fabrics is
termed swivel silk bingham, which is a
material composed of cotton and silk warp
of cotton. filling of silk. 1t comes in stripes,
water waves, diamond dots and hair lines,
and is quite the prettiest thing offered for
fair femininity in many a long day 1t
generally in the light shades of
pink, green, blue, lemon and lavender. 1t
has a sheen that is much prettier than real
| silk and the material will wash very nicely
| OF course that opinion has notifications.