Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15


gown offer to the feminine Imagination?
But these are the Compensations Tho
tea gown has acquired train; this gives
1t a fighting chance Of grace and guaran-
tees some sort of dignity 1t has added to
itself also long stole ends of lace or chif-
fcn to hang down in front and preserve
something of the loose effect endangered
by the betting. 1t has adopted the sash;
the Roman sash, the Dresden sash the
mousseline de sole SASH all the kinds OF
| sashes that are making this winter gay
and memorable. 1t has found profit in
serving two masters. and has added open
! shawl sleeves or Greek drapery sleeves. as
| demanded by its own nature and traditions
| to the skin-tight sleeves prescribed by the
fashion makers.
No General Style.
| AS to its general style, 1t is to be re-
| marked that the tea gown scarcely has
any longer a general style. The species
comprises, broadly speaking, several va
rieties. There is the tea gown dinner dress
much in vogue in England the tea gown
| evening dress, the tea gown proper, sacred
| to the singing kettle and the gossip over
| the steaming cups of orange pekoe and tn,
| tea gown wrapper. which a salesgirl de-
| fined for me the other day, when she said:
Some women. they call a bath robe L
\ tea gown these days.!
The Engfshwoman often makes 1t one of
her economies. when guest at a winter
| house party, to take with her tea gown
cut out prettily at the throat and made on
lines comprehensive enough to admit Of
| its use for informal dinner or evening wear
| as well as for its own especial function.
| The tea gown proper is made of ac-
ccrdion-pleated moussene de sole over silk
oftener at present than OF any other ma
terial. 1t is cut with Vatican pleat in
| the back oftener than in any other way;
! but it is no more confined to the Vatican
| arrangement than ii is to the mousseline.
! Oriental satins. with much gold in the col
oring, gengaline and taffeta in high
favor as medium-weight stuffs. with vel
vet and the heavy silks at one extreme
and lace. net and chiffon at the other.
some time for every sort of use, lends
| itself SO well to the curves of tea gowns
that it, too, comes in for good share of
| liking.
Primrose Yellow.
One of the richest tea gowns that have
| seen this winter was worth nearly all the
gold its colorng suggested. 1t was built
of primrose yellow silk cut as a trained
princess robe, and was open in front and
edged all about with a thick ruche of gold
| colored chiffon. The underdress, as it
| showed in front, was yelled with gold chif-
fon, alternately shirred and left free. AT
| the throat the dress was finished with
1
row plastron of which reached to the waist
| line. AT the back rose a Medici collar of
mauve silk with a chiffon ruchinS. There
were long coat sleeves of mauve silk closely
| Shirred; these We're Overhung by accordion
| pleated oversleeves of gold chiffon fastened
| at the shoulders by gold buckles. A heavy
| paSsementerie girdle with broad ends gath
| cred In the princess draperies as well as
| the underdress and hung almost to the
| ground. The train was lined with lace
| fiounces and the princess fronts Were faced
with white silk. This tea gown forms one
| item of the most beautiful and costly trous-
| seau that has been seen in New York this
| season.
! A handsome tea gown ordered by Mrs. o.
| II. p. Belmont is of peach-colored velvet,
lined with silk of the same color. Like the
| dress just described, it is cut as an open
princess robe. with a train. The sides fiji
| closely into the curves of the figure, MAX
| ing a gown of great state and dignity The
| fronts of the bodice are cut away to show
| middle piece covered with lace cascades.
| The skirt opens on a front tablier of lace
| founces over white silk. At the throat the
| bodice is cut away In front; it rises behind
| in n Medici collar of velvet, lace-edged.
Coat sleeves of peach colored silk are
I threaded with gold. Fiat, caplike velvet
| epaulets are introduced, presumably one of
| their last appearances, for nothing seems
more certain than that the plain sleeve
will refuse to put up any longer with such
| an infringement of its full rights and dig
mites. The color scheme of this gown is
| the best OF 1T peach t1ntS with just mint
OF gold are the most becoming imaginable
for many compilations, especially those of
| the creamy tones. IT, fl
! Silk and Chiffon.
tea gown that has been designed
| especially for a young Spanish girl prom
inent in artistic circles IS of cream silk.
yelled with amber chiffon. the two colors
suiting admirably the warm olives of its
| wearers skin. The silk is cut as a close
| fitting princess dress without train; it is
| finished at the throat by a large, fiat,
| square-cornered collar covered Closely with
| scroll embroidery in gold. This collar is
| cut out in circle for the neck and hangs
| to the bust below; it is bordered with
narrow silk frill. A panel of embroidered
silk runs from the collar to the ground,
widening little toward the bottom. Over
this dress, which would be exquisitely
dainty without touch, comes second
gown of chiffon. Breadth after breadth
OF the amber-hued stuff, laid in accordion
pleats, Is mounted on the silk until it hangs
as loose and apparently seamless tissue
from under the fiat collar all around 1t
Is caught to the goid-embroidered panel
| in front, but for the rest floats like a cob