The times., 1901-05-12

This is a good model Of a three-qu3rtsr
length coat, made of light grey cloth. IL
Is also q capital pattern for one oI the
taneta silk coats that are now SO fash
ionable, and the simple and rather severe
style OF trimming. consisting OF the ma
chine stitching, IS quite as effective on
the silk as on the cloth.
] don't think your season in society has
spoiled YOU Stin, Of course. it all de
pends or how you have them made
The debutante's eyes flew wide open.
why, what on earth do You mean? she
gasped.
Il 90 not see" the blase girl went on,
gently. any mystical greens or yellows,
or any half-mourning Iavenders, conse-
Quently 1 infer that YOU are still free
from any affair Of the heart Nor have
you yet gone to the other extreme. You
don't wear white gowns which button
down the back, neither do you tuck a rose
in your hair. No, 1 should place you in
the rufIle stage.
The debutante could only stare
'TH wager my best Paris hat" her
friend continued, that the blue dotted
muslin is to be made with six graduated
ruffies on the skirt and three on the
waist and that the white Swiss is to
have one Of those new chiffon sashes and
a hOunce Of
See here!' interrupted the debutante.
''Are you mind reader?"
No. my child" returned the blase girl.
with superior air. But l am an OBJ
server Of nature, human nature. which
is much more interesting than sticks and
stones. and in the course Of my valuable
experience I have always found that the
character fits the gown"
Then my character is dotted muslin
and rufies?"
Yes, my dear; you are in what may
be called the first stage On, its very in
teresting; it's almost like the seven ages
OF man."
The debutante clasped her hands. 'Oh.
do tell me-" she begged.
The blase girl cleared her throat like
a professor about 10 begin a lecture In
the FIRST place" she observed, there is
the preliminary stage, but / won't dwell
on that, because no woman Of the world
looks back on il otherwise than with
pain. I refer 10 the age when she didn't
care what she had on. SO long as il was
comfortable; the time when she wanted
pockets In her best dresses and her
clothes so loose that she could turn
around seven times IN them This peculiar
tyIlu4lloh belongs 10 The awkward age
simply want TO make this remark about
u, llaJ Inc girls who are the most diff
ncult 10 dress at that trying age usually
oeFelop into the most finished specimens
Ci iemale vanity later on You can easily
account for this on the theory that wo-
men invariably rush from one extreme
10 the other
So then We come TO the rufie period.
Aiie HIsL real stage. Having discovered
Ine power II dress the girl fairly revels
n IT, She has no definite conception Of
color Crnamentation is everything with
her, and she glOries in ruchings rufflings
aId lTllls without number II she doesn't
succeed IN looking like her mother at this
time II rs usually thanks 10 prudent
0ressmaker, who insists on modifying her
eiaDOfate notions. Then. too besides her
Jace' there Is one other thing which pro
claims her youth, the ordinary sirnDlp
6aaues which she chooses, for her IDEAS
OF color al this time are as little complex
as her ideas of life
In the next stage we see a marked
change IN this respect. Her gowns are
less elaborate, perhaps, but strange and
weird colorlngs make their appearance
1ellows and greens are usually attemuted
and there Is d straining toward romantic
eject. Of course it is useless TO tell YOU
the girl IS having her first love affair
II this turns cut satisfactorily and she
marfles, her dress career is practically
ended and she merges into the convention
al matron type.
But if she does not the next period is
usually one Of half mourning. Her heart
is broken, she tells you. Life is but an
amply dream. Bright scenes and colors
IRE distasteful 20 her. so she wears Sc
we're black tailor mades and affects soft
cllnBing sreys heliotropes, and ashes of
roses. Her friends patiently endure this
lao, Tor they know II can't last, and, sure
enough, the next period is one of aUpalI-
Ing gayety and coQuetry
II IS easy enough 10 distinguish a girl
who Is in this period. She has had expe-
rienee, and she uses II for all il is worth
Her gowns are usually models Of chic and
aplomb. and they are distinctly made to
suit the masculine taste The coIcriugs
are most complex, too For instance she
Duys a white chiffon dotted with pale vel
low. IN the rqifie period she would have
II MADE over the same color Of white buf
IN the experienced stage il goes over the
paiest Of pale blue taffeta. and il is mo.
f'IzeiY trimmed with wicked looking hisclr
insertion and bits Of pale blue; black and
yellow chiffon. II she marries al this ~
riod she usually weds rich man and as
tonlshes her friends by the artistic beauf,,
ot bcr gowns. II she still remains single
she poses as woman with q history and
wears accent gowns and black spaugled
princess effects"
MY gOodnessi" exclaimed the debu-
tante. But then. she added after "a
pause, you can't fit everybOdys life into
just such periods"
Perhaps not" drawled the bIase girl.
Dut YOU DC surprised 30 see how many
people do nt OF course. there are exceD-
tons Artists. for instance The first
ihing successful artist or authoress does
Is 70 drop her corset, and the second Is to
ger an esthetiC tea gown. medieval
one, II possible, and made of colors no
one else wears. IT must have lots Of doD-
py eHscts, TOO, and tags Of lace and rib
Don that don't mean anything Then
there IS usually an intense look IN The
eyes which goes with that costume and a
Boltlcelli arrangement OF the hair"
you spoke OF girls who wore roses in
their hair and white gowns which but
toner down the back What do Won
mean asked the debutante anxiouslv.
The blase girl fixed a pair OF solemn
eyes upol her. 'BeWaIe of The girl who