The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-18
Pretty 1u d! n Gowns.
Kew to l)ear Them.
By..MAl:Y' h ]!

s -
Changing fashions appear to have been
the cause of protest and outcry from,
time immemorial We Of to-day are ac-
customed to thinking that the conditions
belong to. or have become intensified
within our own era, ITO look back upon
the past as a period Of comparative free
dom from rush and the constant demand
for new; but am inclined to- suspect.
we are all wrong. The London Times
has been giving some extracts from it's
own columns of hundred years ago.
Among other similar items is one COM
planning that the number of buttons on
the lapels of a gentleman's coat, which
had been fixed at seven, rose to ten dur
ing the interim between writing and
printing the statement. Even to-day we
should find it difficult to progress more
rapidly, and doubtless if one could go
back so far and find similar records. we
should discover Cleopatra'S Court be-
moaning the order for change OF style,
.essity Of latering their robes, Greek NAL
3dens experimenting with the latest Golf
feurs out. The law of change is inherent
in human affairs. We may live some
what moro rapidly than did our grand
mothers, and may remake our gowns
more often, the underlying conditions are
much the same; the forces that govern
:
To-day, with machines of all sorts and
marvelously improved apparatus, elabora-
ton is almost too easily accomplished.
There are times when, looking over the
latest models, stop to ask is all art
sense dead? Do we know nothing but
fanciful and marvellous combinations? ls
true beauty no longer recognized? AS
told you last week, stitching, hand-work,
all that goes to make up elaboration of
detail is in vogue Since that writing
some instances have been brought to my
notice that are SO far more remarkable
for difficulty than for any results given
that al! this question of the eternal
change has been brought to my mind
afresh. We would seem to have ac-
quired every possible material weave and
design. Color has been improved until
we now demand a dozen shades where
two or three once made up the list. All
possible com binatons have been devised.
AS a clever designer herself remarked,
nothing remained but to allow the pendu-
slum to swing back to simplicity, or to
evolve these marvellous creations that
mean time and labor and are intricate in
the extreme. Simplicity seemed too far
from present taste and, as result. we
are offered many more costly and eX-
travagant designs than we see beautiful
or graceful ones. If one desires to be
truly well dressed she must be chary and
look well before taking the final leap. AS
is always the case, the most fanciful de-
signs are made up in the least desirable
materials. Really good dressmakers know
better than to overload either the ma
terial or the wearer. While actual SIM
plicity Is difficult to find, the truth re-
mains that the most elegant gowns are
those most free Of fuss. One Of the
few novelties Ct the cason is entire gowns
with Monte Carlo" or loose box coats
o%,{N 10
use tho untranslatat1le French. has re-
Gently ordered one that fifty illustrates
the point and goes to show how eN-
quisite is lace legitimately used. The
material is black taffet, lustrous and soft
finished: At the lower edge OF the skirt
is a deep flouce of violet OVERLAND by
one of fino black Chantilly. The blouse
waist shows lace over the lovely colored
silk in tho big collar, front and under
sleeves, and the coat includes touches of
the same on the ample sleeves and finish
ing the neck. With the costume is to be