Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25

vt is inevitable, but distressing never
theless, that gown made up toward
the end of one season and worn but
II seldom should be quite useless for any
smart occasion at another time Of the
year or for a second season. There is a
totally indescribable something wrong and
clever indeed is the woman who can dis
cover and rectify the fault. Generally the
trouble will be in the sleeves, and, strange
to say, nothing Is more difficult to alter
satisfactorily than a sleeve of an old de-
sign. Sometimes the belt and occasionally
the cut of the decolletage or the hang of the
skirt will be out Of gear but rarely If ever
has any sleeve survived even one season.
1t is particularly trying with a handsome
evening gown which when first worn was
so perfect to see how hopelessly it has lost
its style, for dinner or ball dress is worn
less than any other costume and is gen.
orally the most expensive item in the trous-
seau. One may wear velvet street dress
silk house gown innumerable times,
but for the evening there must be a suf-
fcient number of costumes to keep any one
from being worn often enough to be re-
marked upon.
Small as they are, the sleeves OF this
winters evening gowns are unusually at
tractive. Tiny puffs of lace and chiffon
soften a handsomely embroidered satin
bodice. for all white sleeves, with just a
suggestion somewhere of the color of the
gown are much in vogue at the moment
Then the bodice and sleeves are, when
ever possible, made all in One-certainly no
seam is evident-but naturally with silk
or spangled dress there must be some white
lace or maline to relieve the color This
year on both high and low neck gowns the
surplice effect is in evidence, but either
from the front or back the folds of the sur
plice. whether chiffon. lace silk, are
brought around over the arm and caught
down on the sleeves, sometimes In 'front.'
again in back, according to the model of the
waist
Black spangled evening gowns are still
fashionable, but only in the handsomest
and most expensive qualities of net and
jet, for such amazingly cheap spangled
robes are now on sale everywhere that the
poorer patterns bid fair to be hopelessly
ordinary. In spite of this. however, for a
serviceable inexpensive dinner dress even
the cheapest of these robes will make up to
be wonderfully effective. Altogether the
prettiest model for an all black evening
gown is made with deep Vshaped guimpe
back and front. of lace or plated net, and
the sleeves should also be Of white, with
perhaps tiny cape or epaulet of the black
net One effective robe was solid mass
of spangles. half of them jet half steel, and
these were laid on In stripes graduated in
width from the belt. The only trimming
for such a gown can be placed at the
decolletage, where there should be just
little rich white or cream lace Joining the
guimpe and tiny sleeves.
For the debutante net and chiffon gowns,
trimmed with ribbon and sprays of flowers,
seem peculiarly appropriate. This year
there are many exquisite models in white
and pale colored nets, despite the fact that
this is already known silk and satin
season. Although the heavier gowns must
also be provided. no debutante's trousseau
is complete without the delicate and dainty
frocks of soft, perishable textures. En-
broidered nets are always attractive, es-
pecially II the design is brought out more
conspicuously by glass bead work on the
lace or paillettes tracing out the embroid-
cry. Iridescent spangles are smarter just
now than the steel paillettes, which, 1t must
be confessed, are somewhat hard in effect.
The white and gold spangled gowns, or the