Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-25
GOWNS FOR THE MASKED BAL L.

| 1t has military jacket or one of those
! funny little coats that are short WASTED
and have a sparrow tailed effect in the
back.
by those of the elect who demand in their
costumes something out of the ordinary,
but 1t has only recently reached the masses
The rounded bolero, with graceful curves
in the back coming well up above the waist
line, is another good model. This is the
/ approved top covering for the corselet cos
tune. which. when carried out in black
broadcloth, the skirt laid I'm inverted box
plaits that fit perfectly about the hips and
waists and a tiny double breasted bolero
with a directoire collar inset with Chinese
embroidery, makes covetable walking
suit
Then there are the nattiest short black
silk coats that fit the figure snugIy. These
are to be worn with black skirts. They
are deliberately braided and adorned with
1nnumerable small metal buttons in which
CLINT pretty colored stones. A favorite
wrap on the Riviera is a capelet something
between a bolero and q regulation short
cape. boasting wide elbow sleeves. For
summer come dainty Coates of gupure and
Irish lace-fetching little affairs just touch
ing the waist line, with angel sleeves of the
inevitable elbow length
This is the season when novelties are
or ought to be-refiected in the mirror of
fashion, and something really new is the
loose straight, sleeveless coat which was
first worn In the second act of La Rafale''
may be of cloth, velvet or lace, according
to individual fancy, but it is always zen
sac and made without sleeves. Last Mon
day evening at the Coincide Franchise l
saw one of these coats of BRUCE lace in
delicate shade of peach 1t was worn
over a princess robe of peach mousseline
de Veiours, and the sleeves reaching to the
elbow, We're composed entirely of plated
frills of velvet chiffon and lace This
sleeveless coat is smart and very use
full garment, but art the same time 1t opens
the door to indiscretions. BY reason of it's
simplicity 1t attracts attention, and 1t is
fatally easy to forget that a sleeveless gar
ment must be worn over blouse that
belongs to It alone. The bodice will not
necessarily be OF the same color as the
coat. although this consummation is de-
voutly to be wished, but the two must be
part of the same scheme.
The other day l heard some poor mis-
guided Benedfcts discussing the new prin-
cess NStyles, and the crea lures were actu-
ally approving them on the score of cheap
ness. How pitied them for the masculine
mind had argued that because there was
trim ming only on the waist a froek of this
kind must be inexpensive. 1t is permitted
to women to be paradoxical, and perhaps a
little extravagant, in their dress but TO be
e2sonable-never! The happy man who
ventured the remark about the cheapness
of the princess frock and whose duty 1t
is to pay the bills may have imagined that
the princess robes, severe in outline ana
almost guiltless of adornment, were espe-
cially designed to increase his bank &C
count, but, alas, that one word almost"
is his undoing.
Only on the bodice and on the extreme
hem may we Introduce trimmings on these
gowns. TO be sure, but what is the nature
and the value of the trimmings? As an
illustration, there has been recently made
for Nine Bargy an embroidered princess
gown of brown crepe de chine. So fine
are the embroideries, all of exactly the
same tint as the gown material, that when
granted the privilege of gazing on the mas
terpiece l had to hold the precious
costume in my hands before L realized
its unique value This may be art with
very large A but surely 1t is a little too
much. for viewed from the front row of
stalls the creation will just be well made