The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27

Ill near midnight. has almost submerged
New York society. And l doubt very
much IL We in good cid Missouri could
withstand the excitement any better.
When the fateful evening had come and
gone New York made the highly inter-
esting discovery that society did just
about as it pleased in the matter of
evening dress. Newspaper reports tell us
that fully ore-half of tie audience APP
peared in street clothes. The other half
of which were changed in the intermisslon
TO full evening toilet. What scramble
to get into those full evening toilets
there must have been.
] am reminded of the difficulties under
which some of my Webster friends garb
themselves when they have three or four
functions On for an afternoon and even
Ing Ernest Kroeger, it is, believe, who
keeps three dress uits in different sec
tons of this town and the suburbs, and
gets into them with the celebrity of o
lightning change artist. so facile has Re
become by long practice.
Evening dress. by every known author
fly on the subject, is the proper attire af-
ter the lights, are lit. 1t matters not il
the hour be 5 In the afternoon OF even 4:S0
on cloudy winter day, when the lights
are turned on and daylight is no longer
observable, then Is the time TO don ones
evening clothes and to keep them on until
the functions of the evening are over.
This rule. of course. holds good for all
seasons of the year. We Americans are
by no means punctilious in this matter of
h., Inf ,sNr
means a Tuxedo for men and some light
colored but usually high-necked gown for
women. or be it the regulation tailed"
coat. low-cut white wsistcoat. or decol-
lette bodice with elaborate couture.
I was especially struck with our in
formality ct. little evening function
somebody gave recently TO few visiting
English people. The hour set for the
affair was O'Clock. Now, IT CHANGED
that most of the guests knew whom they
expected to meet; at least. every guest
knew six or seven people who would be
there, besides. of course. the guests of
honor. And so. having knowledge of
the guest number and an intimate ac-
quaintance with most of them. everybody
who went wore nondescript costume The
the lot If can remember rightly-and it
was Sunday night. too-and the women
compromised on pale blue waists. ecru
Examines. cut high. of course. and one
rather dressy black gauze gown. which
belongs to that happy class of suitable
for any occasion
When the English people arrived, and
they came last, the lady foated into the
rooms In an elaborate white satin gown,
with long lace sleeves, transparent. but
with very decollete bodice. cut square
front and back. her hair coiled low and
held with cluster of natural flowers;
while the man was in full evening dress
for his sex.
Now. tell me, were We right or were
the English? 1t Is all matter of custom,
but i am inclined to think that knowing
the English ways We should have, all of
US. donned our most elaborate outfits in
orier that the guests of the evening might
not feel uncomfortable.
OF course. we all know that English
women wear low-necked gowns much
more than We dc, on this side. even very
Elderly persons clinging to the bare neck
and shoulders long after such have ceased
to be either pretty or plump.
One sees variety of costume at the
fheater nowadays. especially on Monday
nignes- iniofmai evening uress Is, now
ever, the RUE. unless pox is occupied or
q party sits in several rows together, with,
presumably. dinner having preceded or
q supper to follow. Under such conditions
full evening dress for both men and wom-
s.,, is the only correct costume-the tailed
coat and a white tic for men, and theiIow-
cut gown without a hat for the women.
Again / am reminded of a story. One
night early in the winter a prominent
host, who lives at the Southern Hotel,
gave dinner, followed by 8. box party at
the MAY. The dinner was large-thirty
guests. I belieye-and the occasion one for
considerable formally. One of the young
vvon,en puests had inst returned home
from New york. bringing a lot Of lovely
new c,o,hes. Among them n aperfect dream
~ ha,,, On red tuIle and things.
Nou, she tpexr most Of the other women
.,,,.stv try,tad ard that afternoon dill
so,,t,,, te,anbored "a each saving.
ooh NV dear won,t Won nIease wear
,-o,,r ha+ +o-rirh+ a. Ar so.apd-Sa,s ain.
-, -, ,.,,o,, :, ,,-ra,,,,.a co,d tho+ I
ao,,4 a.ra =, L,.,,ho,, ~, ,,,,,,, besa .,,,-
.-ad md ,niess ,,o,, ali Sye.r hats sbaI
feel So oneer.r
sow, n, en-, o,t,o, ,,.o,,,, .,,o,s,,,t ,vear-
srr ,,,t. ,,.o,,,a ~. J,ttia o,,eer hui,
t,,s,, o,,a,.s.a q, ,,a m ot,;e,,,r cat al, n,
a,,,or, nav add owned bandson,e nqbt
bat. They declar rad tbenseIves rea5v "a
asYord t,,e lady any desired assistance In
The matter and added the statement tina,