Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23

ing at the Embassadeur's, a Partisan
cafe much frequented by the smart set.
1t was a hot, oppressive night, a night
when a white costume was the only
one you cared to see and the tinkling>~of
ice in long glass the only soothing sound.
You know that Don't break the SPELL sort
Of atmosphere. Well. all was serene until
the entrance of flushed and painting ma
dame gowned in an ultra shade of pinkish
red. This vision de rose put the finishing
touch on the temper of my otherwise am
liable escort, who growled-the gender pro-
claims itself-"I wish that woman who just
came in had put on a good tempered gown
this broiling night 1t certainly was a
cross gown. nagging. nerve-racking
atroclty, although the owner evidently
thought 1t tremendous success, for. with
great guSto, she told the woman sitting
with her at table the name of the maker.
Name of the criminal in the corner,
was the soto voce quotation from Mark
Twain that greeted this handsome offer.
1t Is astonishing, though, how trying some
peoples clothes always manage to be. No
matter what they wear. the color, the style.
the season, there is a feeling of discomfort
| in each article Of attire. This fault is not
confined to the color-blind or the dowdy.
1t is generally the attribute of the woman
who shops in detail, who does not think
in enthusiastically, whose costumes
so llmated.
But it Is not alone irritation of temper
that clothes betray. Some garments are
hopeless, downtrodden, the lookout for
neglect. And there is another type of clothes
that Is equally maddening-the self COM
placent. Such gowns unalterably
pleased with themselves. The worse the
gown-of this type-the greater the
placency, as a rule. This attitude has moth
ing. or not much, to do with the wearer of
the gown, for nothing can shake the urban
ity of such dress, not even the splitting of
cup of coffee all down the front of it.
q iyh h a orny hn 70
meeting BROWNIE have met them all. And
how We hope never to see their like again.
Then there are apologize clothes that try
to wear a jovial air and to make the best
of themselves They call your attention to
the fact that their very meager pile of
brick is fashioned from Inadequate straw
They assure you they might be worse, but
you politely disagree with them.
Again, another wearying style of dressing
Is the absolutely monotonous. Everybody
has met-some of us have to live with--the
person who wears one shape of hat, one
kind of blouse. one material summer and
winter The person who does her hair in
the same way, whether she is going to mar
ket or to the opera, who looks upon variety
new tangled notions" There are the
clothes that are all straight lines, angles,
bars and stripes. There are those that are
all curves, loops and spots. There are those
on which patterns run riot and checks that
incite the absentmnded to play chess
Then there are colors that swear at each
other and set the teeth on edge, the blast
of a trumpet sort of clothes. The sensible
person who lacks sensibility will tell you 1t
is foolish to be affected by such trifies Yes.
1t would indeed be foolish If such matters
were trivial
But every woman who has her fall ward
robe to select realizes the seriousness of
the matter. To be sure. the manufacturers
have become such colorists that there is
nowadays little danger of offending in the
line of nuisances. Still, it is necessary to
find out the shade that is yours by right of
natural selection and cling to it in sartoriaI
things. though all sorts of alluring coors
are put on the market and worn for sea-
son as fashionable" The same advice
holds good in regard to styles. To be
gowned in the latest fad is never as essen
tial as to wear that which suits your in
dividual way Of dressing. Lay down certain
rules as to color and cut and as far as is
consistent with those rules conform to the
prevailing fashion. But, above all things.
don't let mistaken idea of individualism