Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-20
MADE BLACK CHIC
QUEEN ALEXANDRA PREFERS THE
SABLE HUE.
While Hollands Ruler Ordains White
the AristOcratic
Color.


written 4pt Ht i-'tuiuS StdI-
Three grand danes have furnished the
cue Il la mode for the last half century. or
since 1860 Queen Alexandra Madame de
Mettsrnick and Sarah Bernhardt are the
trio. The queen is a positive beauty but
the other two are possessed only of mega
tive good looks. In fact, Madame de Met
ternick, whose influence upon the fashions
has been perhaps the strongest, is positive
ly homely. few women being more 50; her
ugliness is unique. but rendered fascinating
by certain charm of manner.
1t was Queen decentralization the Prin-
cess of Nales-whO made black very chic;
before her time il was dedicated to the
bourgeoisie- The wearing of this dismal
hue belongs only to modern times: whoever
heard of Greek or an oriental or an Egvp-
tan III black The only woman who can
wear black to advantage is the one who
has black eyes black hair and is fat is the
dlctum OF the disciples of Edmund Rus
sell
The young Queen of Hollany: Is making
white the fashionable color FOR gowns
throughout aristoCratic circles in Holland
she mas always preferred white and her
trouSSeitu contains white dresses of every
KIND OF materiaI-Silk velvet WooI-hoth
Tor morning and evening wear On the
morning OF her marriage Queen WnheImina
appeared at breakfast, with her mother in
a lovely gown of white cloth embroidered
IN whlte wool. Her wedding gown was
c4oth OF silver, and very magnificent VS.
the White velvet dress she wore when MAX
ing her public entry into Amsterdam. II
mantle. " - limit
BeCause she embroidered a tunic so bean
tiiuliy for the viceroy, the present Doxagsr
Empress OF China was allowed to learn 10
04d when she executed this really won
dtrfui piece Of work and when asked tn
name her reward she said that there We
tlothlhg which would suit her better than
There is no such thing as low neck and
snort sleeves in China When western
women visit China, two features of their
uresS are a great shock to the oriental
""Lnan-the decollete Of the evening bodice
and the fact that no trousers are vrorn
II boomers or knickerbOckers were worn
covering the leg to the ankle Chinese
women would regard them vast improve
ment on the present style of western
dress.
Such hue and cry as Is raised about
the extravaganza of women of the present
day, but it is nothing COMPARED 70 tbat
OF centuries ago. Marie de Medici had a
gown embroidered with 5000 pearls and
5000 diamonds. and Madame de Montesnan
Wore at a court festival "a gown of gold
on gold. and over that gold frieze stitchad
with a certain gold which makes the most
divine stuff that has ever been mag
ined" o
Even In the times before the Christian
era. extravaganza in dress was nor nm
common. Sarah, wife of Abraham snent
a thousand pieces of silver for a veiI-to he
sure. the silver was a gift and for that
purpose, that she might buy a covering
suitable to person of her rank Sarah
doubtless wore this valuable gift as a SYM
Dol OF nodesty- Hermione. daughter of
Helen. when she learned that her mother
had been carried off by Paris. tore into
pieces her veil that was interviewer with
gold. All Grecfan ladies wore muslin wells
interviewer with gold thread, while ser
wants were not allowed anything but plain
ones In Lacedemonia married women
only were allowed the privilege of wearing
wells Young women ought to show them
Selves, said Charcian. in order that they
may get husbands, and the married women
should go yelled to keep theirs