Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
T SOME PARIS STYLES
ParaSols and Gowns, as Well as
Fans, Are Hand-Painted,
LATEST FADS BROUGHT CLOSE TO Us
French Women Now Wear Broad
SoIed and Low HeeIed Shoes.
THE EARLY VICTORIAN MODES

Special torrPspc lueDce OF Inc Evening star
PARIS. July 30. 1899.
The copy books used to say that to be
happy one must be good. The feminine
version of that should be. to be happy one
must be a Parisienne, for. after all. only
the Parisienre is well dressed, and to be
well dressed is to be happy-for woman
and to be happy is to be good. To be sure,
plenty of people are well dressed and are
not good which only goes TO prove the
rule, for q nercifuI Providence has pre-
served US from knowing how bad they
would be II they were not well dressed.
Just at present Paris is reveling in her
usual summer invasion of barbarians from
America and other unknown lands, where
they have summer vacations. The stran-
gers spend their money and are roundly
abused behind their backs, which, perhaps
serves them right for not spending their
money at home. where they would receive
righteous respect and dollars worth for
dollar. The smiling sUdvity with which
the French tradesrnan cheats the shrewd
Yankee is high art in its way. Cnfortu-
nately the summer visitors are not the
best birds t. pluck They are only poor
school teachers, artists, actors or middle
class bridal couples their honeymoon
trips; the wealth and fashion come abroad
earlier later in the season.
And while the transatlantic visitors are
cORscientiously doing the boulevards and
the parks and The suburbs. happy in the
idea that they are seeing the styles in
Paris. let me mention some things that l
am sure they will have missed.
Things Tourists May Miss.
First, I do not think they will have been
where the ultra fashionables most do con-
gregate to notice that the ladies are wear
ing not only gowns of painted muslin, but
hand-painted hats. and are carrying hand
Daipfad
pretty and dainty and afford occupation
for many clever decorator. The crowns
and rims of the hats are decorated as well
the covers of the sunshades between the
soft trimmings of chiffon
1 do not think the strangers will have
noticed a fad of the fashionable DANES
that of wearing the long, slender
gold chain that nowadays all women
affect the ring of her absent husband
or sweetheart 1t is a modern adapta-
ton OF the knight riding away from the
castle gate with his ladys glove or scarf
as pledge of faith while he followed his
lord to war or to the holy land. Now the
knight leaves his ring, as there is a good
deal more danger of his wandering from
his allegiance in these days, when breach
of promise courts have ceased to have
terrOrs for the tickle masculine soul AS
a rule, mademoiselle or madame tucks the
ring away into her dress to hide il from
scOrnfui or inquiSitive eyes: but if her
lover or husband is shooting big game
In Africa or America or has taken a run
that ring is somewhere in her possession
No Toe Pinching Now.
Ladies who used TO be very particular
about the length of their shoes are wear
ing them good deal longer than they
used to- This is because it is fashionable
TO walk No one who was any one used to
do much walking in Paris; it was consid-
cred bourgeoise and objectionably English
one RODE or drove everywhere Pedestrian
exercise was confined to walking about
indoors This was one reason the French
"omans complexion was usually like last
week paste They beginning to find
thlS out, and change their customs accord
ingly. Now shoes are selected for corfor+
IN walking. and are longer and narrower:
waking shoes are selected with rounder
.oeS :, instead , OF pointed ones. and, altogeth-
er II looks as If the Frenchwoman would
come 10 her senses in this respect But
toheu SHOES are superseding laced ones
ana COCO, sensible, fiat heels are taking
me place OF the high Louis Quinze ones
For evening wear a new extrayagance is
snoes made of the same material as the
stylish short Coats.
In climate like this, where the weather
Is SO variable, light coat of some sort Is
almost necessity Therefore Will
Americans wonder at them, the Parisiennes
are designing short coats and capes and
scaris that are to ward off unexpected
emu oreezes- Just at present two forms of
snort coats are most popular One is a
snort basque. with a belt that slius
through the side seams The fronts ara
rounded and almost tight fitting while
the sleeves are finished off with a truunnet
shaped cun. The revers are shawl-shaped
and covered. as rule, with lace appllau.
over white silk The coats are then lined
with white silk or satin. The other sorI
OF coat ends at the waist. Eton jacket
length When she wears such a coat he
IL remarked. the chic Frenchwoman never
shows the suggestion of even a jeweIed
safety pin holding skirt and waist to-
eether. Her skirts seem to stay in place
as If by magic. which is the art of good
dressing.
In scanning the so-caIIed wash dresses
i am impressed with the growing beauty
or the satin-hnished sateeus. They are
growing more smooth and sheeny in tex
tire and almost rival fouiards in their
D auty Spots and sprigs of flowers are
especially charming designs to select in
TINS fabric, as they almost invariably make
up Wen The skirts of such gowns can be
made up TO look extremely pretty with
some such inexpensive lining as uneuette
or silkette. Bodices are always best lined
with white batiste. except in the case of a
stout ngure, when linenette is more SER
vtceable.
Yachting Costumes.
As the time for the international Yacht
races approaches dare say the interest of
Americans In all things nautical increases