The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-01-22

Keep your lorgnette at your eyes. You
will need 1t.
Not one, not two, nor yet three new
gowns will the girl of fashion wear the
next three weeks but dozens and dozens,
all differing as the east does from the
west.
Only five weeks remain between now and
Lent and IN that brief interval she must
gown herself anew every evening and
fresh every morning.
The very height of extravaganza in femi-
nine wearing apparel has been reached.
When a simple fflmy yard of goods, thin
as a spider web, white as driven snow,
with yiolets scattered over 1T in silk
threads, costs forty dollars; and It takes
twenty-five yards TO make gown, then
you guess what chance there is for the
survival of the purse of mankind. Such
was one of the gowns worn at Mrs. Arson
Phelps Stokes fancy dress ball the other
evening. The subject of the costume was
The violet dn the snow The wearer, a
pale blonde, dressed herself In white and
violet, the white as soft as a snowflake,
and the skirts of her gown heaped one over
the other, in the fashion of snow drifts.
Her jewels were pearls.
But fortunately there are less expensive
ways TO gown yourself.
A black tulle is ideal for effectiveness.
Mrs. Beach, the bride, who was formerly
Mrs. Havemeyer, wore an exquisite black
tulle the other evening. 1t was long, all
the way around, but specially sweeping in
the back. The foot of the skirt was jetted.
Underneath the tue was another skirt of
tulle and underneath was black satin
ALL n,
was immensely smart. relieved as 1t was
by the wink of jets. Jets are saucy things;
they twink" at you so unexpectedly. They
are a cheerful trimming, too, perhaps just
because of this tendency to wink.
As If to refute the whispers that she has
had difficulty with the Duke and that, ow-
ing to a family quarrel he is going to the
Transvaal to be killed by the Beers, Con-
suelo, Duchess of Marlborough. appeared
the other evening at a small reception
given by one of the maids of honor of
Queen Victoria's court. in gown that was
speedily cabled to Paris; and there it was
immediately initiated.
Its foundation, to begin at the bottom,
blue satin, plain and straight like a
slip, over this was worn a black tulle
skirt embroidered with the most brilliant
red poinsettas, those ragged winter flowers
that blossom so luxuriously IN the florists
windows and much part of church
decoration. The great straggly leaves
were as red as blood and the centers were
black and red and yellow. Over it all was
worn another skirt of tule which was
looped high over the underskirt and fas-
tened with turquoise ornament just
above each bunch of poinsettas. 1t is the
fashion now to go in half mourning be-
cause of the many losses which the British
aristocracy has sustained but our little
Duohesse blossomed forth like an exotic.
A photograph of Miss CORVALLIS West
who is engaged to the new and young
Duke of Westminster, who will, from now
on, be the richest duke in the world, was
sent dn a private letter to a friend in New
York Miss Vest who is very pretty
girl, resemSoling her sister, the Princess of
asfiess. was shown in a bodice that seemed
merely cloud, so little did 1t hide the fig
ure. The waist was sleeveless and one
shoulder was draped with tule of chiffon
while the other was not. Around her throat
she had a dog collar of pearls; and below
1t there was draped necklace of valuable
pierced gems.
The only pierced diamond necklace in the
"oiiu peionSS 10 Lady CurZOn, who threw
away three-quarters of the value of her
diamonds when she ordered them strung
tcgethe}s but there are several women n
this &C ntry and England who own neck
laces brilHants and semi-precious gems,
very valuable but not quite as rare as dia-
monds. Madame Navarro owns a neck
lace of Brazilian diamonds, very yellow.
pierced with tiny golden rods, and strung
around her neck by these slender fasten-
dngs from distance docking as though
the diamonds were not secured
The skirts of the new evening dresses
are as varied as those of street gowns.
tn habit skirt which was not so very pref
ty but which was light and comforta BILE ia
not seen in the ball room. But the box
plated skirt is much in evidence They
make box plated skirts of white taffeta
plated all the way around and embroid-
cred up the plaits with flowers. Ask your
modiste to fashion such a skirt for YOU
Choose the satin faced taffeta in the new
yellow or gold white. Let the plaits be laid
entirely around the figure If you are slen-
der; and, instead of hand embroidery, use
applique of brilliant red roses, put on in
such a fashion that the vine tapers toward
the waist ending with few tendrils Over
the roses you can applique the finest web
of unfigured lace though which the roses
shine. In the center of each rose work
the tiniest heart of rhinestone beads.
Around the foot of the skirt, between the
plaits, set a deep ruffie of lace, Point de
Paris, or any other lace you may select
but see that it is not too soft lace This