The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-16

NV hostess is one of those eclectic
Parisiennes whose taste in furniture
as in dress Is exquistely fine. She Is
also a woman of broad enthusiasms.
She is the intimate friend of Isadora
Duncan, of Leon Bakst, of Rodin and
of many other famous reformers; but
she is also a Parisienne who knows how
to appreciate "Gyp" and whose portrait
has been painted by Boldini.
In word. she is almost exaggeratedly
modern. And because she seems to
embody the spirit OF modern life l think
her ideas on the subject OF house decora-
ton will interest the readers OF THE
SUN
In the first place let me say that my
hostess has put her artistic Ideas to
practical use. | am ct this moment
living in the midst Of them. Te!s IS a
veritable white house, for Mime. de G..
is Of tine opinion that the magpis tir1
are essentially reetful: also that they
make perfect background for moving
pictures. and in this French white house
one has a sense OF delicious. almost un-
conscious, movement.
The essentials stand still, and t.ey are
white. In every room in the house
walls and woodwork gleam softly white,
in every room the polished floors are
black. The furnture-rhis Is a seaside
RESIDENCES IN creamy cane. ivory
wood or ebony. White bearskin rugs
lie on the black floors. IN the long.
low salon there is at one end marble
pedestal which supports a basin and "a
little fountain which throws up O silvery
thread Of water night and day. The
French windows are shrouded in filuy
muslin. Here and there tail pillars of
ebony hold copper pots and giant ferns.
This is the background. Now for the
movement.
Mime. de c. has arranged what she
calls her property room. In this room
she keeps sets Of window curtains.
chair cushions. table covers, &c. made
OF soft liberty silks IN varied colors,
in accordance with the weather or with
some special supply of flowers or even
with i personal caprice the color
scheme in eaca room IS changed daily.
To-day for Instance. there are japonica
silk curtains ard cushions &c, in the
black and white salon and in The thin
glass vases there are tall black irises.
To-day also. the dining room in hung
with huttercup yellow silk and on the
oval table there are les bowls filed
with as1lte marguerltes. In my bedroom
AZ the moment dull hlue liberty sIIka
throw INTO prominence d jar Of crimson
carnations
/ cen say with absolute truth thar
have never entered more perfect
house af rest. Everything is SO sim
pie aoa Vet SO exquisitely fresh and
Dainty. NO one who had seen this
seaside residence could again speak az
black and white backgrounds as "triste"
or mournful.
II IS very pleasant TO find that pic
ture fashions have regaued a place of
honor In the world Of fashion. Some
OF the afternoon and evening gowns
syora at the casinos Of Trouville and
ueauYilie, especially those seen at the
latter place. are full of artistic charm.
They are gowns which would have
Giled Gainsborough or Winterhalter
with deiigtgt. mysterious draperies OF
SILK muslin and lace. intermingled with
dull gold gauze and not infrequently
bands Of dark fur The casino dress
~ to-day Is a rarely lovely creation,
1t is. perhaps. the most becoming
,olet a pretty woman could adopt,
The robe shown in the fail length
Ekctch which accompanies this article
u an excellent specimen of the evening
gowns of omorrow--~Very "hou." very
picturesque. the sort of gown which
would completely battle tine ordinary
copyist. OnIy a masterhand could ar
range the loose draperies or add just
Mt the right poiat the bands Of tiny
gold roses.
In this model the dress itself is com
posed of black silk tulie and the iiounces
are bordered with bias bands of veil
vet Hidden away under these bias
bands there are engths of "gondoline.
she new stiff ribbon, which is used "a
give crinoline impression. >,
The beautifully arranged shawl dra-
perry liz composed of fine black chantillp
lace and is held up on The arms by
bracelets of elastic covered With small
roses made of dull gold gauze. The
swathed waist band Is also made OF
gold gauze and the transparent corsage
which is held in place by chain OF dia-
montls, is in the same black tulle as the
dress.
This charming model was worn al
the Casino the other evening by Prin-
cesse Jean de Broglie and was uni
versally admired. Princesse Jean is a
very pretty woman. with slender fig
ure of girlish outlines. She wears her
hair dressed close to her beautifully
shaped head and the hat which ac-
companIed the dress just described, was
one of the very new models, which
have wlnglike arrangements Of lace
or tulle on the crown. The brim was
covered with black velvet and the wings
were in black tulle richly embroidered
with Cit jet. A long horse hair mount
sprang from tho 'front.' of the hat and a
little cluster of blood red roses APP
peared at one side and supplied touch
of vivid color, which was an adequate
finish TO an exquisite toilet
Princesse Radziwiil was another OF
the famous Partisan beauties who fitted
through the Casino on the same night
She was lovely in gown OF black
chiffon velvet and chantilly. with q
turban composed entirely OF silver gauze
and trimmed with two high, very thin
black ostrich feathers. The feathers
were caught down with superb dia-
I'LL