The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08
IN HER HOURS OF EASE
The Average Woman's Weakness
for Fine Clothes.
About the Latest Fashions
in Gowns for Seaside and Mountain
chiffon Boas and other Trihes as
Light az Air That Go to Make Up
the Wen Gowned Matron md Maid.

A woman's weakness for pretty clothes
is traditional. and now it has progressed to
the point where she demands fashionable
dress as WELL if she would have place at
the shrine where men worship. Tie really
new woman is myth. She never did exist
to any great extent; and certainly woman
never will become so emancipated that she
can repudiate her Unborn love for dress or
underestimate the value OF genuinely fem
mine dress as a means OF enhancing her
charms.
She must be up to date not only In dress.
but in gait and poise Of figure as we'll. The
mode of walking. says the New York
| Sum-" changes with the styles in skirts. and
to affect the particular difference which
! fashion requires is telling poiGt of her
I success. The new gait Is measured and
! slow, with the body poised well forward.
I and it is such subtle part of the whoi6
| scheme OF fashion that We are slow 10 note
the change, perhaps: but We have only to
recall the hideous Grecian berd OF long
ago to appreciate what there is in a gait as
special feature OF fashion. The long
skirts naturally necessitate soDe VARIATION
in woman's mode of moving about, and
instinctively. IL she is quick to adapt her.
self to new conditions. she charge5 her
stride as Sne does ner cOlOrS.
The fashionably dressed woman as seen
at races and the various country clubs is in
deed a dream in exquisite gowning this sea-
son. There is no limit to her extravaganza
and it is not only gowns but gorgeous wraps
as well which are needed to make up the
charming whole. Among the novelties in
neckwear is a white chiffon boa edged with
black Chantilly lace and made to form a
cape at the back. Ostrich feather edging Is
the finish and another and pretty little
fchu is a combination of chiffon crepe q
chine and fringe. Fichus and sashes and
how to wear them are two OF the dresB
problems OF the season and third Is found
in the scarf draperies which appear on
every kind of dressy gown whether for
evening or day wear. One encouraging fea-
ture of these attractive little accessories is
that they are equally suitable for young
women andmatrons. and are easily adapted
to both syIph-like and rotu1d figures.
Sashes can be draped to give length and
elegance to the waist while the long ends
add apparent height to the wearer. IL the
material OF which they are made is gauze-
Ike and thin. it Is pretty to drape It in a
high pointed effect at the back and bring
IL down low on the sides and in front
where it Is tied on one side.
The special mark. OF fashion in gowns Just
at present is not so much in the material
employed and the cut as it Is in the many
little details which stamp them as smart.
The grace and beauty of the fchu depend
much on the mode of dreping ard it IL
sure to be becoming to any woman with
narrow shoulders, il it is properly ar
ranged. Young women achieve some dis
tinction this season by wearing b,aCl
gowns. in diaphanou5 materials with I'M
lined yoke and sleeves. and a cream straw
hat we'll covered with some bright flowers
Silk net is pretty for this sort OF costure,
the skirt being finely tucked all around tina
hips and the hem finished with several
piaitings OF the net. The full bodice, also
tucked. has deep transparent yok. OF net
decorated with insettirgs OF Chanti.Iy lace,
the elbow sleeves being of the same ma
terial. A scarf of the net. finished on the
lower edge with narrow plaitirgs. Is drapei
around the shoulders as a finish for the
yoke, and knotted at one side with lo-g
plated ends
quence OF color effects. red being close
third. Conspicuous among the fashionable
summer gowns are these made Of linen.
and the linen skirts 7-orn with shirt
waists OF dainty lawn. White. grey. beige.
pale blue. and butchers blue are the
favorite coiors. and then there are linens
embroidered with colored polka dots, like
the one shown in the cut, trimmed with
black velvet ribbon. Sea blue is favor
lite color in linen gowns, and a strikin,
contrast is made by using gold-colorel
linen striped with black velvet ribbon fu
dec collar. belt, cuffs, and a band AROUND
the skirt. -