Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02

~ r. ORE and more attention is paid
Nn to dress in these days, and con-
NI sequently the Individual and dis
tinctive note is more noticeable
than when all women followed
blindly any law of fashion that was given
out. Fashions dictates obeyed. to be
sure, but there is no style brought before
the public that does not have to receive
most careful attention before it is approved
or condemned by the majority, while the
minority take the style, as it were, tenta-
lively and then give to 1t the distinctive or
individual note that marks the smartly
gowned woman. This season there are sew
eral rather different problems to be solved
there three four very marked styles,
and so marked and distinctive they that
in order to have them satisfactorily carried
out II is generally necessary to follow
closely their lines and detail. The Empire
gowns are accepted by every one,
and young and old, stout and slender alike,
have fallen victim to the craze. The fash
Ion at Its best Is charming, most becom-
ing and effective; at its worst-and, alas
that is what rule is seen-the fashion
makes the wearer most impossible carl
cature. To suggest the lines of the figure
without sharply defining them is art
that requires most skilled rendering, and
unless amateur be genius at dress
making she would better avoid the pitfalls
pass real Empire gown"
~
Picturesque effects are extremely fash
ionable, and when well handled are ex-
tremely becoming also, but nothing Is more
fatal than, in the average woman, to be
told she is picturesque and should gown
herself accordingly. The word picturesque
covers a multitude of sins and incidentally
is responsible for many against good taste.
The shabbiest Of frocks. badly made and
draped. not fitted, and large hats perched
at right angles to the heads on which they
are placed are often termed picturesque
simply because the lines bear some faint
resemblance to some picture. The plctur-
esque robe that is effective is simply the
conventionalized rendering of artistic lines
and effects modified in accordance with the
prevailing fashion of the day and into be-
coming effects. gown or hat Is not be-
coming simply because II is picturesque; on
the contrary, 1t is often unbecoming in con-
sequence.
On the other hand too stanch following
o. the cut-and-dried rules OF the conven-
tional fashions of the moment is never sat
isfactory, for then every particle of indi-
viduality is lost, and there is nothing dis
tinctive, and the wearer of the gown, nc
matter what price the gown may have cost
looks precisely like any other woman who
has chosen the same model, so that it is MOI
wise to entirely eliminate the picturesque
and lndlVldual toucA- AL the moment ths
picturesque enters largely into moderr
dress; but as has been said, under a mos
conyentfonaliZed rendering. An evening
gown in pale blue white satin, that is or
the picturesque order and yet is decidedly
smart, looks like an old painting in 1t:
charmingly graceful lines. The skirt l:
pleated at the sides or may be pleated a
the back is not SO long as the skirts OF
most of the modern evening gowns, and II
very full The waist is draped rather thaI
fitted and suggests, rather than defines, tn,
bust although the tendency TO the higl
busted effect is to be noticed The sleeve
are elbow length and extremely graceful
softened by ruffies of lace, but otherwise
without trimming. There is, In fact, M
trimming on the gown anywhere. the beau
tiful quality of the material and the sheer