The Washington herald., 1913-05-25
GLANCE AT FASHIONS I'm CAPITAL
Expert Tells OF the Wellsowned Woman Society. What
She Wears. and When
By MARGARET WADE.

~ !" HDA1s
Now that the American woman al
large, and the Washington woman in
particular, is again under public dis.
cussion, anent the immodesty of heI
dress. it appears pertinent and timely
for this column to repeat its frequent
assertion that the fashions, as denounced
by the press, the pulpit. and, alas, the
courts, are not the fashions of polite
society. ~
With the solitary exception of one &C.
centric young woman, connected with
Washington only by large and expensive
residence in fashionable neighborhood.
no one of the inner circle is wearing a
slashed skirt
This young woman. although fire.
quent guest AZ smart dinners, where she
occasionally appears in a tea gown, is
not in any sense a leader. nor should
her example be taken seriously in any
conduct of life.
So far as the writer Of this column
knows, there never was but one hobble
skirt in the smart set, and that lasted
about two weeks.
The recent warning by a high ,medi-
cal authority in New York concerning
the fashions seen on the streets Of that
city may apply in a minor degree to F
Street any afternoon between 4 and 6
o'clock. The participants in this alleged
fashion parade are not however, fash
ionable women of the Capital. who, as
the initiated know, are rarely, IL ever,
found in the shopping or business CEN
tiers Of any large city after 3 o'clock.
Now that Mrs. Wilson is living UP to
her promise of a simpler style of dress
L..
and the Cabinet officers. to a man, have
declared their intention of living within
their salary, no one need be afraid to
follow this good example, and no woman
of common sense, much less a lady OF
refinement and education. need be afraid
of dressing modestly and within her
means. Which, however, does not mean
that We are returning to an era OF white
muslin for the debutante, or black silk
for her mother-with the long, dull range
of browns. grays. and blues for the in
betweens.
There is nothing monotonous about
the best accepted fashions of today. and
nothing vulgar or immodest is accepted
by the best bred. best hammered. and
best dressed woman of Washington's
real social world.
In the matter of afternoon deni-toilets.
of which many will be in demand so
long as even a remnant Of smart society
remains in Washington. the changes
from last season are almost invisible to
the unintiated woman or the average
man.
The importers, the dressmakers. and the !
woman whose vanity demands something |
new with each purchase know. for in !
stance, that crepe in some form has |
superseded the overworked |
charmeuse or any of the numerous sat
ms that have heretofore done duty for |
the basis Of most elaborate afternoon |
gowns.
At the afternoon reception of Mrs
Charles Marsh and her sister, Mrs. Har-
Did l. Sewell. when these young host
esses, daughters of the late Rear Ad-
niral Evans, reopened the famous old l
home OF their family after a period of
mourning: at Mrs. McClintock's farewell
At home on Tuesday. -or on Sunday aft
arnoon at the Country Club, where Miss
Mabel Boardman is holding a series of
informal teas during May, opportunities
have been afforded for smart dressing
IF particular interest, as on each Of
hese occasions the representative COM
'anies, while most exclusive. ranged
rom girls in their first season to the
drs Marsh and Mrs Sewell, both of
Vhom are still wearing light mourning.
ad ideal gowns for their first formal
[ homes of years.
Mrs. Marsh wore a white and black
tripod chiffon, a ma gpie gown in its
est form. The skirt was draped slight
y, the bodice where the stripes formed
natural V-shaped line being the new
urplice model. reviving the graceful
houlders and normal waist of a genera
ion ago. with very modish up-to-date
leeves and girdle.
Mrs. Sewell, who was Miss Virginia
vans. the youngest of this interesting ,
amily. looked particularly chic in her :
lack demi-toilet of chiffon, embroid- :
red in a new and distinctive fashion in .
liver beads The latter. like pearl and =
teel beads. just appearing on the newly +
nported evening gowns. are of gradu- 3
ted size. from a pin point to a grain 4
wheat. the variation in shape being
lst as marked as the difference in size / I