The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-02-13
WITH DANE Fashion


NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-Just now L.
he critical turning point OF the winter
season. The regime of the ball gown
teaches its end next week. on Ash
Wednesday. and the dinner gown will
reign supreme during the season OF
Lent. which proscribes dancing and
other amusementS of Il gay and friV-
olous nature. The question of dinner
gowns is of supreme importance just
It this time and anything that has any
bearing upon that question is of alb
sorbing interest to the feminine mind.
The makers of fashion have been very
considerable for the fair sex during the
last few years. by compromising the
followers of fashion for the loss of Op
pOrtunity to display gorgeous creations
in dresses, caused by the restrictions
Of the Lenten season by development
Of dinner gown fashions upon ball and
linner gown lines. Nowadays there is
| but little ditference-and even that is
| in many cases not marked enough to
form Il clear distinction. is in the
sleeves. Ball gowns are usually made
without sleeves, while dinner gowns
ire usually provided with such or at
east with some rudimentary attach
preted as sleeves.
Never before was there much lib
arty left to individual taste in the mat
ter of selecting materials for dinner
gowns than there is at the present
time and never before was there such
a beWildering array of beautiful ma
texture. to select from. Rrocaded silks
and satins in the most beautiful pat
terms and shades are offered in the
shops. side by side with chiffons, net
gauze an dother diaphanOus materials
of delightful texture and. last but not
least, velvets of pliability and fine
ness of texture never equalled. So
great is the number of rich and hand
some materials that it is quite difficult
to choose anon gthem. The beauty of
it is, that fashion proscribes not one
Of those materials and every one hos
the privileges to suit her taste snd
purse.
The lines within which individual
taste may assert itself in regard to
the style of the gowns and waists and
also drawn more literally than ever. It
may be said in a general way that
laces predominant in the trimming 81
the waists while the skirts are usually
of Il less elaborate style but beyond
that it would be difficult not to define
the limits of dinner gown fashions this
season. Particularly velvet gowns af-
feet greater simplicity and are cut
tighter fitting than before. Lines of
jet ana ieWelled passementerie are
used Oh velvet gowns. occasionally
bands of fuIs or satin ribbons COM
bined with lace. which give to them
Il I;,ther unusual affect. Some of the
handsomest velvet gowns shown are
of extreme simplicity. vigorously plain
but there is method in that apparent
madness. There is nothing that will
lend itself 50 Well to form an effective
background for gorgeous jewelry than
one OF those plain velvet gowns. The
effect Of the jewels IS wonderfully en-
HANGED by the simplicity of the gown
as there is nothing to ietract the at
tenton from the valuable ornaments.
Velvets are shown in a greater va
riety of texture. colors and shades this
season than ever before and some of
the goods displayed are of remarkable
beauty. There are some in various
shades of pink. from the palest to some
of a brighter hue. whites. from the
pure and dazzling white To the most
charming cream and ivory tintS.
mauVeS. and different kinds of blues
and green's. Greens. the light shade
as Well as the darkest ones are ex-
ceedinsly handsome and becoming to
cel tain compilations. OF course. there
is no lack of black velvetS from the
dulest to the most luStrOuS finish and
all of them in various degrees of
weight and thickness.
AS to brocaded silks and satins.
there is a surprisingly great variety
to be seen in the shops. The colors
are beautiful and there are Il few new
shades remarkable for their exquisite
beauty These handsome materials go
we'll with delicate lace and will show
up we'll even in combination with the
richest kinds of trimmings.
For middle-aGed women and young
matronS lowered brocadeS. made up in
the old fashioned style with the front
panel of another material. the skirt as
We'll as the waist rather plain. and
bertha or elaborate neckpiece of lace