Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-09-17
NEW LOW CUT GOWNS.

n ulSpdlCu lIOu AOuuOu uuLIuS tDC
height the society gayeties in that city
showed what an astonishing brevity
had been reached by the decollete
gowns of Eoglish and French women
of fashion. The San Francisco Elk
amintr states now on the authority of
Redfern and others that the startling
fashion Will be copied. with the addi
tions, or, more CORE city speaking, sub
fractions, in America this winter.
To combine the bodice ~ fragile
str ng of pearls or biz of riobon acros.
the shoulders to dispense with the
makeshift sleeve and keep the bodice
on by sheer force of cohesion or bs
''force of will"-these are the tasks set
b, f)re fashionable American women if
they would follow the examples OF
their English and French sisters.
Theor's :, especially if they be ideal
ist as we'll, say that the 6oe discrimi-
nation, the inherent modesty, the keen
common sense OF the American women
can be depended upon in crisis ss
grave as this. They always do the
right thing in the end, )" say the theor
i,t-idealists. "Wait," is the answer Of
The practical man, and Americas men
are waiting for this test of the Ameri-
Can women of their county. 1t has
peen noticeable in history that ex
tremely deco,lete gowns for WI me
w-r" contemporaneous with era' OF
prchigacy in the courts OF Elrope.
tion is only as pure, only as tru", a.
i women, and the modesty of women
Is indicated as much by their dress a.
their speech. Therefore is this great
crlsis in American history
Evening dresses designed for this
,iuter are exaggerations CT the styles
Of gowns in evidence throughout the
eraid opera season in London thi-
year
L,dy Southampton, the picturesque
young Eagl!sh woman, whom au ad-
jniring British public calls Our Juno"
was photographed at that time in
white silk gown of Greek fashion, with
diamond cluster marking the lowest
point of 8 very decoilete gown, and
with fine plant wires OF gold across
the shoulders, looking like stray gold
en- threads upon marble.
Lady Gray Egerton, once Miss May
Wayne Cuyler, Baltimore girl, is one
of tue extremists in the daring fashion
Of the day. The Princess Haizieldt and
the Countess Of Essex, both American
girls, are radical in the matter OF abbre
vIate corsages.
The Princess de Sagan and the Prin-
cess Elizabeth Constantine de Russit,
with Countess Castellane, formerly
Anna Gould, wear gowns as meagre as
to corsage as can be found in all Paris
"If your arms and neck are ugly it j.
sin to reveal them; if they are beau
tiful it is sin TO conceal the IL, said
French wit. Such is the philosophy of
the gayest oil nations as to the dress OF
its women.
The fame of the house of Worth was
built upon gown that In the time OF
the Empress Eugene was considered
shocking. 1t was fashioned for the
beautiful Counties Castiglione, who in
the character of Salambo, the high
priestess of the Carthagenians, wore it
at a fancy dress ball. 1t was of striped
red and black plush and was fastened
over the shoulders by narrow gold
baud, the fashion of this day. Though
the pictures of the famous costume
show that the line where the red and
back plush of the CouDtess's costume
met the dazzling white skin oil the fair
shoulders was at least three inches
higher than the dividing line OF to-day,
vet the costume of the Countess Cas-
tlelione was SC daring and so besut tul
that it sent the Empress Eugene home
in storm of tears Worth and his
Counties patron was criticized for im-
~ Idestv, and yet the Countess Castig'
hone would have blu4hed at sight OF
OF of the gowns worn at the grand
opera in LDudon last season.
a model furnished by Jean Worth Tor
all opera gown is of cream brocaded
satin, with white net overdress, EN-
b oidered in apple blossom design, aud
sash and train of apple green silk. The
b1dice Is exceedingly low, two rows OF
iuche. Sc lace meeting the sash gIrdle
.nd defined on tbs shoulders by q shire
| n Of the silk form ny the waist. ne re-"
Of the lace. a little fuller than that upon the
| bpdIce, aud seeming but an extension OF the
upper row of lace, forming straight line
across he bust and arms is used IN lieu oil
sleeves
sle.yes are fiction. according to the mode:
of the or the night. hey IN y be tSn.a
| ming ".a.ls" of lace. They my De bands OF
velvet AL inch wide, or rows Of pears hal
taat width, or even silver or gold reads OF
hxIlike attenuation, but to call those al y
nothlnes sleeves is weak concession to the
mr., ,;udices OF our grand Some Of the
ate gowns discard any somb aace or excu'e
of the sleeve They have corsage whose
uucompromising line ends benea' h the arm
rits aud is held on and together y the laws
If gravitstion. but mocks at such useless ae'
cessories as sleeves.
rr: Y;fa NUnS Saved,