Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
FOR UP-TO-DATE WOMEN
Far-sighted Buyers Are Already Looking
Toward the Summer.
shops Are Full Of the Very Dninttest
of Observation-Disclosures in
Color and Fabric.


NEW YORK, February 3, 1S9S
She who waits until torrid heat drives
her to buying something to wear" suit
able for summer cannot hope nor expect
to have gowns as dainty in design as her,
more farseeing sister who makes her
plans as soon as the new year is born.
Scarcely is time allowed to recover from
Christmas festivities before the new cot
tons bloom out in their first fresh designs.
1t is not true that one can buy lust
good later. These dainty patterns were
woven in great quantities by the mills, but
they will not weave these same goods
again unless there is demand which will
make 1t worth their while to put them on
the market next season. The most artistic
designs will be bought by the enterprsing
shopper Of today. while she of May or
June must take the leavings.
Just now the designs are bewideringly
beautiful. They could not be copied or re-
produced in any other fabrics with the
same effect. First of all come the mix
lures of cotton and silk, which are not as
expensive as they sound, most of them
Icing less than a dollar yard They are
used principally for evening gowns, be-
ing made up over silk Innings, but next
summer they will appear as afternoon
gowns well. "Grenadine tissue" is one
or the most beautiful materials shown.
- ioohS eAdCliy lhe transparent RTeDa-
dine. The, body of it is cotton and the
bars or strips which give it luster and
character are of silk. One particularly
smart piece has a ground of white and a
large plaid OF old blue 1t was new and
fresh in pattern, and yet it reminded one
of old prints of ladies in dull blue gowns.
canvas organdie" is another tempting
fabric which makes one long to open ones
purse. The mesh is like canvas, vet finer.
thus carrying out the last part of the
name. This is particularly beautiful in
soft Roman stripe effects, delicate colors,
such as pink. pale blue or lavender form
ing the silk stripes running through it.
Dainty Materials.
Both of the above materials reminded
one of boiling cloth, or what boiling cloth
might be if it only had imagination enough
to take unto itself plaids and stripes of
delicate silk weaves. Lace grenadine in
large and small flower effects is one of the
most artistic combinations of the two
fabrics shown. 1t looks very much like
the dainty pineapple silks beloved of our
forbears, which were recently revived. The
gowns on a Vatican fan might be fash
fcned of this goods. so much does il look
like I'VE olden time in spite of it's modern
weave.
Lace zephyr is shown in some new COM
binatons and patterns, the silk in il being
a new feature, but it is not as new as the
betting cloth and pineapple weaves enUm-
Grated above Silk and cotton bareges in
tttI liSnl anu dark GROUNDS, with stripes,
or covered with flowers, or plain, are to
be much worn. while beautiful organizes
run riot as they always do, and fill one
with 4 wild desire to order a gown cut
from every pattern. The figures on the
organizes follow the popular craze for size,
and are even al.ernated with stripes of
contrasting color, until one wonders
whether any more pattern could have been
put on one single bolt of cloth.
All the above materials will lend them
selves most readily and artistically to .the
RULES, cords and trils which are to make
up the sum and substance of next sum-
mer's gowns.
For Fuller Purses.
One of the smartest of the new fabrics
is mohair swiss, mixture of cotton and
mohair, which is stiff enough to stand
alone, yet perfectly transparent. 1t is not
as beautiful as the silk and cotton COM
binations. but win be worn by women
who prefer a gown which is striking and
distinctive and not easily duplicated. It's
price puts it out of competition with the
ordinary summer goods, as it is nearer two
than one dollar yard. One in red,
which reminds the beholder of a ripe
watermelon, has a black stripe running
through it in an artistic manner 1t will
be made up over black or over silk of the
same shade. of red and will figure at after
noon functions at an exclusive city by
the sea in conjunction with large black
hat. The future owner of this combination
has a complexion which defes combine
tons which kill the good looks of most
women.
One material which never really loses
favor is Gimity. Every year this dainty
fabric comes out again in new colors and
combinations, each seemingly more beau
tiful than the last. One great point in
its favor is that when properly washed
it comes back triumphant prettier than
ever for the treatment which is the un-
doing of so many pretty gowns. Manu-
facturers and buyers of dimity will ex-
plain its beauty by saying that in no other
material, excepting perhaps sateen, does
the pattern come out as clearly. A dimity |
in a bias plaid of green and white was
shown at a recent opening. Green and
white are the most restful and the cool |
est colors on a hot summer day, and this |
particular design will be beautiful with |
many rufiies, all headed and footed with |
Valenciennes lace. /
Popular PIaida. l
Bias plaids, by the way, are very much |
in favor and bid fair to be more becom- |
ing than the bayadere effects which are