Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-16
FOR UP-TO-DATE WOMEN
A General Utility Gown for Spring and
Summer.
Sensible Colors and Materials-The
4 Skirts md Coats.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
NEW YORK, April IA, 1885,
There is no time in the year when one 10
so possessed of a longing for a dainty,
rev frock as in the early spring. All ma
ture seems fresh and fair, and no woman
is SO dead to natures charms as not to
long to emulate her example-witness the
Easter bonnet.
The majority of US are limited in the
amounts We can spend at any one season
on the frvolities or necessities OF the tot
let, and We leave out for the present the
happy few who have only to order what
ever and however they wish in the way of
gowns, and consider seriously the subject
CT a utility gown which will be bright and
fresh during the spring months and yet
suitable for travelling and street wear dur
Ing the sumner. This is quite aside from
me nghter summer gowns, which can be
managed by any one who has dollar or
SO to spend in materials. The spring gown
must be heavy enough for the raw winds
which are felt on the coast all summer at
| intervals. as well as the changes OF the
spring months before the weather is set
tied.
The best material is a lightweight chew
lot, hcmeSpun or canvas cloth, although
this by no means exhausts the ight-weignc
materials which will stand shower
dust storm and various other vicissitudes
and still rise fresh and unshrunken. Tans
and grays are rather light, but are SO pop
ular, the latter especially, that II is wise
TO choose one of these shades, providing
they are becoming. Black is going to be
very much worn for spring and summer in
lightweight cloth gowns, but II spots easily
and looks warm on hot, dusty day; besides,
1t is hard to give it that spring-like fresh
ness which the feminine soul seems to
crave during May and June. Dark blue
nlrf nf foch
women would think II quite as Impossible
to go through the summer without a gown
Of this serviceable color and material as to
a d1rego a straw hat. Broadcloth. ladies'
should never be chosen for a spring and
summer gown; it spots, catches the dust
Is warm to wear, and looks it.
All I'm the Making.
woman who was noted for her exouis-
lite gowns when she was a society woman.
and who has been upon the stage for sew
eIal years. was induced by a well-known
periodical to write little article upon the
art of dressing. Her creed could be for
mulated in a few words, and one often
Fears 1t from Ieople of less authority 1t
| is TO put ones money into the making Of a
gown. The material does not matter SO
much. 1t need only be becoming in shade
and need not be expensive. OF course. ev-
cry woman of good taste will avoid a shod-
dy-lookiES or cheap material, but she
can get excellent values nowadays for less
than dollar yard. Such good stuefs are
row made I'm Canada and parts Of our own
country that 1t is no longer absolutely nee
essary to pay the price Of imported" wool
ems when having lightweight wooden
gown made. All that is necessary is to go
to a reliable house, take their advice about
the materials they sell as to quality. and
be guided by your own taste in the matter
OF becomingness Of design and shades.
Another matter Of importance is the lin
ly &c 70 hotfa
lining for a gown, especially If one is to
have that for almost every occa sion Here
We come to real item Of expense for a
good lining silk cannot be bought for less
than seventy-f1ve cents q yard, and even
then it is not always safe to trust 1t. 1t
is better this year to buy the silks with lit
tie stinening in them. They rustic less,
consequently are in better taste and wear
longer. or course, a silk lining is not an
absolute necessity. 1t is honestly q luxury.
and If one cannot afford to be extrayaRant
on that score it is well to turn contentedly
to the many handsome Innings which have
teen described before in this column. If
silk is used. it will be found that it wears
mucn better With the new drop skirt effect
: than 1t did when the lining was fastened to
the outside skirt at every seam.
The Fashionable Skirt.
There are so many new ways Of making
coat and skirt and yet so little real de-
parture from the styles Of last year that
last years suit can be taken by any in
genious or capable modiste or tailor and
made into an entirely up-to-date and salts
factory gown. The skirt should have a
new lining. or the old one should be taken
out and put back separate from the CLOTH
The fit across the hips must be closer. The
sleeves must be made smaller. and IL
there was no braid on 1t, 1t is well to have
a generous amount applied in any of the
patterns or manners now In vogue.
The fashionable skirt Of this week has
five or seven cores and is three yards and
a half about the bottom. 1t is sheathlike
about the hips, and is, alas! very long. But
IL you have the courage of your convictions
and do not own a brougham, insist upon
having ii escape the ground and utterly
refuse to help the work Of policing the city
skirt with the attached flounce is so popu-
lar that one would almost be led to tulnk
that every new gown must be made with it.
But be not deluded Tabernacle gowns do
have apron fronts, to be sure but the ma
jority of the very smartest of them have a
skirt all in one piece. Braid or wide tucks
of the goods are put on SO as to simulate
flounces whenever this effect is wanted.
Coats and Blazers.
No matter what shape one longs for in a
jacket, 1t can be found among the new
models. Generally the jackets are short,
not more than twenty inches long, But
even this is not always SO, for in the wake
Of the princess gown the three-quarter-
length coat has arrived. and although none
are on exhibition among the spring gowns
already made up, yet the models are here
and one may follow ones fancy and have a
coat Of any length. Our old friend, the
blazer, has arrived. looking very new and
smart with its little sleeves. and generally |
with a pattern OF braid laid on 1t in such a
manner as to accentuate the curves of
what was always a very graceful coat
Most OF the new blazers are more useful
than their predecessors. for although few
are made with only a strap across the |
front, yet generally they can be closed In a |
and wind-tight manner, though 4
usually worn open. Some very handsome
coats close diagonally. fastening on the
shoulder and sloping to fasten again at the |
waist line This gives a long. slender effect |