The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-06-14
THO mourn becomingly is extremely
fashionable at the present mo-


fashionable at the present mo-
ment, and TO mourn picturesquely
bition. apparently, so that now. even in
the deepest grief, clothes are chosen
with some regard as TO what is becoming
to the style of each individual mourner.
and at the same time the different de-
grees of woe are marked in quite a novel
fashion. not, as was formerly the case,
by so many additional yards or feet OF
Grape veil or by the lack of all trim
plings. Clothes are frivolous at the
present moment there is no question of
that, and consequently the frivolous tone
has extended to black aud somber gar
ments Of all kinds, and If widow were
dangerous in the olden time she is in
fnitely more so at the present moment,
with the modern habiIments of woe.
The very conservative, old-fashioned
mourning forbade the wearing of any
trimmings whatever on the first gowns
that were worn. These were made of
some lusterless fabric, as ugly as could
be chosen, and unrelieyed by any white
at throat or wrist, and without even a
narrow fold of Grape Now when the
widow, We shall say, makes her first
appearance in public her gown may be of
a lusterless fabric, but it is heavily trim
med with Grape, with sheer white col
lar and cuffs that are exceedingly
becoming and at the same time mark
the fact that she is a widow.
At one time-and not so long ago
only widows were permitted TO wear the
transparent collar and cuffs. but now
these becoming little touches are per-
mitted to any mourner, only they must
not be nearly so wide when one is
mourning merely for a relative, and not
for a relative by marriage. as it were
If combination of the old and new
style be permitted-that is, a gown
without any trimmings of crepe-it must
fit to perfection. and can have bias folds
of some material; but just as soon as
possible the crepe gown is put on. II
is made entirely of crepe, or with half
the skirt in crepe and the jacket so
heavily trimmed with 1t that it is i'm
possible to tell which is the material
and which is the trimming. With wide
flowing sleeves and everything as grace
full as possible. small wonder is il that
SO clad the mourner is the object of
deepest sympathy not to say admiration
One of the newest fads in regard TO
becoming mourning is the white crepe
that is used instead of black. The old
fashioned iCea that even in the height
of summer a woman should garb herself
In dead black, not even thin material
being allowed, has been entirely done
away with, and now all white is consid-
cred just as deep mourning as all black.
and for summer outfit for a young
widow gowns trimmed with white crepe,
made of white crepe, hat with a long
white crepe veil, white crepe parasol
and everything to match, is immensely
smart, AMI, be it added, very becoming
No black and white are allowed. All
black or all white. Anything else is
considered homogeneous and as not ex-
hibiting proper feeling The slightest
touch OF black on white gown implies
q lack of respect for the dead, and the
same rule applies vice versa. 1t might
be thought that white dress trimmed
with bands of black crepe would indi-
cate deep grief. On the contrary. II
would simply indicate that the wearer
pression of sorrow. and the Same gown