The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-08

To the woman who has an after
noon Eat home" the selection of her
gown should be matter of vital i'm
portance.
1T should set the keynote of the at
home,'" said well-known woman of
fashion. 1T should decide whether it
is intended to be a cosy half hour over
the 4-o'clock teacups, or an elaborate
crush In the former case she should
select something which is sweetly sim
pie, but for the latter nothing can be
too regal, too costly. The gown can
thus run the gamut from inexpensive
silk woods and voiles, through every
grade of chiffon, silk and velvet ex-
travagance.'
1t is noticeable that the fashion ar
popular teagown. 1t is a thing of the
past. In England dainty lace and
net coffee jackets over silk slips of
white or some brilliant shade have
usurped it's place. On this side of the
water there has been no substitute.
The fall brides will have negligees of
bewildering beauty but these are for
boudoir wear only.
For her first "at home" the bride
picks out her prettiest reception gown,
for she then makes her first bow as a
married woman, and it behooves her
to support the new dignity in a suit
able fashion. One of the late brides
who is "at home every Friday after
noon has thus far not repeated sin
gle gown. Perhaps the prettiest of the
series is a dress of panne velvet of the
most delicate apricot shade, combined
with white lace spangled with opa-
lescent tints and medallions of Vene-
tan point.
The skirt is of the spangled lace. 1t
seems a pity to cover such loneliness,
but it is trimmed with shaped, gradu-
ated hounces of the velvet. The SPAN
gled lace is worn over a silk founda-
ton of the same apricot shade, so that
the effect is delightful. The founces
themselves are again encruSted with
lace medallions, and headed and fin
ished by narrow edging of the same
pattern lace. The full corsage is also
of unusually long bertha flounces of
the medallion encrusted velvet. This
parts in the front by an interval of
three inches, which is bridged by three
velvet straps, studded with opal and
silver buttons. The bouffant sleeves
are of white chiffon run with many
tiny ruffies, each finished off by a mar
row fold of velvet. The deep cuffs are
of the spangled lace and extend far
over the hand.
This style of cuff has a marked pop
ularity for the moment. 1t is not ev-
cry woman who has a pretty wrist For
such a woman the cuff covers some
thing which she would fain conceal in
no no nd 1oIi 70
and slender when thus appearing be-
tween the soft folds of chiffon or lace.
Lace ruffles are used for the same
purpose and with even more graceful
effect. A simple gown can be quite
transformed by a bertha of lace and
chiffon with wrist ruff1es to match.
The shops are showing these sets at
every price and in every style. The
prettiest ruffles are of accordion pleat-
ed chiffon. but lace is more durable, if
more costly.
White will be worn at receptions by
women of every age. The time is past
when black or gray was the only shade
permissible to the woman past middle
age. 1t was the Vienna fashion makers
who discovered that white had a far
more softening effect to the old face
than the more uncompromiSing black.
American mothers and grandmothers
are gaining courage to follow their ex-
ample.
White cloth is one of the prettiest
fabrics for the reception gown, espe-
cially if it is relieved with embroidery
or insertions of some contrasting tint.P
A charming afternoon toilette is of
ivory white nuns yelling, trimmed with
applique bands of the same fabric
hand embroidered in sage green and
dull gold. The clinging skirt is divid-
ed into panels by triple groups of mar
row tucks. Narrower STITCHED panels
come up to meet these from the bot
tom, and the meeting point is marked
by a green and gold button. These
stitched panels are of graduated hight,
so that something of a flounce effect Is
given to the bottom of the skirt.
The tucked waist has v shape yoke
or shallow vest of cream lace over
white taffeta. The blouse fastens over
this, surplice fashion. and the edge is
cut out in odd points and trimmed
with the hand embroidered bands. The
points of the bands are finished off by
green and gold tassels. The sleeves are
tight-fitting to the elbow and adorne ed
by short stitched tabs, held in place by
buttons. Below the elbow each sleeve
widens out into a decided puff, but this
is soon drawn into a. narrow. embroid-
cred band cuff. This outer sleeve only
reaches to the wrist, while a tight-fit-
ting under sleeve or cuff extends far
down over the hand in the fashion de-
scribed above.
White is often first choice in select
ing a gown, because it makes a pleas