The Colorado statesman., 1907-08-24

The demi-toilette for evening wear
Is of the first Importance at this time.
The French demi-toilette resembles
a tea gown only in so much that it is
picturesque and old-world. 1t is not
n the very least untidy or fioppy, and
even an expert in such matters would
lind 1T difficult to clearly define the
difference between it and a dinner
gown suitable for ceremonious occa-
sions. The difference is very subtle
and yet-ever present! Possibly it
Is distinction which owes much to
the arrangement of the hair and to
the ornaments worn. Some wonder
FULLY lovely gowns of this order have
been made this season of fine silk
gauze enriched with ribbon embroi-
deries, or with borderie Anglaise car
ried out in delicate pastel tints. The
latter is distinct novelty and en-
tirely satisfactory when designed and
executed by master hand. For exam
pie, take flowing skirt of creamy
gauze, lavishly decorated in panels
with broderie Anglaise worked in fine
silver threads. On either side of these
panels there were shaped insertions
of Maltese lace-of exactly the same
tint as the muslin-and at the ex-
treme hem of the skirt five fiounces of
Valenciennes; while the bodice was
arranged in picture fashion, having a
large fischu of Valenciennes. which
crossed in front and tucked away in
the folded waistband of palest lib
| oil
were made of the Maltese lace, and
underneath there were the daintiest
little puffings and frills of Valen-
ciennes. The peach-colored waist
band boasted two very long ends at
the left side, and these ends were
drawn through handsome buckle of
gun metal set with small diamonds
1t would be impossible to describe
the poetic charm of this gown, and
the dark buckle, with it's brilliant
frame, supplied just the right note
The sleeveless coat of taffetas is
entering a successful reign. This
picturesque garment is almost always
worn with muslin or lace gowns, and
nine times out of ten the silk is of
a dark and rather somber color. These
silk coats are short three-euarter
length and semi-sack, back and front,
and they are rarely closed in front,
but are confined by chenille or silk
ornaments, or, in some cases, they
are lightly laced from throat to
breast.
The most conspicuous of Fashions s
new edicts will be the long coat long
er than they have been. These coats
look equally well in both cloth
and linen, and have charm when sup
piled with the square sleeve, the ell
bow sleeve, or the ordinary coat
sleeve. 1t is, indeed. highly adapt
able garment, upon which we propose
to bestow our very best attentions
from now until October at least, and
this l prophesy as other wise people
would have prophesied, because /
know.
But l am forgetting the novelty of
the hour, and the like, being rare.
should be treated with greater re-
spect. White flowers allied to white
leaves, and looking for all the world
like the conventional decoration of
upon the hats which express the last
word of Fashion. White lilies of the
valley allied to white rose-leaves /
have met forming a thick wreath
round a bell-shaped hat . of brown
straw lined with white chip; large
white garden lilies with white leaves
upstand in bold relief from shape of
purple straw. and white roses and
white leaves encircle the broad brim
of hat of dull green lined with black
glace. Here is novelty indeed-and
for so much, and no more, commend
1t.
Apropos summer hats-very high
crowns are slowly but surely creeping
toward us. Just at present these high
crowns are chiefly arranged in flow
ers. but little later we shall see a
revival of the high "fiower-pot" crown
which used to be fashionable when
the "Grecian bend" afforded fruitful
topics for music-hall singers! 1t
seems thousand pities that we
should think of adopting such fash
ion as this, the hat crowns of this
year are so ideal and so infinitely be-
Coming. and the "fiower-pot" crown is
80 peculiarly inartfstic. Unhappily
1t is no use to protest against Fash
ions dictates. but let us hope that
tbfc rayiva1 whap it oopas u1lr -