The San Francisco call., 1901-12-22

ity, while extending the greetings
Il of the new twelvemonth, to wear
gown designed for the occasion, one that
shalf be not only fresh, but typical Of
the styles of the coming year.
A typical New Year gown must COM
bine these qualities:
1t must be in style.
It's material must be one of the STAN
dards
It must be of the full dress order.
1t must have characteristics that appeal
to men callers as we'll as to women.
1t must be becomingy chic.
1t must be of good color.
1t must Light up We'll
The New Year gown is so indicative OF
the fashions Of the coming year that If all
the New Year, dresses of all the women
of fashion were gathered together in one
fashion exposition there would be SHOWN
the modes that will prevail the coming
year. The French have way of turning
out positive novelties for the occasion:
and in the New Year drawing-room OF
the Countess de Castellane there are
gathered representative gowns that show
all the little touches that mark cnangs
of style. For it is at this time that the
fashions really change.
A Conventional Gown.
The conventional New Year gown may
be high in the neck, for in this country
one throws open ones house and all the
world is hidden enter Besides this, the
gown is put on early in the day, ana un-
less the house is to be darkened to slmu-
late night the low-necked gown would not
be in good taste.
The skirt of the gown should be en-
train. We are returning to the court
train, and the skirt can scarcely be too
Ions. 1t should drag upon the floor mary
a foot and be stiffened so that. instead
of a draggly TAIL spiritless ana aesthetic.
it stands out a proud follower OF the
gown. -,
be long in front, so that it touches the
ground just where the slippers peep
forth, and if rightly planned it should
also touch upon the sides. 1t is the hard-
est thing in the world to. hang this ful
dress gown and in the making of 1t many
a modiste falls down" hopelessiy. Proll-
erly done, it is a conception OF style
A Gown that caught the eye and rivete1
it was made sfor a New York debutante
first time this New Years day. She is O
mature looking girl, rather plump, OF the
blonde type, almost pretty, with a VIII
helmina freshness and of the charmlngly
ViVacious order which enables its owner
to wear gowns that could not be carried
off by a girl who dresses herself stitHy.
This studying of character, as 1t We're,
is an important thing for any woman who
is planning a New Year gown for herselt.
If she be listess and -lackadaisical, let
her select frock that is interesting IN
itself-one that is a study without its
owner; a gown that would be good II
hung upon. a clotheshorse. There are
plenty of these dresses in these days,
made up in a composite of lace and silk,
satin and jewels, that, while not too rich
to be in good taste. are certainly of great
interest from O study standpoint.
On the other hand. if a girl be vivacious
and interesting in herself-it is difficult to
differentate, but everybody underestimate
then she need not rely so entirely. upon
her frock She can go into set and con-
Ventional styles if she so pleases.
A New Year Ideal.
A New Year gown made for the debu-
tante who is to receive with her mother
has two bodices, one for day and one for
evening. Between day and dark, when
there is a lull, the young woman will
steal away and slip into the evening
waist.
In Gotham old New York and new are
mingled, and there is a division between
the New Year call of day and the one of
night The old New Yorkers-those who
made calls upon ones grandmother-are
the ones who call before o'clock, Begin
ming to drop in at II in the morning. In
the evening, well mellowed they go home
for a quiet evening around the hearth
stone.
The New Yorkers that belong to the
newer days, on the contrary, start out at
s, as though going to an afternoon tea,