The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05

taste and income dictate Partisan makers
turn out marvellous CONNECTIONS of real
lace, exquisite embroidery, costly ma
terials loaded with hand work; but these are
for the gayest and most reckless Of social
butterflies and are to be worn by a woman
on her afternoon at horne, or at the tea
hour at house parties, where costume
counts quite AZ much as at the most formal
of evening functions.
Never IL a charming woman more es-
sentially feminine and attractive than when
she dons her loosely flowing and coquettish
tea gown and presdes over a tea table,
and the French woman, feminine and CO.
quette to her finger tips, realizes this fact
and plunges when she orders the outfit
for her tea cup campaign
Velvet and rich clinging stuffs have
always been the materials most closely
associated with the tea gown, and are still
suitable and popular for winter wear, but
within the last few seasons even the winter
tea gown has taken on floating and di-
aphanous form; and chiffon, mousseline,
net and lace have been preferred to the
heavier materials, while crepe and the very
soft sheer silks and woods have been a
compromise 'twixt the two extremes.
The exquisite Powered sheer fabrics OF
the season lend themselves deliciousy
to tea gown requirements and are much used
in combination with material Of plain color
an under robe Of flower chiffon with an
outer robe of plain chiffon or crepe, and
vice versa One of the sketches illustrates
this tendency to combination; but a black
and white sketch can give no idea of the
loneliness possible in such color schemes.
Robes of black silk mousseline. over
underrobes of black mousseline lowered
in delicate colors and huge sprawling de-
sign, have been particularly popular with
one of the most autocratic Partisan makers,
and the same house has turned out fascinat-
ing tea gowns of. the creamy cotton net,
printed in large blurred flower patterns.
Then there are the lace tea gowns made
over lowered molissene; and the Powered
stuffs are utilized in host of other ways
for tea gown purposes.
Heavy trimmings are put upon many
of the flmy stuffs, heavy lace being got
into the filmy mousseline or chiffon and
heavy jewell ID passementerics, appliquhs
or ombroideries being applied to the same
delicate fabrics certain gorgeousness
finds expression in many tea gowns, bar
barrie jewelled girdles and clasps being used
and embroideriss or iewel-embroidere
lace being added to harmonize with these
ornaments.
Empire lines arc always desirable for tea
gown models, and with slight notifications
appear again and again. The little bolsro
is conspicuous in the tea gowns, as through
out Fashions province. and gives an Empire
effect to robes not girdled. A bolero of
heavy lace over straight, hanging. full or
accordion-plaited robe Of chiffon or crepe
is well liked. and a dainty bolero of gay
pompadour silk over soft loose robe in
sheer material and one tone, is delightfully."-
picturesque.
The fichu adapts itself readily to the
tea gown, and the deep cape collars, too,
sleeves are the rule, although the immense
transparent sleeve, caught into n wrist
band. is frequently used, and, if crepe or
a material equally heavy is the foundation
of the gown. flowing sleeve of this mate
ria. is usually supplemented by an inner
sleeve of sheer material or Of lace.
An entirely aooordion-plaited underrobe
of chiffon is freouc ntly worn under an
outer gown of heavier fabric. and in some
cases, as in one Of the models sketched
here, the outer robe is slashed up almost
to the waist line at the sides and bordered
all around with heavy lace or pass ementerie.