The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-09-19
ROYAL ATTIRE.
Emprcsses, Queens and Princesses aud
Their Ideas Of Dress.

Their Ideas of Dress.
Some years ago Queen Victoria
caught the dress reform fever and
joined an association. Although the
Queen never astonishad her Court by
appearing in reformed dress. she
thought the idea of some not too
radical reforms in dress n capital one
at least for tho other women.
Through the Queens influence the
Princess OF Wales and her daughters
became interested, and for n brief
season Princess Victoria and tue
Duchess of Fife appeared upon oc-
casions IN CARDS that were at least
semi reformed. 1t cannot be said.
however, that they ever became
violently enthusiastic upon the subject.
During the last fifteen years the
Princess of Wales has scarcely varied
the fashion of her costumes nj 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 Il picture
hat on her head. She wears only
those dainty little bounets which beac
her name. TailOr-made frocks and
Jackets she dOtes on, although before
going into mourning for her mother
she had blossomed out into very stun
ming toilets. She does not favor tie
fashion of high shoulder knots, and
her ball dresses are made with the
old-fashioned court bodice, the shout
der strap dropping on to the arm.
The Princess Beatrice's attire is apt
to be of the simplest description upon
ordinary occasions. One traveller OF
the Continent who had peep at Queen
Victoria and the Princess Beatrice
wrote home, Nothing could be palmer
than their gowns"
The German Empress has we'll de-
fined ideas about dress, and once
organized dress reform order. The
Empress, however, is too fond of fine
dressing to carry reforms very far.
Twelve dressmakors are kept CON
stantly employed in the Empress's
tailoring department, as it is called,
under the uperiutcndeuce of lady
of the court. The staff is increased
to forty at certain seasons when court
festivities are going on or the EN-.
press Is preparing for journey.
Blue and white are, by the way, the
favorite colors. The Empress buys
yearly 100 evening and State dresses,
twice as many carriage and visiting
costumes, and about $50 demi- toilettes
aud house drcsseC-i50 frocks all told
The sewing machine is an unknown
quantity in the Emprcss's tailor shop.
From SO to $50 yard is paid for the
silks and satlns of which her dresses
are made.
The Empress of Russia spends more
on her wardrobe than any other lady
in Europe. Until and for short time
after her marriage, she dressed with
almost severe simplicity, but the ladies'
OF the Russian court took no pains to
conceal their disapproval of the En-
press Indifference TO splendor of at
tire, and the result is that Her Males "
IS gorgeous now.
Queen Margherita has passion for
dainty haudkcrchiefs aud the costliest
lace handkerchief in the world be
longs to her. 1t is valued at $50, 900,
not cNorbitant sum when one con
siders that three artists worked at il
Tor twenty years. 1t is SC firmly that
it can be folded up and placed in a
gold sheath about the size of a lima
bean
The fGyorite dress of Queen Olga
OF Greece is of blue and white striped
or checked domestic silk, these being
the national colors, aud besides the
makers of silk in her realm have not
learned to dye it any other colors.
The cast-ofT demi-toilettes of ROYALTY
and carriage and house dresses are
the perquisites of the head woman Of
the bedchamber, who, after making n
selection for her own use, sells them.
They arc not allowed to be resold as
they arc received, but in all cases they
must be rcmodellod 50 as to obliterate
their special features.