The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-16
WARDROBES
OF ROYALTY.
The German Empress Boys so
Dresses YeAs. But the CsArina
Spends Aore Honey foe Her Cos
TUNES.

Some years ago Queen Victoria caught
the dress reform fever and Joined an assoc
citation. Although the queen never aston
isssed her court by appearing In a re-
formed dress, she thought the idea Of
some not too radical reforms In dress q
capital one--at least for the other women
Through the queens influence the prin-
cess of Wales and her daughters became
interested and for a brief season Prin-
cess Victoria and the Duchess Of Fife APP
peared upon occasions In garhs that were
at least semi-reformed. II cannot be said
however. that they ever became violently
enthusiastic upon the subject.
During the last fifteen years the Prin-
cess of Wales has scarcely varied the
fashion OF her costumes at all. Through
the age OF big pulled sleeves she chung TO
small ones. For the make of her gowns,
the style known as Princess has always
been adhered to. and no one has ever seen
a picture hat on her head. She wears
only those dainty little bonnets which bear
her name. Taeior-made frocks and jack
cts she dotes on. although before go
ing into mourning for her mother she had
blossomed out into very stunning toilets.
She does not favor the fashion Of high
shoulder knots. and her ball dresses are
made with the old-fashioned court bodice.
the shoulder strap dropping on TO the
arm. The Princess Beatrice's attire Is apt
to be OF the simplest description upon or
dnary occasions. One traveller on the con-
tinent who had a peep at Queen Victoria
and the Princess Beatrice wrote home.
Nothing could be palmer than their
gowns"
The German empress has well defined
ideas about dress, and once organized q
dress reform order. The empress. how
ever, In too fond Of fne dressing TO carry
reforms very far Twelve dreesmakers
are kept constantly employed In the en-
press tailoring department. as II h called.
under the superintendent OF lady OF
the court. The stan il increased to forty
at certain seasons when court festivities
are going on or the empress Is preparing
for a journey. Blue and white are. by
tho way. the favorite colors. The en-
press buys yearly 100 evening and state
dresses. twice as many carriage and visit
ing costumes, and about $50 demi-toiiettes
and house dresses-45o frocks all told, Tho
sewing machine is an unknown quantity
In the empress tailor shop. From 81 TO
SO yard is paid for the silks and satins
or which her dresses are made.
The empress OF Russia spends more on
her wardrobe than any other lady In Eu-
rope. Until and for short time after
her marriage she dressed with almost Sc
we're simplicity. but the ladies OF the Rus
sian court took no pains TO conceal their
disapproyal OF the empress indifference
10 splendor or attire, and the result Is
that her majesty IL gorgeous now.
Queen Marghertta has a passion for
dainty handkerchiefs. and the costliest
lace handkerchief I'm the world belongs 10
her. 1t IS valued at $5Do0. n not exorbs-
tant sum when one considers that three
artists worked Mt II for twenty years II
Is so filny that IL can be folded UP and
placed in a gold sheath about the size of
a lima beam
The fayorite dress OF Queen Olga OF
Greece Is OF blue and white striped or
checked domestic silk. these being the ma
tionai coiors ana besides the makers of
silk I'm her realm have not learned to dye
II any other colors.
The cast-oN defni-toiletfes OF royalty
ard carriage and house dresses are the
peruuisites of the head woman Of the bed
chamber. who. after making n selection
for her own use sells them. They are not
allowed 10 be resoid as they are received.
hut In ali cases they must be remodeiied
SO as 70 ohliterate their special features.
Actresses are said 10 be among the prin-
cipal purchasers.
Tho woman who has moro gowns than
any other ~ this or any other a4e-2oo,
81 Is said with 5sa women to care for
shen1-ts the wife Of Ia Hung Chang
New York Sun.