Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-20
PARIS FASHIONS.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

mornings In the Bots are delicious,
and the soft breezes sweep across the Place
de la Concorde and rush in between the
gilded bars of the big iron gates to play
hide and seek among the trees In the gar
den of the Tuileries. And the gowns worn
by the smart mondaines in their beauty
walks-what dreams Of beauty they are!
The wise woman gave her order months
ago for her early summer costumes, and
| she is now walking triumphantly abroad in
the gowns wrested from the overworked
and arrogant tailor of her latest fancy. 1t
Is amusing, and often fatally so to sartorial
effects, the number of times a woman will
change her tailor. The same woman will
stick to her dressmaker through thick and
thin, but has she ever been able to find
tailor who remains satisfactory for five
years?
There must be-there unsatisfactory
ta2lors, but, unfortunately, how few of US
know them! The procrastinating mondaine
who has not put her wardrobe in order is
distractedly asking advice of her wise sis
ter on the subject. And apropos of this
question have come to one conclusion of
late-giving genuine advice is difficult
enough but 1t is much more so to obtain
1t. l would like to the woman who can
ashland, rarer STILL L would like to become
acquainted with the rara avis who can
write q letter asking-for advice the
| subject OF clothes In q way that gives one
a chance of helping her. When found, she
Is woman In a thousand Such sar-
torial appeals usually read: Dear Madam:
What shall / get for smart summer
gown? l have a blue frock so do not sug
gest this color, and my husband never likes
me in anything but black and white. And
do not recommend anything too extreme,
for in America we do not take kindly to
F'renchy IDEAS" But this Is rather
painful subject. and would prefer to write
about the tiny jackets of lace which are
often worth their weight in gold. that will
adorn even the casual linen gown this sum-
mer. They are fortunately very "makable''
by any one handy with the needle and pos
sessed of odd pieces of lace and embroid-
cry. When put together with deft touches
OF handwork the finished result rivals the
creations for which over here such extray-
agant prices are asked.
French girls these balIuy spring morn
ings are walking in the Bots with their
coats thrown open to display the new brass
button fad-that of adjoining lingerie
blouses of null and lace with medalhons
threaded with black velvet ribbon, caught
at intervals with small. fat brass buttons.
These blouses have practically to he made
over every time they are Numbered; conse-
quently this is fad that only appeals to
the rich girl Boosting the ministrations Of
a maid. In connection with the blouse 1t Is
interesting to trace the rise of this fasci-
mating garment. It was Lord Spencer, 1
believe. who made bet that he could In
vent an absurd fashion which would be-
come modish within half year. This no
Bile lordling thereupon proceeded with a
pair of scissors to chop off the long tails OF
his coat and walked from his club in the
fashionable part of London in the abbre-
Waited garment. In miraculously short
time everybody, everywhere. was wearing
what was called the Spencer" In the
feminine world the idea was adopted as a
separate bodice. and therefore became the
progenitor of the shirt waist and blouse.
Garibaldi, with his famous red flannel
shirt is said to have had determining in
fiuence on this mode. but to Lord Spencer
belongs the real glory of the invention, and
ne certainly builded better than he knew.
The short, exceedingly smart coatee
which Is such a feature of the seasons
styles demands well-cut blouse of eX-
quisite material and elaborate design. We
are living in of lace and of fussy
frils, and because OF these signs of the
times 7 want to speak q word of warning.
Re a blouse ever well cut and of the
softest material, trimmed with the finest
and most fragile lace, 1t will make the
wearer look a wee bit stout unless the lines
throughout be distinctly perpendicular.
This is fact to be depended upon. Some
of the most stunning waists are deliberately
trimmed with insertions of finest guipure,
the latter being edged both sides with mar
row frillings of Yalenciennes. This style
of trimming is exceedingly attractive. but
how dangerous except for the slender ones
OF the earthi
1t seems such a trlfe, all this, but really
it is a serious matter. Very small things
make immense difference In sartorial
matters, as In other affairs. So many
pretty and well made without considering
the design in connection with their per-
sonal points. The ordinary woman OF forty
should never wear narrow frilis of lace
near the neck yet how many Of them ever
consider the fatality of so doing? Another
reason why the blouse OF an American
woman always looks better than her cous-
ms Is that she insists upon having plenty
| of room between the shoulders and per-
fectly fiat back. Crossing bands or folds
| Of scalloped lace are a feature OF chic
French blouses. The ends of these bands
| fasten to high girdle Tucks are used in
all kinds of marvellous arrangements and
are handled with great skill in connection
| with the sleeve shaping. A novelty anent
sleeves I noted at a smart shop were the
cross plated models. These plaits stopped
| at the top just far enough to allow plain
4 space for gathering into the armhole and
| at the bottom, above the elbow, the full-
| ness was disposed in vertical platts. The
| usual frill of lace finished the manche.
| At the present moment short sleeves are
| most In evidence, but as the season ad-
| vances there will be plenty or pretty, long
! models for those to whom the short length
| Is not becoming. Speaking of sleeves, re-
| minds me that the correct long glove Tor
| morning wear is the chamois leather CANT
| OF pale gray.
In thin frocks the princess is the domi-
nant note, and pretty accessory of this
gown Is the little linen and lace Jacket. In
| fact these jackets are worn with all kinds
/ of muslin dresses Quantities Of buttons,
too adorn the sheer frocks. the most popu-
1 lar being ivory trimmed, with braid centers.
On the heavier linen costumes an attrac-
/ tive rickrack braid is proving itself a
| smart trimming. I saw this novelty used
on q Garibaldi red linen dress with decided
success The Garibaldi tone is rich, deep
| solferino. and the braid exactly matched
| the material. Linen dresses are going to
| be wonderfully swagger this summer. and
| for the woman who can wear pink there
| are some lovely creations. For travelling
wear there are very beautiful deep linen
| shades-garnet. brown and royal blues
that make up into stunning suits. But, to
come back to the princess. delightful
| model is of dotted white Swiss gathered
slightly at the waist and trimmed at the
| bottom with three circular ruffies, edged
| with Cluny lace and tucks. -Four bands OF
1 Cluny arranged In a blocked design and
/ edged with lace trim the gown about the
| meek. Such a darling of a morning frock
| is of pale green linen of rather a fine
| weave made in blouse suit effect It 10
simply trimmed with wide bands OF inser-
ton formed of ordinary white pin spotted
| rnuslin-a fairly large pin worked heavily