The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-27
FRocKs FOR SPRING AFTERNOONS

II Is a well-known. fact that the Ameri-
can woman Is ne her best in afternoon
costume. To the English woman be-
longs the trim morning frock, to the Rus
sian woman the glory OF the evening
gown. to the French. the charm Of the
negligee and the filmy dance frocks, but
American. women reign supreme as far
as the afternoon gown Is concerned.
Afternoon gowns play an important
part, too. nowadays. Il Is the afternoon
gown that a woman wears to luncheon.
to the art exhibit, the wedding. and all
the festivities of modern life with the
exception OF the dinner-dance and thea
ter.
In consequence, the salient textures OF
the afternoon gown are of paramount
Importance to the well-dressed woman.
and these according TO Paris are wide.
girdleless, ending in hustle loops. lace
tunics and blouses on frocks of taffeta
or tussah, the side looping Of skirts. the
use OF artificial flowers as trimming. the
vogue OF tassels and novel collars.
The preference for frocks of champagne
shades and duh blues Is very marked,
most Of the great designers having chos-
en- the colors TO carry out their initial
frocks for the spring. One of these IL
Of champagne taffeta with a tunic of
coffee-colored lace that is tucked up at
the back into q hustle like fullness &C.
centuated by the wide loops of a dull
brown sash. The bodice Is extremely
transparent being OF the cofee-colored
lace. with touches of gold. made up over
fesh-pInk chiffon and cloth of gold. A
corsage bouquet OF bachelor buttons lends
a sharp note of color. and the whole eff
feet is charming.
New skirts. s..
Many OF the new skirts for the aft
ernoon frocks are cut quite straight and
narrow. though wider than those of the
winter. the fullness and the drapings
and pufings all being above the knees.
lending strong peg-top effect to even
the lightest frocks.
On many OF the taffeta frocks the
drapings on the skirt are cut separate
ly, and are drawn in many novel fash
ions, caught up with tassels. while the
bodices Of a number Of the gowns are of
plain material and 1aces, the skirts be-
ing of figured silk or embroidered goods.
Chinese Fmbroideries.
There is a strong leaning toward Chi
nese embroideries and Oriental effects
for the afternoon frocks, many OF these
being of vivid Oriental colorings with
hint of Russian in some OF them, while
loose full bishop sleeves and chemisettes
Of softest null lend a novel touch.
The loose full sleeve OF a different ma
terial has really come to stay, and the
wide arm-holed overblouse is very be-
coming to most women.
Three-tiered skirts, with scalloped
edges, are being shown by some exclu-
sive designers in London and Paris, and
these are, il anything, more graceful
than the draped skirt. though they are
less becoming to the short woman, since
they detract from her height. The tops
OF most of the gowns shown are of lace.
flmy net or chiffon. the tunics coming
up about the bust but not extending over
the shoulders.
Under these transparent bodices are
worn the lovely brassieres now seen on
every side These accentuate the color
scheme of the gown in most cases. al
though some are merely close-fltting
sheaths. as ii were, of fiesh-pink crepe
de chine.
There is a great vogue at the moment
for apron effects, achieved by drapings