The age-herald., 1902-01-03

"A good idea? Of course it is,' said Mrs. Donald Mclean regent of the Daughters of the American revolution, in her beauti- full home No. 1S6 Lenox avenue, last night. Mrs. Roosevelt has plenty of en- terprise. and if any one can make this new fashion the correct thing. surely 1t Is the Presidents wife"
 Thus already has Mrs. Roosevelts rev. olution in fashions received approval In a word, acting in concert with the ladies of the cabinet, Mrs. Roosevelt has de- cided upon a new dinner wrap. It Is de- signed to be worn at table, and Is quite appropriate with a decollete gown.
 Mark me-" said Mrs. Mclean, 'Tm not so sure that such new departure can be made a general fashion. but the idea is all right You would have to con- slider much in planning such dinner wrap.
 "In the first place the sleeves must be very loose and free-ending at the elbow would be about right. Then it should be very loose in front and open at the neck There is no need for protection from drafts and cold except at the back.
 ''The wrap should just touch the seat of the chair when the wearer Is seated midway between waist line and knees would be a good length But in the back it should be smartly cut in to 1t the figure. Something like the old-fashioned dolman of twenty-five years ago would be an excellent shape"
 "Apd the material 3s
 "Ah, that would be the fair wearer's s privilege! Here taste and clcverness would count; color, weight, fineness, trim ming, linen-all would count in the gen. eral effect. It should be loose enough to de dropped on the back of the chair without effort and snug enough not to hide the outlines of a pretty figure.
 'Brocade would make Q stunning wrap, but 1t might be found a little too stiff. I would prefer something soft that would hang in delicate folds-liberty silk or crepe de chine. Taffeta. too. could be made very effective"
 Flow about garniture?"
 "There's another chance for clever woman's taste. I should prefer soft lace. and plenty of it, though feathers or that would be very fetching. Ermine would be very smart. too.
 Now we'd have to think of the lin- ing. Soft quilted silk would be best, but fleece or satin would be very handsome. The collar must be very low, too, so as to allow necklaces or pendants to be seen and not to disarrange the coiffure.
 "The Washington plan to have a soft. pretty silk scarf on the back of each chair for the ladies in case they feel n draught is a fine idea for a formal ban quet. Why not have pretty ones of differ- ent colors of silk or chiffon as dinner favors, thrown over the back of each lady's chair, letting each guest keep hers
 We here in New York will await with decided interest the new fashion. If 1t Is found convenient and attractive in Wash- ington it will soon be in favor here. New York women are the best dressed In the world and anything that proves it's worth is sure to be taken up by those who know how to dress"
 It is now in order for official capital so- ciety to start the fashion of a dinner wrap for women. It Is also incumbent upon some enterprising New York mod iste to design one of rich material and garnlture, put 1t on view in her show rooms and wait to see how the new crea- tion goes here.
 New York fashion waits on Mrs. Rocse- welt. .