Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18

n
News Ssryirri
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK. February IL. 1s.n.
A Brooklyn play house deals vigorously
with the theatcr hat problem.
The members of the audience allowed
To- seat themselves and the musical over
ture proceeds as elsewhere. When the foot
lights are turned up and the curtain trem-
hes a. if about to rise. ten dozen
uSherS station themselves in conspicuous
positions and proclaim with one voice.
ladies viii please remove all large hats
There is a moment ) pause, during which
gIoved hands hurriedIy tumble with wells
and hunt hat pins that malicIously conceal
themselves. Feathered and Powered crea-
tons arr slowly lifted, and eye anxfously
seeks eye. each woman striving to read In
the face, of neighbor or escort an answer
10 the unspOken question, How Is my
hair?'' Before satisfaction is obtained on
this point the curtain goes up and the
stage maid servant begins to dust stage
furniture.
Hcre arise for consideration three inter-
csting questions: ID What is large hat?
No standard has been fixed Strangers to
the theateF and conscientious persons re-
move a bunch of flowers or a fun of chif-
f1n almost invisible; habitueS retain pea
cock spreads of feathers.
81 Has "A theater the right to expect
woman to hold her hat on her lap all the
evening" The house in question does not
provide dressing rooms.
- Does il pay? The theater attendance
at middieaged women. formerly a more or
less profitable class. has diminished within
q couple of years. Many timid and con-
~erVative persons object to displaying white
hairs or plainly dressed locks 70 the crft-
ciSm Of fashiOnably attired audience
These people are not given to large hats.
but they feel a perhaps unreasonable terror
lest they he deprived of their Close-fittins
hornets. The law frighten least the evil
doors. A wealthy woman Of country birth
and simple breeding said TO me a few days
ago.
Until within year ] have always gone
I" the Jheater once or twice week. but L
shall never go again; ii is so awkward and
50 much trouble to take off ones bonnet
and hold it three hours | feel like a fool
of course the large hat for theater wear
~ entirely out of fashion. The correct
headsedr is little more than twist of chif-
fOn. with a spray of flowers or an orna-
ment of diamonds, real OF make believe. 1t
L. the woman who is out of fashiOn-after
all. the woman with whom TO reckon-who
assumes a hat meant only for daylight. and
makes herself nuisance a the theater.
There IS something to be said Tor the
Partisan custom. according to which, al
some of The best theaters, women are alto
e rErr excluded from the orchestra chairs.
One knows a least what is to be eXpec ted.
The Theater blouse.
The English woman counts it an economy
that she can wear a middle-aged evening
gown the theater. An American wo-
man has her choice between dragging her
fresh and costly tailor gown through dusty
ana crowded aisles and yielding to the coz
vcnieat habit Of the skirt and theater
blouse She does not long hesitate
Nv theater b'ouses are by preference of
irt-h lac, but many are made Of thin Iaces
mounted on chiffon. The cloth skirts are
long and clOse-ftting to within ten inches
of the hem. Extreme simplicity is possible
With the skirt. but upon tn blouse every
decorative device is exhausted.
The newest silk bIouses are chiefly trim
med with tucks, groups of cords or rows of
stitching The collar band rises to noun
famous height and thu fastening down the
T. NJ II Of crystal buttons
\ dainty example is blush rose-colorad
chiffon, shirred perpendicuiarly and trim
n ~ between the shirrings with fine Mech
III insertion. The NJ adici collar omen front
l. al ivory guipure. fastened on the bust
with "A firth OF lace and a moonstone buckle
TIE sleeves reach to the elbows and are
finished with lace frills.
Handsome light colored hrorades ara
much in vogue for theat4.. waists and tha
f'a t~rial is so rich that they are simple in
stA t. A moderately full front is usual and
plain back laid in tiny pIaits at rbf.
WAIST The collar band may be of a con-
if"Stns color in velvet, prettily embrnid-
tr-d With colored Jewels b,lt III betICr
finish is a lace. null or chiffon scarf or tba
menu m the style Of Marie Antoinettc or
SIT Joshua Reynolds. which now covers
al commissions and excuses all omissions
For and Against Earrings
TIsta is a matter of custom.
Two years ago the earring was harbari,
reminiscent of Squaws. One year ago the