The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-11-02
BEwITcHING TEA GOWNS
FIimy, Graceful Creations Thn'
Delightfully."- Feminine
and FLUFFY.

The man who said that grace is the
beauty of form under the influence OF
freedom" may have been inspired oy
the sight of handsome woman IN
handsome neglige gown. One thing Is
certain, and that is that no variety OF
dress is more graceful than the long
flowing, semiloose tea gown. Every
woman who can afford TO do so SHOULD
indulge in the luxury of at least one
elaborate garment of this kind. Those
who can afford several are the envy OF
their friends. The tea gown really mas
a much-to-be-desired influence on the
wearer. 1t makes the poor feel rich
and the rich richer and gives one
sense OF ease, freedom and luxury that
no other frock, however fine, imparts.
II a woman has the figure which suits
this gown, she is more attractive In
this style Of dress than any other. This
perhaps explains the fondness OF wom-
en- generally for it, to say nothing OF
mems liking for It.
The new gowns are delightfully."- fem
mime and are fussy and fluffy enough
TO please the most eXacting lover OF in
sinuating lines and folds. All of them
are made very long in front and at
the sides, while in the back they sweep
away into a decidedly trailing effect
Those made of very soft materials
show tendency toward the Grecian
STYLE, while others of silk or satin are
built on modern lines, but relieved of
all stiffness by much establishment in
the way of embroideries, plated dia-
phanous materials, lace motifs and
bands and jeweled trimmings.
4 charming suggestion for making
this favored garment accord with the
latest dictates of Dame Fashion is
shown in the model with a polonaise-
like overdre The shaped founce out
lining it is accentuated by lace APP
pique put on garland fashion. The
material is pale blue liberty silk, and
opens over a full front and skirt OF
flmy yellowish lace falling from but
,erfy bow at the cgrsage. The same
style carried out in turquoise blue EN-
broidered in silver paillettes and tur-
quoises is exquisite, but no more so
than rose pink or apricot wrought in
cream lace applique in some fashion
able design.
Silk muslin, made over soft un-
stiffened satin, is one of the best ma
terias for tea gowns at the present
moment, and the mode of making in
every case seems TO be ineXplicable.
In the hand the robe apparently has nc
shape at all, but when on, what with
soft sashes, crush belts, jeweled CIR
dies. and no end of ribbon bows, il
clings to the figure here and there III
the most graceful fashion. The more
diaphanous and indescribable such
gowns are the more fashionable. Fol
a tall, graceful woman nothing could
be more excellent than tea gown like
the one shown. of orient satin, in thu
ivory tint so becoming alike TO dark
and fair. \ handsome girdle of gilt
fligree, studded with semipreciou:
stones, encircles the waist, falling al
most to the bottom of the skirt il
front. Long sleeves and negligt
jacket Of soft point d'esprit net ap
plque in a scroll design, with lace anC
a fichu of chiffon, complete this ar
tistic creation. Many of the imported
tea gowns are made Of accordion-p plat
ed chiffon falling from yoke of flint
lace. and. were it not for the expense
of the materials, would look for all the
world Ike the old-time Mother Hub
bard wrapper, which every woman
with an exquisite sense of neatness de
| tested in her innermost heart.
Plain and dotted net. foulards, plair
and fancy silks. and brOcaded and plaiI
satin are all made into neglige gowns
| as well as all 'gauzy materials. Man!
| of the SWEETEST tea gowns are cut low
and have elbow sleeves made of piec,
lace; then lace scarf is thrown abou
| the neck with studied carlessness. arc
| its long ends are allowed to fail down
ward. There is everything in this de
| partment to tempt woman to par
with large part of her income.-N. Y
| Sun.