New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
HARRIET LANE FASHIONS QUEEN IN THE LATE F'FT'Es'
Exhibition of Milady's Attire Will Be Enriched
by Gowns Worn by Notable American Wom-
en- of Times Ranging from Colonial
Days to the Present; nor Will Mere
Mans Garb Go Unrepresented.

rSHE evolution of the Easter. finery OF
Americas loveliest bellies and ma
u irons is to be illustrated in COM
prehens,ve exhibit Of costumes now beihg
installed for the National Museum.
The enterprise was lately started ny
committee of Washington society women
headed by Mrs. Julien James. whose chlef
assistant In collecting the wealth oil APP
parel 10 be displayed is Mrs. Rose Gou-
yerneur Hoes, great-granddaughter Oh
President Monroe. hall of the old Ma
tjonaI Museum building most OF whose
exhibits are now being removed TO the ne"
structure. has been assigned to the COL
lection. which will be under the direcuo'i
of DR.. Walter Hough. curator of ethnoiogy'
The exhibit will be officially known as the
collection of period costumes, and VIII
set forth in a series of lifelike lay hgures
the various styles of apparel current IN inc
various periods of American history, from
Colonial times to the present day vi
greatest interest will be series oil cos
tunes OF American celebrities. including
the gowns worn by the wives of our Presi-
dents. the court dresses which have graceu
the consorts of our ambassadors ana MIN
listers abroad and the beautiful confecuons
which our noted beauties have worn at
eficial functions of great historic lhpor-
tance. such as those given in honor OF La
favette. of the Prince of Wales or OF
Louis Kossuth when those nctables WIS.,
tied this country.
Masculine as well as feminine attire Will
ne disnlayed in the series. which will in
clude the typical dress of the civilian
classes as well as the special creations de-
signed for the grandees of officialdom. The
evo,u,,on Of all manner Of appurtenances
10 dress will be shown-typical samples OF
tho no,,Iiner's art of all American epochs.
as well as iaces and lingerie. fans head
dresses and wigs. slippers and shoes,
hosiery and gloves. wells cloaks. wraps,
muffs. furs parasols, handkerchiefs ana
whatever else has adorned the human form
in American history.
SERIES OF INAUGURAL GOWNS.
One of the most gorgeous features of the
exhibit will be a series of inaugural ball
gowns Of our various Presidents wives.
and the nucleus Of this collection is that OF
Mrs. Taft, which she has just contributed.
Martha Washington will be also repre-
sented by fine old dress of embroidered
muslin, the material for which the Father
. of his Country had imported especially
from India and which was made up in this
country under Mrs. Washington's personal
direction. This. with the original kerchief
worn with 1t, will be loaned TO the col
lection by Miss Mamie Randolph Heth' OF
Washington. who in an accompanying PCT
ure is seen wearing this historical costume
together with earrings and ian that De
loneed to the mother Of her country The
collection of court gowns was started oy
Mrs. John Hays Hammond. VINO contrib
uted her dress worn at the coronation OF
George V: Mrs. John Hay. who presented
not only one of her gowns but Ambassador
Hays court cape. worn at st. James s. ana
Mrs. Hoes, who added James Monroe's
court dress OF green velvet. In which ne
was presented TO Napoleon |.
The first figures in the chronological or
der of the series will represent in fuii de-
tail the Characteristic garbs OF the STOCKS
which settled In America-the Puritan 'ne
Quaker, the Dutch PATRON. the husueho.
the English cavalier, the spaniaru' eacn
with his good wife at his side.
eARe OF THE COLONIAL DAME.
The Colonial dame of the eighteenth cen
tury will be represented by a wealth OF
original costumes and their accessories, al
though in this period radical styles botf
IN our colonies and in Europe changed &c
seldom that young belle could wear hei
rrandmother's ball gown with propriety
and without a renting. That was durins
the ffty-year reign Of the Louis XIV gown
With its plain. gathered. full skirt, Its ruf'
Aed sleeves and its pointed waist, low ir
,bs neck. The exhibit will show that the
only stylish rival of this form was thf
French Watteau dress. which. with its
swelling skirts and wealth Of lace and rib
boos. came in the latter part Of that cen
tuyy. The figures displaying these quaint
,0etunes will be adorned BY heads on