Evening star., 1896-12-18
MASQUERADE PARTIES
Some Hints on Suitable and Striking Cos.
TUNES for Dancers.
The American Heiress and British
Noble, the Bicycle ''scsrcher"
and Park POlicenan.

The choosing and planning of the cos
tunes and the effort to keep II all secret
causes a great deal of suppressed merri-
meht. and the final display when the whole
plot is revealed in all its funny and brilliant
details Is a spectacle that is delightful TO
both the oDlookers and the participants.
The most difficult part Of the entertain
ment in the case of a masquerade is that
which precedes II. To choose q costume is
most perplexing problem, but a clever
choice gives rise to a great deal of fun, ind
the wearer feels fully repaid for all the
trouble he may have taken to please his
hostess and her guests.
1t Is quite customary, when a masquerade
Is In prospect, for the guests to seize upon
all the illustrated histories and books of
drama in the house.
Louis XVI costumes are very popular
and the Marie Antoinette faacies which one
has In ones modern wardrobe are often
found useful Napoleon, Sir Walter Ra-
leigh, Lord Byron. Mary Stuart, Madame
characters. all of whom are pictured in the
illustrated histories of the countries to
which they belonged.
Shakespearian characters, when we'll
to go in pairs. in case of a masquerade
party where young lady requires an es-
cort to the place; for instance, as Hamlet
and Ophelia. Bassanio and Portia. Romeo
can be copied from pictures in illustrat ted
editions of Shakespeares works and may
be done in as elegant material as one can
anord. Indeed. that is the great trouble
with characters of this kind. In order to
make them appear as they ought it is uec-
essary to use very heavy and very costly
material and they are not usually very
Gcod dancing costumes. For this reason
the plain domino Is not very popular
Light, fantastic costumes for a dance
masquerade are always preferable to the
clinging draperies that look pretty on the
stage. That is the reason why the flower
girl, the popcorn girl. with representations
OF dawn, night, starlight, etc. are always
SO plentiful at costume parties.
IL Is very easy, nowadays, to find charac-
ters In popular songs and story books OF
tne present time. and they are productive
or more amusement than the serious char
acters of heavy drama or history
Inc Heavenly Twins we're very popular
last year when the book Of that name was
being so generally read.
The Wizard of the Nile" would make
funny chal acter and by acting 1t out
enc could get great deal of amusement.
Am 1 WIZ" would come in very apropos
had discovered the identity f his partner
fvette Guilbert and the Costermonper
would be a good pair.
The American Heiress in elaborate even
bag, should be escorted by the British
Noble In appropriate costume and with the
inevitable m.pnocle.
The Bowery Girl and Chimmie. Fadden
country to be easily recognized anywhere
Carmencita in black and yellow dancine
dress Is an extremely effective character
for brilliant brunette.
Madame Chrysanthe as a Chinese lady OF
distinction varies the norotony of ordinary
American and English characters. Her es
cort could go as Ii Hung Chang and en-
osrrass the ladies of the company with
Questions about their ages and incomes.
japanese costumes are alwa ays pretty but
are not specially adapted to lively dances
like the two-step and polka.
one OF the most original costumes of the
season Is one which has been planned for
house party on Thanksgiving night Ii
represents the bicycle scorcher and is as
pretty as 1t is original. 1t is entirely In
White and gold and. of course, has a short
SKIRT The material is white satin The
skirt has bands of gold braid around the
bottom and up the front seams Gilt but
tens fasten the skirt on each side of the
front An Eton jacket has revers trimmed
Win gold rid and buttons, and there are
no sleeves. Underneath is a fluffy blouse
or yellow mousseline with short puffs fo,
sleeves. The leggins are white with pii.
buttons and the shoes are gilded. yellow
scorcher in gold letters on the band COM
piete the costume.
Her partner should be the bicycle police
man; bottle is funny costume for a
over the head, and the face takes the place
of the label.
For homemade costume very easy
character To represent is the schoolgirl.
She Is dressed in big flcwered material with
pantalets and sQuare-toed shoes. Ruffiee
around her neck and sleeves. a bib apron
ana an Immense pink sunbonnet combine
70 make very cunning costume The lit
tie girl should carry her books under her
arm and play jackstones and divide ginger
cakes with her partners. The five little
BarSfsens would be very p,sxzlinx II dres.-
ed exactly alike and the confusion resuIt-
ing from the identical costumes would be
extremely funny.
A pink rose out of crinkled paper makes
q dainty dress for a very young girl.
In making masks care should De taken to
select black material that will not fade of
with the perspiration of the face. Lace
masks are often worn by the ladies'
But after one is completely disguised in
fancy costume and enveloped In an over
whelming mask. the fair incognita is often
betrayed by her voice. device used by
foreign ladies to disguise the voice is to
place small pieces of candy under the
tongue. A little experiment beforehand will
iI sure a costume against detection, and
the clever woman will find that she can
carry on an animated conversation in a
voice that none Of her friends can recog-