Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-27
Just Like Your Grandmother
Wanted and Had.
BLACKS OF THE SIXTIES
HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR FOR
MER PRE-EMINENCE.
Cloudy and Shaded Checks Are in
Favor, Also Gay
Shades.

Written for The Star by Katherine Anderson.
OF the many quaint REVEALS which mark
this seasons fashions perhaps none is more
distinctive than the vogue of silk as the
material for the best gown. In our
grandmother's day the simple silk gown
was the hall mark of good breeding and
again in 1905 no woman feels fully content
unless she counts an unassuming silk frock
among her supplies for afternoon wear.
For the woman who stays in town a SUBJ
dued silk frock for street wear is abso-
lutely essential, and the woman at noun
tain or seaside resort finds it equally useful
for rainy days and chilly afternoons and
evenings on hotel POI ches.
The shopper of 1903 has some distinct adj
vantages over her forbears. Silks are GER
tainly cheaper than they were a generation
back, and If they are not as pure in the
weave, thanks to the growth of adulteration
in all things. less dressing is used and they
are so supple that they do not crack as did
the first cheap silks offered on the market
oriental effects with a rough finish seem
TO lead with women who affect broad
rather striking styles for street wear. I'm
der various names they suggest slken bur-
lap or coarse pongee, and at distance
look almost as rough as tweed, yet they
are extremely light and might almost be
described as well ventilated. They require
NSi5 hltiC tiiLiLiiuS except handsome but
tons, and come in all shades from pure
white to black, including the faded blues
reds and green's which are a feature of this
summers color schemes
The black silk street suit holds it's own
against all newcomers and goes from one
extreme to the other. 1t is either an ex-
treme1y lustrous and supple taffeta or one
OF the rough oriental weaves mentioned
above. The black taffeta shirt waist suit
appears in a modified form this summer.
However plain or simple the skirt the shirt
waist proper has been supplanted by a bod
Ice showing a vest or surpfce fronts fold
ing over the daintiest of white dickies
Nearly all the silk frocks, in fact. are re-
lieved by guimpes, dickies or vests and not
a few show the three-quarter sleeve with
the deep, tght-fitting elbow cuff or an I'M
der sleeve below 1t.
Champagne and putty-colored messaline
silk and crepe effects are much used for the
one-tone afternoon gown. Generally these
are trimmed almost entirely with the silk
itself, with perhaps just touch of lace
and the finishing glory of fancy buttons.
a very pretty model in champagne-colored
silk shows skirt with a yoke so deep as
to suggest an apron at the front and sides
This yoke is outlined by bouillonne of the
silk, set off by a very fine galIoon in self
tone and pastel pink and blue
Very Fine Pleats.
To this the skirt Is attached in groups of
very fine pleats to give the desired flare
in the back, the seam being hidden by a
graduated box pleat which comes to a fine
point where it meets the girdle, and a bre-
telle effect is secured by fine knife pIeatings
which extend over the shoulders to point
in the back and cross in the front in sur
plice fashion. The girdle has position tails
and the sleeves show puffs above the ell
bow, set off by a gauntlet cuff effect of the
pleated silk and Alencon lace. The under
sleeves are of all-over lace strapped with
bias folds of the silk.
These messaline. peau de cygne, supple
taffetas and other luStrous silks are shown
in the pale vlolets, rose cOlors, yellows,
green's and blues much worn this year.
Striking colors. however, are only for the
woman who has large wordrobe from
which to choose her afternoon gowns, as
vivid color constantly worn is recog-
nized by those most severe of critics, the
porch brigade at a summer resort. The
neutral tints are much more desirabI for
the economically inclined woman
The violent checks, blue black green,