Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-17
FOR A SOUTHERN TRIP
What Clothes Are Needed in
a Warmer Climate.
ONLY SUMMARY IDEAS
SHOULD PREVAIL IN ALL THE
SELECTIONS MADE.
Yachting Frocks, Dinner Gowns, Party
Dresses and All the Rest Of
the Furbelows.
Written for The Evening Star.

When the glow of the Christmas holidays
has passed and the chill Of January and
good resolutions set in, people who can
afford to do as they like begin to think
about going southwark By so doing the
rigors Of winter and the austerity Of Lent
are both avoided. To dance and make merry
at home Is bad form during the penitential
| season, but to do so thousand miles away
from ones rector is distinctly fashionable.
So winter and Lent between them fill the
southern hotels every year to overlooking.
Ten years ago the winter vacation was
confined to semi-invalids and millionaires.
Nowadays. to go south for few weeks in
February is as common, almost, as going
| to the seashore in August Cottages have
sprung up in many winter resorts, growing
yearly in number. but as yet there is no
Newport of the south, and 1t Is to great
hotels that the south-bound throng must
turn. The same roof shelters the rich from
all parts Of the country those whose names
are familiar as the leaders Of smart so
ciety," and those who live quiet lives in
small places undisturbed by social ambi-
tons. The atmosphere is perhaps a little
| unusual; therefore the woman who goes
south for the first time may discover that
| her plans for the season have been q little
impractical.
The Weather Will Be Warm.
lAo uOSl tIlLS u T61u6duDCE
in packing ones trunk for this fitting is
that you are going into summer. Theored-
| cally, the traveller knows this, but to rea-
| lie it fully when the snow is on the ground
and the wind is discovering cracks in
double windows requires an Imagination
stronger than most people possess. But in
| a few days after departure from home 1t
will be warm; SO pack accordingly.
There are now so many resorts well
known to fame below Mason and Dixons
line that to give advice about clothes in
general terms is rather difficult. In the
CaroinaS the weather Is one thing; In
northern Florida 1t is again different, and
| in southern Florida, there is an almost trop-
ical climate. But no American woman will
be apt to err on the side Of dressing too
thinly. The national fault Of wearing lined
waists with high stocks in summer is too
common to desert the woman who is going
south. She will be sure to carry with her
dresses sufficiently warm In fact. she will
bundle into her trunk the prettieSt of her
winter evening frOcks; and II her trunk Is
large she will be wise In doing so. The
great point is to supply ones self with
sufficient number of white gowns, unlined
and easy The evenings of the southern
winter, if you are going far enough south,
will be warm, warmer than summer even
ings in the mountains. You will dine and
dance and then saunter out under palms,
beside quiet summer sea-. A little scarf,
If you fear cold, will cover your shoulders,
but If the weather be as kindly as it gen.
orally is, you will not really need 1t I'M
less you are delicate.
The mornings will be spent on the golf
links or the tennis courts. A supply OF
white duck skirts with white waists must
be laid in; you will not wear q hat, of
course. unless the sun is shining vigorously.
In case there is a bit Of wind, you need a
golf Jacket, or some sort of sweater. They
are so pretty this year that the average wo-
man will welcome the opportunity to deck
herself in one. In the far south she will
not need II often, but 1t is indispensable,
none the less. If you are not athletic. 1t is
the proper thing to look 1t and to saunter
around In short skirt and shirt waist OF
white.
For the Afternoon Tea
At hotels where afternoon tea is served,
the golfers and tennis players come In at
5 to sit around the festive tea table and
talk of scores while they refresh themselves
after their labors A little DISAGREEMENT is
the correct thing, and nobody changes her
attire among the young folk at least, until
1t is time to dress for dinner
Dinner is function, and at most Of the
fashionable resorts to overdress would be
difficult. Some of the hotels are almost en-
tirely given over to the dress parade after
dinner. 1t is like the opera, or first night
at the theater. Society people wear their
richest creations, and ordinary mortals
gaze with respectful awe. To join the pro-
cession one needs huge income. To stand
aside anE watch 1t one needs only good
sense AMI an unobtrusive gown, all white
or all black, handsome and quiet. Fortu-
nately, white and black are the fashionable
colors this season. One or two well-made
gowns in either shade will keep the woman
of moderate means nearly enough in the
swim. She will not compete-ehe cannot
without millionaire's purse, but she can
look appropriately gowned.
The dances at these resorts are gay at
fairs and the dancing woman must have
her dainty frocks for them; but these
gowns are OF less Importance than the elab-
crate high-neck dinner gowns.
Bathing Suits, Too.
One goes south to be near or on the sea.
That is, sensible people cherish this ambi
ton, although, truth to TELL a pathetically
large number Of women seem to SO south
| to show a new audience the gowns they
| have already displayed at home. But the
| smart woman expects to go yachting.
White is the yachting color, and soft serge
the yachting material. One gown OF this
sort Is needed The girl who lives in q
boat will so out in her short skirt and shirt
waists but the woman who does not pre-
tend to be a sailor will find white serge
yachting suit a ycharmingiy suitable eos
tune for the deck OF some graceful yacht.
In all but tho. most southern part Of Flor
ida the little breeze that springs up makes
the slight suggestion of warmth agreeable,
and what Is more important, the woman
who does not lock her best in q soft white
dress, made, sailor fashion. must be indeed
hopeless A young girl with any pretep-
sions to good looks Ia picture In q suit
Of this description.
OF course, there must be bathing sun.
Il the girl who has wintered in the south
does not come home with q coat OF tan, who
% to know that she has been doing the cor
rect thingf And the finest kind Of tan may
BE- acquired ON the beach Of sub-tropical
region. The heat of the sun In hot coun-
tries II always far greater than In the