The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-14
DARIs. Feb. 24.-There have been a
good many Americans in Paris of

nARIS. Feb. 24-There have been
good many Americans in Paris of
late, the majority of them being
on, their way south to enjoy the balmy
air of the Mediterranean countries. The
crowd that every day hangs about the
exposition grounds is a foreign one, the
majority being Americans. In many
things they are disappointed. The stat
Ne of Jeanne dare. for instance, which
should have been beautiful and impos-
ing, is, after all, cheap and tawdry
looking with its veneering of gilt. 1t
will not please and it will not last.
Fremiet would have shown better taste
had he executed his groups with less of
striving for modern gorgeousness and
given them to us in white stone.
The spring hats that are being shown
in the shops are not especially novel.
How could they be, for fashion tacitly
acknowledges that she has come to the
limit of inventive power when she re-
turns to first principles in the use of old
costumes Women of fashion and mo-
distes are ransacking the old galleries
and porting over old plates in a vain
effort to discover something at least
relatively new. Vandyke's pictures
suggested the new collars over the
shoulders, lace broad and rich, and the
portraits of Josephine have been stud
led and restudied for empire effects.
The Romney and Reynolds and Gains
borough portraits have likewise been
analysed for suggestions, and now
there seems but little else to fall back
upon.
Some one says that the next innova-
ton in skirtmaking will be the adop-
ton of the pannier; the. natural Sc
quence, this, of the very long skirts that
we have been wearing, for the instruct
i've draping of the long skirts over the
hips in vain effort to make them walk
ing length must sooner or later have
suggested their adoption to some hawk
eyed fashion designer. At present
gowns are merely plated over the hips.
| but they are laid in loose folds so de-
cidedly suggestive of the pannier that
the inference that panniers are about
to be adopted is a natural one.
Another of the new ideas adopted is
| that of wearing sleeveless dinner
gowns. These have the necks cut high,
but are without sleeves. This is a fash
ion that was popular in 1876 and is af-
fected only by ladies who have fine
arms. A black or dark gown shows off
the charms of the rounded white arm
| to best advantage but the woman with
| the slender, graceful limb finds the rose
| cOlored or wine colored Velvets or satlns
best for bringing out her good points
Some odd combinations of colors are
! considered smart. For instance, Law
/ ender and certain shades of blue, such
as powder blue and hyacinth blue, are
affected by fashion leaders The pop
ularity of a fashion seems to be gagged
largely by its audacity
For those who desire a good durable
silk of the newer style peau de CANT is
to be recommended for dress founda-
lions. especially those which are to be
much trimmed. Those gowns which are
to be decorated with many rows of
stitching upon silk are best made of the
peau de CANT, as its wearing qualities
are superior. Silk canvas is very fire.
quently employed in the making of
evening dresses. It has the desirable