Evening star., 1898-12-24
Low Neck Bodices Have Sleeves, but
Dropped Ones.
COLORS TO SELECT FOR BALL GOWNS
Hand Painted Frocks the Novelty oi
the Year.
NEW TRIMMINGS AND STYLES


NEW 1oHh, december lSSS-
When you don your gown for the Christ
mas festivities do not forget the sprig of
holly mistletoe, which should take the
place of other decorations 1t is the coat
of arms of Father Christmas, and that
night of all nights should be worn, COM
bined with bright red ribbons. A wreath
of holly in dark hair is most becoming, and
as wreaths are now much used to decorate
coiffures it will be en- regle as well as ap-
propriate.
Last winter We're pluming ourselves
on the fact that low-necked gowns were
not necessary at any but the most formal
functions and that at dinner our ball
gowns would serve by the addition of a
guimpe and sleeves of some transparent
material. This winter the gowns with
transparent sleeves and guimpe are much
liked and often seen. but they have joined
the less formal part of the wardrobe-that
Is, they are seen in public places such as
theaters. many appearing at the horse
Show in the evenings, while for balls, din
nerS and functions of that class gowns are
without any neck covering whatever, even
sleeves dropped off the shoulder being pre-
ferred to those which hide the shoulder
line. The dropped sleeve is very smart,
but 1T certainly is extremely trying. If
women who have not perfect shoulders
will persist in adopting it they should
\
over each shoulder
If you are going to restrict yourself to
one evening gown and many of the women
who have the iollest times are obliged to
| DO this, 1t must be chosen with great care,
with view to using it in various ways
and changing it's appearance on divers and
Sundry occasions. One gets tired by the
| end of a season of a dancing frock of a
vivid hue, and although black is very pop
| ular this winter. if you are going out a
good deal it is not as safe as white for a
much-to-be-Worn gown. Some silk of deli
cate Shade-lilac, the various pinks pale
| blues and light greens, or the ever-popular
| and usually becoming whte-should be used
| for princess slip, with skirt well fitted
over the hips, but falling in full folds
about the feet and made very long. Here
a protest is registered. 1t will soil, it will
| lose its freshness about the hem; it should
| not be, but, alas, it is long.
Chance for Amateurs.
If one can have an overdress of hand
| painted mousseline de sole, then, indeed.
| little is left to be desired. Hand-painted
evening gowns are the popular novelty of
the year. a striking one seen recently was
| of white mousseline de sole over change
able taffeta silk. which glimmered from yell
lowto orange with a white light over it which
Subdued 1t enough to make it a foil for the
tiger lilies which were painted on this XIX
century rehabiliment of CleCpatra's attire
There were not many tiger lilies and there
We're a good many leaves The leaves We're
painted from the bodice, trailing downward
toward The hem, and near the hem the lilies
bloomed in their taWny colors the edges
of the mousseline de sole skirts and out over
The little train. l say skirts advisedly. The
modern belle does not wear as many gauZe
skirts a dancer. but she usually has
more than one over her silk slip If she
wishes to give the proper effect of lightness
and airness. The gown above described had
IA touch Of color over the shoulders of fiuted
straps of orange velvet which took the
place of sleeves.
A less ornate hand-painted gown, but a
very dainty one, was of pale heliotrope
mousselne de sole with painted heliotrupe
flowers and green leaves, the design
ranged that it simulated a circular fiounce
on the skirt. II will be deduced that the
possibilities of these hand-painted gowns
are endless one can have forget-me--
nots, wild roses and other beautiful de-
signs. and with each there is color scheme
TO correspond, as, for instance. pale blue
slip with forget-me- and pale pink with
roses. But it is aot probable that the gowns
will be worn to such extent as to weary
any one of them. Unless one can WELD
brush, handpainted gowns are d luxury.
Velvet Roses Appliqued.
Velvet flowers are also used for decorating
evening frocks, and description l read of
| a gown sent from Paris to the Empress of
Russia a short time ago would set any
clever woman to cutting flowers and leaves
out of silk cloth, velvet or heavy silk and
putting them on fine wire STEMS The Slip
to begin at the beginning-waS pale mauye
satin. The gown to go over it was white
gauZe and the skirt, train and bodice were
edged with fur Many gowns nowadays are
edged with fur, no matter what the ma
terial. over the gown ran wreaths of Or
chidS initiated in lilac and white velvet,
with leaves of green velvet. Each flower
and leaf was fastened to the gauze by