Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
FOR UP-TO-DATE WOMEN
For Evening Wear Capes Are More Popu-
lar Than Ever.
Those of Fur Are So Short ms to BE
Little More Than COllnrettes
Winter Coats.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
In the face of repeated predictions to the
| contrary when the season opened, the cape
| refuses to be downed. and is very much in
evidence in spite of tailor-made gowns and
severe cloth Jackets. 1t is a comfortable
| and convenient garment when long. and
especially adapted for reception and calling
gowns when short; therefore it is much
| worn, although it is safe to say that no
| woman who wishes to be very well dressed
and who is obliged to study economy will
buy cape for her only outdoor garment
II she can have but one it must be coat
If you have cape which has done duty
for two or three seasons. be 1t either long
or short, full or scanty. do not put it by;
it is probably quite as up-to-date as one
you would buy from the best house. For
there seems to be no settled rule except
that younger women usually wear a coat
tor walking or with a street gown, and
only wear the short capes suitable for
afternoon and reception gowns, and older
women may wear, if they wish, a cape
twenty-six inches long for a walking or
driving garment, and short capeS with re-
ception gowns as well. When one discovers
by careful measurements that the sweep of
capes worn varies from 10 to 145 inches,
and the length from Il to 26. and even 81
inches in fur, it is evident that almost any
style is permissible. To be sure the very
latest capes are not las inches in sweep,
as rule, yet one or two very expensive
and very smart capes were that width, and
although there is wide latitude between
II and &c inches, yet 1t is observed that
most capes are shorter than Is inches or
about "a inches long; between 10 inches
and "A there is a blank which is not used
as the ending of the very newest length of
cape
Materials and Trimmings.
Capes are either of very rich material or
are deliberately trimmed. Sometimes they
are both The cloth capes are of smooth
heavy cloth, either braided to such an ex-
tent that the ground is hardly visible or
regular patterns of flowers and leaves are
appliqued. Some fashionable fur, very Of
ten Alaska sable, is used down the front
and on the collar. All capes. by the way
have only one collar. which is made to
stand up In storm, as of yore. But two
collarettes or double or triple capes i'm
mediately proclaim last seasons fancy or
even the season before that.
The very latest cloth cape is tied in so as
TO give dolman effect in the back while
the sides and front hang perfectly free
and are almost as full as the old mill
tary" cape. This fitted belt in the hack
makes the cape warmer, but it is not suit
able for young women. Nor has it become
as popular with older women as 1t was ex-
pected to be Another variation of this
cape really has a fitted back although no
IN cloth, silk or velvet, and a few furriers
have tried it in Persian lamb, thinking to
add To the warmth of the garment by do
ing so. 1t has added to the warmth. hut
not TO the popularity Of the capes thus
treated.
cape of royal purple velvet with three
rows OF Alaska sable around it Is very
handsome, and a much more artistic 6nisb
TO velvet gown than a velvet blouse
would be. Indeed, the velvet blouse bids
1alr TO run itself to death in its bid for
popularity. Black bengaline or black vel
vet capes, braided, and trimmed with ie.
are shown as visiting garments or ca rriaee
wraps for stately women who begin to
show under their bonnets the touch of De-
cember's SHOWS.
The short reception capes are not only of
richest materials, richly trimmed hut tha
Innings are of the gayest, brightest and Of
Ten most expensive silks. One of black
satln' with sable tails and heavy jet, both
used upon its short but elaborate extpnt
mad H:iing of magenta taffeta with two
rows of knife-pleated ruffies, to give q
1rou-rrou as one handled card case or
purse, or moved ones arms to any extent.
Ihese ruffies We're on the edge of the cane.
or as near as they could be without show
ing When the garment was at rest Pc
RULED Innings are very dainty and add to
'he righteousness Of the garment.
An Economical Cape.
A clever woman who has lost largo
snare OF the patrimony which she once
possessed. but who has a supply of brains
and enough ingenuity to compensate for
the worldly advantages of her acuuafnt-
ances' has just fashioned cape of an old
green broadcloth skirt. Although the color
is uniform it is a coat Of many pieces
She has trimmed it deliberately with black
braid, and 1t has taken some clever design
ing TO make pattern which would conceal
the seams. 1t has been done, however. and
the result is all one could wish for, and
hot fI,a
actual money was very small.
FOR evening wear capes are more popular
than ever and coats will never take their
place-it is to be hoped-when it comes To
a garment for opera, theater or "a rriape
wear Bright red. braided with black and
lined with fur, is most effective for n the
alter wrap, and will be all the more fetch
ing II there is red bonnet or little toque
OF the same shade to wear above it. Short
capes and bonnets or even hats to match
are quite the fad of the hour In Paris.
can scarcely go anywhere without seeing
new and beautiful models. One of the
latest is made Of blue taffeta silk lined
with ernine. 1t is the old dolman shape
shown in pictures of girls who were in
their teens In the sixties, long In the back
and sloping SO that it is quite short in
front. 1t was beruffied and flounced quite
as 1t might have been in those old days.
and one almost facied that q wide skirt
with hoops to hold it, should peep from
underneath.
Fur capes are SO short as to be almost
confined to collarettes, often they consist
OF a rolling fur collar ON a short velvet
cape. There are a few long fur capes
made. quite thirty-six inches. for driving
and some of the collarettes have long ends
reaching nearly to the ground, but as a
garment alone. without the adjunct of q
coat. the fur cape seems to be rather
passee. Notwithstanding the effort alluded
to above. to make a new style of cape
fitted or tied down In the back.
MABEL BOYD.