The age-herald., 1901-07-30
The Gay and Costly Attire of American Women in London Is Said to Have Caused Economical Wave-Some
 Gossip of Midsummer Season.
BY ANNIE KENDRlck WALKER.

BY ANNIE KENDRlcK WALKER.
 The latest gossip concerning the women of the British aristocracy deals directly with topic that interests all classes Of women-that of dress. number of prom
 nent English women are considering this subject very seriously, and it Is said nave asked the Queen to lend her influence in simplifying the dress of the English wo- men, for simplicity is now the rage among London's society leaders.
 This moveent has gone so far that any
 This movement has gone so far that many well-known London women have formed a committee, whose object Is said to be a reduction of expenditure in dress. Economy is being urged by the reformers, and while the Queen expresses sympathy with their object, at the same time she reminds her petitioners of the benefit that shop keepers and others who are entitled to equal consideration derive from the present extravagant mode of attire.
 The good tastes of the Queen are well known, and the women who are mention ed as emulat ting the Queen in the simplic- ity of dress are the Duchess of Marlhor- ough, the Duchess of Portland and the Duchess of Sutherland.
 The American newspaper representa- tives in London state that this sudden de- cision on the part of the society leaders is due to the fact that expensive dressing has come to be regarded as the prerequi- site of the parvenu and attribute this point of view on the part of many persons to be caused by the magnificence of the gowns worn by American women in Lon don.
 If such Is really the case, the motive for urging simplicity in dress would hard ly be worthy of consideration. If few American women who with their beautiful and costly habiliments have been admired in London society, there Is no reason why economy in dress should become suddenly the fashion. The English woman is rather late, too, in discovering the bad taste of over-dresslng. Her American sister long ago adopted simple modes in dress, and the quiet attire of American women is characteristic It is true that there are women who are ignorant of all ideas oI what should be worn, but these are not the women who are ambitious to figure in London society. The American women who are admired in English society are authorities on correct dress quite as much as the beautiful young English woman who now deplores extravaganza in dress on the ground that costly. attire belongs to tho parvenu.
 The New York woman is pre-eminently the best dressed woman In any country unless 1t be tNe French woman. Women the world over give the palm to the Parisian woman for the exquisiteness of ! apparel, and the chic air so coveted by all women. But there is something about the well-dressed New York woman that beg gars all description. She has an indescrib- able air of being well-gowned and there is no woman that wears her clothes so we'll
 The American woman in London who be as severely criticised in New York as she is in London. The American woman whose extravaganza and ambitions tempt her into a vulgar display in London re- ceives the condemnation of society In her own country. Nell-bred women frown upon the ostentation of those who believe in too expensive dressing, but the we'll bred women of this country have so far recognized no necessity for forming committee urging economy in dress
 Because there may be a few women with ultra extravagant tastes Is no essen tial reason why few other women should seek to bring about a revolution in dress
 The New York woman the best dress cd woman realizes that husbands of other women whom she meets, overdo tho thing, but she does not feel called upon to confine herself to cotton and tweed and cheap and economical trim ming just because the woman whom she met at Mrs. Parvenus tea wore an elaborate and loud gown. And there are a few well-bred American wom- en who would be ambitious to lead In a movement of economy that was inspired by the evident lack of taste In some other woman. It would be such a waste of energy. not to say bad form-and af- ter all 1t will be admitted that distinc- ton in dress Is not the chief distinguish ing feature of the parvenu.