The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02

! Americans. Mrs. Paget. who may he in
cluded among the women Of the court
circle. Lady Lennox. Miss Muriel Wilson.
Lady Constance Mckenzie and others OF
thiss set have been remarkable while in this
country for plain and sensible gowns, worn,
however. with less skill than those Of the
fashionable American or Partisan.
The odious comparison which Mr..
Kitchens draws" remarked an American
woman who has lived in Paris and London,
shows him strangely uniformed No
women in the world to-day dress with the
perfect taste Of the Paris de~mi-mondaincs.
In their carriages and upon the Bots, at
Monte Carlo. Nice and other resorts they
arc always remarkable for the marvellous
simplicity that marks their gowning.
Their gowns are maryels Of ineness
and OF cut and are hooked with gold and
silver and lined with the rarcst Of silks and
lace, but externally they are as simple az
the gown Of a country girl. They have
substituted the wearing 81 natural flowers
for jewels. although their jewel cases are
Overlooking.
In London thcre seems TO he a tendency
10 copy from the gowns worn by fashion,
able actresses, just "a the women of New
York now order their modistes to cop
certain frocks from popular plays. But
the trouble h that while on tho New York
stage one sees only the most perfect Of
Paris frocks, modified by the taste Of their
wcarcrs, the London stage just now Is run
ming wild over classic effects in dress
long lines, Greek draperies and endless
tails for that is what they call trains in
the British capital.
This sort Of thing IL all right on the
stage, for IL il q fad in London for the best
artists TO design gowns for the rclgnlng
actresses. Then the aesthetic wave that
struck London so hard and that finally sue
ceeded In killing the tailor gown years
after the waves recession left the fancy
for girdles, for thinnesE. for chains and
loosely arranged hair. .
"Fsthetic effects in dress when designed
by an artist and shown behind fOotlights
are entirely different from the same effects
whom connected hv an inferior dressmaker
for house and above all for street and
theatre wear. The cheap limitations become
absurd, almost grotesque.
But English women have always leaned
10 The odd in dress. 1t cannot he called
over-dressing or any but eccentric dress
ing From them w have obtained the
idea Of leather hats, with fur or roses a. a
garniture, weird and wonderful rain coats
~ yellow oi! silk, box-backed, and with
collars of red or Of hunters green velvet.
and even coats made of the skin Of colts.
This last garment having been worn recently
NJ a London festivity and creating a sensa-
ton.
have had within the last few seasons In
largely due 20 the fact that they have assim-
lated the best in the way Of fashion that
comes from London and Paris and toned
il down with their own taste.
Take, for instance, the hats that are now
1..,r, a., tha fNilinRTV ShDnG and in the
millinery departments Of the big stores in
New York. They arc called Paris models.
and they are actually from Paris, or else
are close copies OF the first Paris hats OF
the spring. They are extreme To an absurd
sThey show queer effects, such as strands
of heavy Jet beads that flap like chains and
add pounds Of weight 10 a hat, There are
long sashes tina reach half way down the
back and perfect. gardens OF the most
brilliant flowers IN sudden flares at the
side and hack.
These hats are all you can find in the
shops to-day. but you'll not find them on
the heads Of smart American women.
They have too much intelligence aud indi-
viduality to put such things on their heads
But already the leading muliners and de-
signers are building and copying these
sample hats. using the ideas but modifying
them In every way
1T 10 an odd thing that the French fash,
ions never become really charming until
they are thu toned down by American
taste. The very hest dressed women In Paris
to-day are Americans.