The age-herald., 1900-01-28
Do you Know the woman in black?

Do you Know the woman in black?
 She will stand out in memory:s vision, clear-cut, soft, insinuating. attractive and unusual She wears black, black always, not mourning at all-just black.
 Mrs Frank Leslie was the first woman of note in New York city to dress in black. For years her costumes were written up by the fashion paragraphers and commented upon by literary society. Then suddenly somebody discovered that they were varia- tons of black; that the evening dress which was so much admired at a box party had petticoat of white satin, yelled with black accordeon plaited tulle, with a dust ruffie of tule around the foot. The quite wonder ful waist shbrring was of tulle gathered over white silk cord, and the hip trim ming was the same, and then the secret was out. She was "the woman in black.
 Mrs. William Astor, an older woman but a no less elegantly dressed one, wears black and white always, with sometimes bril- liant lining. And the beautiful Mrs. Culver of the west, who dazzles New Workers for a month or so in winter, is another of fash ions devotees who wears the combination of black and white. It is a good idea, sure ly, and one well adapted to the woman who desires to dress well on little.
 In recent article upon living economi- caly in New York and going in society at the same time, Mrs. Russell Sage declares that a great deal can be done with gowns all of color not much change, no attempt at anything startling. The turquoise blues, the automobile reds and browns the gera- niums, the pastels and the mauves must all be forgotten. If colors are chosen, let them be few; play always upon three tones and thus you will be able to look always we'll dressed yet never too brilliant.
 In a certain fashionable hotel in New York there live two women who keep up an appearance on a small sum a year. Per haps the family income is 5000, a very small amount for New York family of fashion. One woman gowns herself in black skirts, and for economy wears bril- liant "separate' waists of taffeta. A let tuce green blouse-dust covered brown-are her latest selections.
 The other woman produces equally agree able results by gowning herself always in . three colors, and hef gowns are always in red, brown and bright blue. Buying every thing in these three shades, she can always produce agreeable combinatons any skirt can be worn with any waist; and any yoke goes well with any belt. That is the value of the "three-coor scheme" as artistic mo- distes call it.
 But better than all is the woman in black She is absolutely imeproachable in her selections at all times and pretty sure to be elegant.
 A morning robe of black taffeta satin faced and agreeable to the eye and hand, yet not costing very much, Is admirable for breakfast and afterward. One can, if one Us very dainty, wear white house slippers, for they can do duty in the house for a season without soiling. Let the robe be cut as Princess, open up the front and slashed to the very neck. Border it around its entire edge with satin-faced cloth. Band the sleeves with the same trimming Make yoke of white tulle, with bands of black satin around the throat and finish yoke and throat with ruffes of chiffon. Give the wrists the same finish.
 For the note of color if you desire one let there be a petticoat of emerald green satin, covered with ruffes of plain black tulle. This dress is not so extrava gant The taffeta can be purchased very cheaply and the trimming costs almost nothing AS Tor the pettimoat, well, any woman will manufacture satin petticoat for the house from old foundations and leftover rufffes. When done, it will catch and hold the eye and heart of the nome man.
 The ways of skirts are past finding out A few days ago they were box-plafted: in deed, they are still seen in that fashion But now you catch them creeping LID over the bodice and forming the belt and even the vest.
 A beautiful tunic skirt-for this is a chapter in 'black-was of black mousse laine de scde made over a skirt of white taffeta. Around the foot there was A very rnack double, though marrow, ruching of oiack taHeta. The mousselaine de soie formed the skirt and vest as high as the yoke. t was trimmed with the narrowest rufhes of the same>material, each ruffie edged with white satin ''baby" ribbon. The sleeves were very up+to-date in having the coat sleeve of white taffeta trimmed with marrow ruffies of mousselaine de soe. each one edged with its baby ribbon; and at the shoulder there was immense puff of white satin striped with black satin rib bon.
 Visitors to Mrs. Dewey's New Year re-