The Washington times., 1903-05-10
A Diamond Gown at Last.
Amelia Bingham Wears 1t and Other
Jeweled Dresses Besides.

|
! Although Amelia Bingham in private
! life is distinguished for simplicity If
attire, on the stage, she exempIifies to a
! striking degree that opuIenee of modern
| apparel which so prevails today that
/ King Solomon in all his glory would pale
before the gorgeousness of the nodish
woman Man ElaTveled at the armor Of
flashing jet end silver paiIlettes that
held sway for season Their wearers'
satisfaction IL a garment seemingly 100
/ expensive to become commonplace was
of brief duration. for in another year
spangled robes at $4.9S became a drug
on the market. Rare and costly Iaces
were next attained by the elect Alas.
cheap limitations provided them for the
masses Nowhere was competition for
novelty in gowns more keen than behind
the footights. Actors popularity sup
posed to set the styles Wed with one
another in designing CONNECTIONS caIeu-
lated to win the desired envy OF fellow
players and the admiration of their
feminine patrons.
One. of resources both mental and finan-
cial, conceived an idea and straightway
counsel OF a man beloved by the Female
Who Buys, held in awe by the Male
Who-Pays. Miss Bingham was the ac-
tor with the idea; Paequin. the artist
with the ability to realize it.
Even Pacquin Amazed.
Miss Bingham said. Il want a diamond
dress" Pacquin smiled: Yes. madame. -
Then in French TO his assistants: These
Americans: They Will ask for the
clouds. with the moon and stars as
trimming" Then in English to Miss
Bingham 4 salute you, madame; it is
one magnificent idea"
Together they planned the gown that
when completed was nine days won
der. even TO Partisan mondaines who
struggled 10 gain card OF admittance
TO the ateIieT where was exhibited TO a
chosen few the dress of .'L'Americaine.
Paris was richer by twenty-five hundred
American dollars; the New York stage
by a gown that dazzled even the bIase
1rst-nighters.
There is no duplicate of il in the
world. Ten thousand rhinestones such
as are used for iewelry are sewn by
hand on the white silk net foundation
which is cut all in one piece. -Four
women worked for three months to put
cn the gems and the embroidery. Large
jewels are sewn in design of feathe?y
ferns and palms and the net is studded
with minute stones like diamond dust.
4 border of rosebuds and leaves is en-
broiderod in gold all around the edges
of the tra'ed skirt, and in a solid panel
in front. reaching from the belt to the
hem OF the gown.
Solid Mass of Stones.
The Iow-cut bodice is almost solid
mass of the stones. 1t has no sleeves
but there are transparent puffs of tuIle
at the shoulders with string after string
of rhinestones festoonod like ropes
across the tops of the arms. While the
weight of the stones. the gold embroid-
cry, and the yards of satin over which
the net is laid make the gown an IN
usually heavy one to wear, its cut ana |
fit are so perfect that Miss Bingham can
lift her arms high above her head and |
move about in 1t with perfect ease
This revelation of what might be ac- /
complished in jewel-set gowns with their |
combined purity OF line and beauty of /
color satisfied the actress manager that /
the diamond dress had not exhausted /
sartoriat possibilities along those lines /
Today she possesses a sapphire and !
coral gown both designed by Worth, |
and an opal robe from the workroom of |
Mrs Osborn, az American rival of this .
noted FrenchmaE. These, with the dia- !
mond dress, are she gowns alternately
worn in The Frisky Mrs. Johnson" I.
The actress, like the woman in private
life, tires of one costume. no matter /
how superb when worn night after
night; so. if she can AFFORD it, contrives
a series of toilettes fer the run of a .
rlay.
The gown preferred by Siiss Bingham.