The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-17
Fashions at the Capital
The Well Dressed Woman OF Smart Society," What She Wears
The Time and Place.
MARGARET wADE

With the coming together of every
fashionable company. the careful observer
may note just what has been taken and
what has been left. in the matter OF
spring modes for 1914
Not every fashion pictured In the most
exclusive of trade mazagines or describ-
ed by cable from Paris, becomes a fact
IN good dressing. until IL is tried out
oy the real leaders OF the smart world.
These latter recognized. IL unnamed
WELD an enormous influence in every
large city, giving to each community its
reputation for good taste or bad taste,
extravagance, or modesty, in matters of
dress,
ways conservative to the great despair
of importers and modists who have been
heard to declare that the women of the
Capital never accepted a fashion less
than a year old. Consequently, the few
and-far-between freak costumes, such as
unlined skirts of gold tissue, bodices with
out backs, real Grecian-bend overdresses,
which have appeared from time to time,
have been worn by visitors from less
conservative circles than those which
dominate Washington society.
The new silhouette accepted by such
well-gowned women as Baroness Zwie-
dinek, Mime. Riano, Nine. Hague, Mrs
Woodbury. Blair, Mrs. William Crozier,
Mrs. Thomas Laughlin. Mrs. Frank Nit
chell, and a dozen others, both American
and foreign, shows distinct return to
the normal waist line for one thing There
is also a decided disposition to retain
the skirt narrow at the ankles with high
drapery at the back. Jackets are shorter
than ever in the history of jackets, and
by many women are discarded entirely
for the loose half-length sport coat.
There are absolutely no plain skirts to
ne met anywhere, which may account
for the disfavor with which the new and
smart Cheruit overdress is being re-
ceived in Washington, although featured
as one of the most successful inovations
in New York
In Washington. as in every other city
from Paris to San Francisco, We are
indulging in a season of color. The all
white gown is almost as rare in any
fashionable company as the all-black
hat
Even the most youthful bellies are in
dulging in deep toned ball gowns. Miss
Margaret Perrin and Miss Eleanora Nor
gan both appeared at recent dances in |
purple tulle. |
Even the blouses topping cloth and silk |
skirts. which for years have been white |
lace or white silk. are now maize, april |
cot. flesh, rose. absinth, tango. and |
occasionally one of the old blue shades |
All new jackets are lined in gay silk. |
usually of the futurist design while every |
hat from a certain smart milliner has
its crown lining a vivid satin instead of !
the heretofore decorous white or black. !
Pierre" is new gray shade that is
taking the place of white in millinery,
as well as in gloves, parasols. and other
summer accessories. Peanut and parch-
ment are also choice tints ranged with
he faded varieties of the primary hues,
and the sweet pea colorings. All of
which are signs of the times as regards
smart and good dressing
The one place which the craze for color
has not as yet invaded is the bridal
toilet, which if possible is whittier than
ever.
At least this description applies to the Il
beautiful gown to be worn /
by Miss Belle Wyatt Willard, daughter
Of the American Ambassador to Spain,
when she becomes Mrs. Kermit Roose-
-elt two weeks hence. Although to take I
'lace in Madrid, society in Washington.
and all Virginia, with quite 4
portion Of New York is taking deep I
interest in this forthcoming wedding the
principals of which have practically gown
Up in the shadow OF the Capitol
The bride-elect, like the recent White |
House bride. is modern young woman
Without superstition. She has been pho
in her bridal gown weeks in
hvance of the wedding. and despite the
hazardous adventures of her fance in 1
'razil spent the waiting weeks in COM
letting one of the most perfectly de-
lgned trousseaux even Paris can afford
o the daughter of an American mil
onaire and the bride of a Roosevelt.
The wedding gown is of pure white
attn, yelled in point d'Angleterre, with
court train of four yards as a separate
d1unct Miss Wizards wedding gown
as in fact two trains. The first being {
ONE eighteen inches long, and of course
part of the gown. The lace covers
very part of the gown except the left ,
all the bodice and the half-length XII q
lono sleeves. Here is where the pure a