The Washington herald., 1914-03-29

With Easter Sunday Just two weeks on
and a White House wedding more than
probable in the last week of April. spring
fashions at the National Capital have
taken on an importance heretofore un-
known. The spring season of itself
gains in popularity every year as the
charms of Washington become better and
better known throughout the country,
yet in the matter Of dress the post Len
ten season has never compared in ele-
gance or interest to the late autumn
when the fashionable world returns from
vanity fairs smartest centers with fully
replenished wardrobes. Again, January
] has seen cnother upward tendency in
fashionland. particularly at the National
Capital, where the end OF the season
used to find even the most energetic OF
its social leaders ready to fold away its
ball gowns and wear its second best din
ner frocks for such informal occasions
as presented themselves between Easter
and June.
Now the season never ends, and while
the last six months have lacked much OF
the brilliancy of former winters, the six
weeks following April l. will undoubt-
edly present many occasions for good
dressing for all the polite world.
Not only is Miss Eleanor Wilson en-
gagged in ordering a trousseau suited to
a Presidents daughter and a Cabinet
officers bride, but Miss Margaret Wilson
as well is showing numerous new and
becoming gowns of the very latest modes.
At the supper dance at the New Will
lard on Monday evening where the Pres
ident's eldest daughter and her cousin.
Miss Helen Woodrow Bones, were guests
of Commissioner and Mrs. Charles Nc
Cord. Miss Wilson wore turquois blue
satin which IL not a direct importation
from the Avenue de la Opera, was so
excellent a reproduction of the exclusive
workrooms OF that charmed region, that
Miss Wilson is to be congratulated on
her American modiste, and in future no
one need feel II necessary to go even as
far as New York to be smsrtly attired.
This particular gown shows the new
silhouette as regards both bodice and
skirt, also the latest combination in
color. The gown is all OF the one-tone
satin and made with the usual narrow
skirt and a narrow train. The departure
from skirts and trains of the past winter
is in the drapery which is a closely
drawn tunic across the front with
bouffant back The bodice showed the
fully accepted surplace line both front
and back OF the satin. with an added
line of chiffon in blue overlaid with gold,
a very effective blending in color that
was heightened further by huge Ameri
can Beauty rose just at the waistline in
front. The sleeves were little draped
affairs of the gold chiffon. Thus far the
White House young people have with
stood the temptation of omitting the
tive in dress have accepted with avidity.
Miss Bones gown was also on new and
smart lines, with its foundation skirt of
black satin and its overdress of heavy
French lace dyed to the delicate yellow
tint Just coming in under the name OF
chartr71se.
The trained gown for evening is little
less than a rule with the White House
family. According to one Of their init
mate girl friends, the Wilson's don't
seem to consider themselves dressed up
unless they wear a train" which casual
criticism is much more Of a compliment
than appears on the surface, as It shows
the Misses Wilson possess in a marked
degree the first principle Of taste in
dress, which is due regard to the oc-
casion. The time and the place, are Of
infinitely more importance than mate
rial or model, wheL 1t comes to consid
ering the relation of gown and girl. To
dress up also has a wide range Of
possibilities even in the White House.
Mrs. Marshall. as every one knows, is
entirely exempt from making calls ex-
cept in acknowledgment of dinner obli-
cations, yet few days pass without this
most sociable Of leaders finding her way
to half a dozen drawing-rooms for a
friendly tea table talk To meet the
present between-season conditions the
Vice Presidents wife wears one Of her
most becoming gowns, a chiffon velvet
in leaf brown with its top a semi-jacket
model largely Of some matching chiffon.
The skirt is narrow and an inch or two
from the ground, the overdress is a half
length pannier with open front, all of
the velvet, the jacket bodice and half
length sleeves are of certse lace in a.
heavy design with broad lines Of silk
all in one tone on the background of net.
over this is veiled the brown chiffon
finished only by a wide hem. There is
narrow line of cream lace or net with
turn over collar to give the coat enect
neaded for all gowns worn with a hat