Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
FOR UP-TO-DATE WOMEN
Dame Fashion Lends Her Aid in Selecting
Christmas Gifts.
Rene mhranccs That Are Both Stylish
and Useful-Opera Bonncts That
Are Not Nuisance.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

NE" 1ottk, december IT, 1897.
Some woman said this week that she
| never gave useful Christmas presents She
thought Christmas should be a season OF
luXuries. If by luxuries are meant articles
not really necessary to ones comfort she
might give many useful presents and yet
| have them in the category of luxuries.
Ore of the new theater bonnets for in
stance. might be called quite luxury botn
from the point of the wearer who could
have made her old one do. and from the
point Of the happy person who is lucky
enough 10 sit behind her
NO gilt could be more acceptable to a
young relative who goes about a great
deal and yet has not large amount to
spend on her wardrobe or to a matron of
ores FAMILY who unselfishly limits her own
daughters. $500
In Paris a wreath of artificial flowers or
| d nan wreath is now doing duty for either
| bonnet or ornament to the hair at all even
| ing functions. Roses are most worn but
loreel-me-nots are popular. For a young
| girl rosebuds with green leaves are both
| appropriate and becoming
| lhiee Wnite ostricn tips, with an orna-
ihtita' smell Lairpln attacked to them and
lew briiliants wires or more suhstan-
| lal gilt pins in front of the plumes. IS
| an AIRY bonnet Which would delight tine
! recipient. Nor would ii be an extremely
! OF ostrich tips 70 diaw on-as many thrifty
women have.
Dainty Model.
a new model, watch requires more effort
| to create than the above, is evolved from
| a yard of millinerS WIRE a small amount
| o! cerise or turquoise velvet the usual
| sheil ha!rpih TO fasten in the hair, some
| french brilliants and a white aiyret.e
! The velvet is corded on the wire and is
! enough wider than the corded part to al
low for two rows of shirring II should
| not he quite half an irch wide when both
| ccrd ard shirrings are finished. Then one
faS yard OF orna mental velvet NOT half
an men wide. This must be made into a
bow, with two loops rather widely snrcaJ
APART and two ends. The a;grette must
be fastened back of this airy bow and the
| hrllllal-ts sparkle in front. If there is ;ny
graceful, airy-lookirg ornament which can
| be USED i'll place of tine aigrette do in
mercy to the slaug htered birds, substitute
it.
Gloves are so often given and so y,ate-
| IuIy received that they scarcely need men,
| ton The sik-lined gloves in gray or tan
are smartest for street wear. They may be
Iaa 1or dollar and half-sometirnes
less. One should get quarter OF a size
| larger, to allow for the silk li.inC
| In these days of allurns and becoming
/ trif1es, to finish the neck of gown one
can provide ones relatives or Intimate
lrlenas with many hecoming and useful
price asked productive. Hemst:tched lawn
bands are especially becoming. They are
! modlncation of the narrow Border of
white lawn worn b. widow Toev do
| rot meet in the back front. being ex-
actiE the shape of the white linen turn-
| over collar which was popular all sum-
MGR. and is yet much worn with plain
cloth gowns.
Easily Made.
They are very elsiy r1ade as every one
J can hemst.tch in these days of Mexican
! drawn work. White null ties with full
| ends of lace net or pleated lawn brighten
any gown ard are also so easy to make
that one can have them ones self
| For rather trying feature of Christmas
| gifts is that enc SO often makes and gives
| away an article she would really like for
her own use.
A hunting stock for the woman who is
devoted to Cut-of-door life will be most
suitable. Half a dozen would be better
There are several devices on the newest
stocks which make the removal of the tie
an easy matter. The ends are hooked on
| to the pique instead of being sewn on. So
we have taken from our English cousins
one of their own ideas and improved upon
| it in TIE short space of time we have had
| it in hands.
When it comes to collarettes and lace col
| lars, their name is legion. The smartest
are in the forms of epaulettes or have
TtNtIS CoIillIS lTOH1 tIle SuOulUeT. Inc per-
fectly round, deep lace collars are no long
er worn; nor are the plastrons to brighten
the front of a gown. Those little bits of
chiffon or tulle have had their day. Yet
real lace or good imitation lace is worn in
almost any form shape. The chief thing
is to wear it, since fashion has decreed
that all gowns must be relieved by a touch
of white.
So great is the fancy for white lawn
about dark winter gowns that aprons are
extremely popular, although the time when
they are to be worn by woman who is
out on the links in the morning, calling in
the afternoon and dining and dancing at
night is not specified. Fortunately it is
quite allowable to live less arduous life
than this, and to such lucky women may
dainty muslin aprons go.
For PlethOrfc Purses.
Coming now to adornments which may
be bestowed upon the up-to-date woman
by her 'men folk We enter an enchanted
region where reside the many ornaments
she admires yet would never be extrav-
agant enough to buy for herself.
Here 1t is that one finds gorgeous jeweled
girdles. And although real amethysts and
gold links are worthy OF handing down
from generation to generation yet as