Evening star., 1898-02-12


witb spring outfit and be free from dress
worries. is
Whatever may have been true in the past,
it is not true now that the women of best
social position devote any undue propor-
ton Of their time to their wardrobes. There
is period in the late winter and another
in the early autumn when dresses are plan
ned and ordered with an eye to form and
color and nice sense Of suitability to the
person and to occasions that have become
part Of a cultivated woman's education.
In the midseason there are probably gaps
to fill or necessary, replenishments; but
aside from these, once an outfit has been
prepared the subject is dismissed from the
mind. -".
"Why, bless you, child.' said a woman
whose rank in the social world could hard
ly be questioned, when asked by a young
visitor to take her shopping, that's seme-
thing for which 1 can't find time
Never Duy Too Much.
little while ago, when times were hard
in the south, southern woman from a
busted BOOM town was staying with a
northern sister and was urged to have
some dressmaking done. She refused, say
Ing that not woman in her set could af-
ford good clothes and that she couldn't
look her friends in the face unless she
were respectfully shabby A feeling not
wholly unlike this limits the number Of
gowns bought by some women who do not
have to consider money. A successful toi-
let calls for such perfection Of fit, such
delicacy of color, harmonies and contrasts,
such thought in the selection of ornaments
and such care in every detail that many
women who are vigorously exacting as to
what they buy are equally careful not to
buy profusely.
Said woman of this order recently:
Every dress costs SO many hours that
l dare not appear before my friends in too
many, else they will feel that am squan-
dering all my time"
Women like this keep up with the worlds
progress. Even if they did not. If they
had no hobbies in education, art or philan-
thropy, the exactions of society, life itself,
would leave them less time to spend upon
dress than Is consumed by many women of
smaller means who save a little money at
bargain counters and special sales at the
cost OF much nerve force and vitality.
Marks the SnOb.
Economy of life commends the society
woman's plan of settling dress questions,
so far as possible. twice a year. The GUS
tom of the best society approves the pur-
chase at these buying periods of a moderate
number OF costumes. varying with the de-
mands of ones position, as artistically
beautiful as taste can make them. A pro-
fusion OF too costly and unsuitable clothes
marks the snob as plainly as neglect of the
dresS marks the person Of little sensitive
ness or refinement.
In early buying this season there are
things to avoid. The success of the broad,
striped sashes in Roman colors, which light
up dark dresses amazingly, has led to the
bringing out OF dress silks In stripes and
plaids of monstrous dimensions. In large,
high rooms some of these might do for wall
hangings, but considered as costumes, even
1or g1antesses, they are things to shudder
at
Spring dresses will be made with over
skirts; but these will be as long as the un-
derskirts perhaps lifted at some point to
show the contrasting material graceful
design that appears with many varieties
among the early models has q princess
oVerdress opening in front over an under
dress and bodice of a different color. 1
have by me some fine old prints Of French
and Italian costumes in the sixteenth CEN
tury, from any one of number of which
thls IDEA might have been adapted. One of
the infanta of Spain in 1893 shows a satin
petticoat hemmed with broad jeweled
band. The overskirt OF richly figured bro
cade flows back from the front and just
down the sides with gold thread embroid-
cry. Ts
The Overskfrt Of fiTodny.
The overskirt of twenty years ago copied
the ugly panniers of their sixteenth CEN
tury originals, but failed to9eopy the longer
flow Of the draperiesss ending below the
knees, they cut the figure sadly. The over
dresses of 1898 will omit the panniers. but
revert to the stately length of the days
when hurry and rush were unknown.
1t is an interesting fact that in the days
from which we take the overskirt the hair
was dressed much asrft is now, turning
back from the face and standing out at the
sides.
The underskirt of 1898 is three yards and
a half round. The outer skirt is much Wild
er. Sleeves will become even smaller than
they are and ruffies will continue rampant.
Dresses for all formal occasions are made
long, but the instinct OF self-preservation
stands out for short street dresses.
Hats for Spring.
Spring hats, as thus far displayed, are
most evenly divided between the ugly pork
pie shapes affected this winter and straight
brims. Fanciful toqnes in coarse grass and
ribbon straws are numerous. Some are ex-
tremeiy pretty; others hook as II they had
been crushed in the two hands and then
tied up with ribbons and flowers. A satin