Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19
The Christmas
House Party
MONT! OF all You do. don't! Let
1t be made emphatic, that it may


1t be made emphatic, that it may
be remembered. Don't join the
Christmas festivities of a house party
without the well-filled trunk
Discomfort awaits you as a certain
fate II you so unwisely go forth to
accept the invitation of another. Re
member she has right to expect that
you be gowned after a certain fashion,
Just as she has reason to believe you
"a lady" In every other sense.
The warning is for the guest as well
as the hostess: for in what state or the
here or the hereafter can We pen or
picture greater misery for woman than
the inappropriate gown?
Suitable. comfortable clothes and the
well-flled trunk do not necessarily
imply elegance beyond the bounds OF
possibility for the moderate woman.
The fair-sized steamer trunk has been
seen fairly to overflow with "a COM
Portable sufficiency': the young woman
who declared she would far rather visit
the Door and needy had gone with
suitcase. no doubt.
II Is almost impossible for decent
woman to stay so in suitcase at
house party. although she may cross
the ocean and do the continent and the
British isles besides with no more bag
gage.
INTERCHANGEABLE CLOTHES
Travelling is not appearing morning,
noon and night. The uninitiated and
the fearsome visitor will some day learn
that she were wiser to go overbag-
gagged and overturned than under.
Her hostess will sooner forgive her for
dumping down a quantity Of luggage
than she will for assuming the role OF
the guest without a wedding garment.
The memory Of the one moment when
her bag and trunk seemed an excess
or a trouble win sink into insignificance
long before her agony will fade out
after she has been the poorly clad Of
the party.
The house party is not excessively
extravagant in its demands. That man
had inttitions who confded to his wom-
an friend that he could "ofhciate" at
house parties. where the wealthy were
collected. with but a handful Of
clothes. because he chose them with
such correctness that each thing
matched every other and could be used
interchangeably.
Astute woman has the same advan-
tage. An excellent travelling gown
tailor-made, though OF plainest cut
will be the first essential. The frock to
II may be '.one-piece." and better so;
because. with guimpes a-plenty the lit
tie dress may be varied to almost an
afternoon dress. AS morning house
frock. as street dress and as afternoon
gown 1t could not look outrageous II
the tiny guimpes varied from plain linen
to Irish lace.
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
The afternoon dress proper is little
prettier. and for the least formal OF
evening affairs will do quite well.
The short dance frock is a necessity.
1t may be mere null or organdie;
but dance you will. and the frock must
be for that occasion.
The dinner gown! It is always low
necked: whether much or little will
probably be decided by the bones Of its
owner. The dinner gown should be
long. but a semi or sweep-length will
answer every call. 1t may be 50 plain
that its cost sinks far below that Of
the tailor-made. Price is no object. but
cut is. Elaboration Is not demanded
simplicity may take its place-but
dinner gown the visitor to the Christ
mas party will absolutely need.
All Of the odds and ends OF a wom-
ans wardrobe are as necessary away
from home as at home. but take the
best. Of course. Remember always that
the appropriate in line and material
will see you through a dozen functions.
whereas one badly made. i'll chosen
garment will burden you and the
hostess to distraction and will At in no.
where.