Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-15
FOR THEATER WEAR
And Then to Supper at a
Restaurant After.
ATTRACTIVE COW MS
DRAWING THE LINE BETWEEN
OPERA AND DRAMA.
Models and Fabrics for the Hotel Din
ner or Evening at the
Playhouse.
Written for The Evening Star by Katherine Ander

Written for The Evening Star by Katherine Ander
son.
AT the first suggestion of the social sea-
son the thoughts Of wOmankind turn loving
y toward restauIapt and theater gowns.
This phase of life seems to take stronger
bold on the American woman each year.
= Weil-dressed women draw a sharp line
between opera and theater gowns. For the
opera are reserved the most Respondent of
gowns, the most pronounced of decollete
bodices and the finest of jewels. The thea
ter gown proper may be of rich materials.
wrought after the most ornate of up-to-
date handiwork, but it is a tone more sub
dued and conservative than opera raiment.
Only for special theatrical events do fash
ionable women don decollete gowns, though
they are seen in boxes worn by women to
whom the restaurant and the theater afford
sole opportunities for display ing the won
ders of their wardrobe. A hint of decollete
effects. Dutch neck, or 'V'' with diIph-
anouS gowns. or a square neck filled in
with spangled gauze or filmy lace. but not
bare shoulders and arms to be gazed at by
mere patrons of the drama.
AS for the restaurant gown. high neck
is absolutely Indispensable, no matter what
the fabric. Here the smart Louis XIV coats
will be worn, displaying marvels of brocade,
velvet and priceless laces. All-oyer lace,
spangled robes, silks and lightweight cloths.
such as chiffon cloth. aeolian and voiles,
buried in lace and embroideries. make most
satisfactory of dinner gowns.
Of Black Chantilly.
A gown which will serve for the restaur-
ant dinner and later appear to advantage
In a theater box is of black chantiIIy over
white chiffon, which in turn is shirred on a
foundation of white taffeta. The robe was
wrought in a pattern showing bouquets of
roses, with arabesques done in fine black
ribbon, connected by cobweb patterns in
fine silk.
The chiffon and silk skirts are finished
with multitude of tiny ruffies, and, to Sc
cure the proper flare, the middle rufte of
the white silk skirt Is stiffened with feath-
erbone.
The corsage blouses slightly back and
front over a girdle built from alternate
rows of black velvet and satin. The black
lace sleeve is slashed from the shoulder
seam to the elbow to give the effect of
buckles, edged with qufllings of very mar
row ribbon. Through this appears the
shirred under-sleeve. which also peeps be-
low a plain, full puff at the elbow. Point
de gaze lace furnishes the founce for the
wrist. The. neck of the lace bodice is cut
in deep circle in order to expose a yoke
of finely shrred chiffon.
With this costume is worn a hat of irish
point lace, edged with black velvet and
trimmed with black and white plumes.
Much more striking and certainly more
trying is the gown recently turned out for
theater wear on the order of a young ma
iron who created something of a sensation
by her costumes at Newport the past sum-
mer 1t is of American beauty glace silk,
embroidered heavily in gold thread. and
made with a Louis XIV coat to which gold
bullion ornaments give a military air. -.
American beauty red velvet. combined
with a certain tone of green. will furnish a
startling color combination much affected
by women who can carry off dashing cos
tunes.
In Pink Shades.
Next to the onion and putty colored
cloths a peachy pink leads IN pale tints for
evening gowns suitable for theater or res
taurant wear. This tint demands perfect
omplexion in its wearer, but is exquisite
under electric or gas light. A gown from
satin-finished cloth of this color is as sup
pie as silk and made on ornate lines The
skirt Is shirred around the hips and falls in
straight breadthS, after the directoire pat
tern. Tucks in varying widths appear just
above and below the knees, and the only
flare possible is secured through the ruff
fed, Stiffened drop-Skirt of silk in Self-tone.
The bodice has a simulated boIero Of
shirred cloth, meeting over yoke and vest
of lace, heavily embroidered in silk tones,
fading into the pink of the cloth, and fin
ished with bertha of lace to match the
all-over The sleeves are built from a sue
cession of alternating cloth and lace pufTs.
overlaid with embroidery to match, and
tapering to tight-dtting shirred effect at
the wrist.
Marie Antoinette styles are showing
their influence in evening wraps. A strk
ing notable example is of a supple French
broadcloth in putty color, combined with
guipure lace, outlined by shaped pleats
of the CLOTH The skirt of the cloak is cut
apron fashion, with a circular finish at
the bottom. 1t is attached like an apron
also to the short yoke, which is hidden by
a pointed shawl collar built from clothes