The Washington herald., 1914-11-18

Pastel shades and white, and an ao-
sence OF jewelry-such in a few words
is the impression l gained Of the cos
tuning of the box holders at the open
ing Of the grand opera season Monday
night. The dressing was costly ana
among the older women there was
brilliant showing OF diamonds, but the
younger women wore almost no orna-
ments, One could not but be struck
with the prevalence Of light blue. light
mink light yellow and white. There Is
indeed a return of the pastel shades
Now for Velvet Collars.
MANY Of us remember the reign Of the
velvet collar that was mounted on erin
cline and Reinforced with buckram and
lined with silk 1t was somewhat high,
and too tight for comfort But at one
time, fifteen or sixteen years ago, 1t
was in fashion
since then, until this year, the velvet
collar has not been a factor in fash
ions. Perhaps the discomfort OF II was
remembered, or perhaps its really harsn
and often unbecoming line Is RESPONSE
Bile for its decline.
Now the velvet collar has come back.
At first 1t appeared as a rolling collar
standing at the back Of the neck, always
covered with a flaring organdy or tulle
collar. Then II extended, at each SIDE,
until it touched the collar bone. Grad
uaIly it was shown without the soften
ing flare OF white muslin over ana
above II, And now we have velvet col
lars of the standing variety that are &C
tuaIly fastened together around the
throat with buttons or hooks. These
collars, as yet, are unstifrened. Let US
hope they will remain so. And they
are not excessively high; without stiff
fening a really high collar Is without
effect. But they are collars that cover
the throat and they are made OF velvet
and they are rightly recognized as the
descendants of the one-ume powerful
breed of high, stiff, uncomfortable vel
vet collars that We or our mothers De-
fore US once wore.
Ivory Buttons.
There is a prediction here that ivory
buttons will be in high favor this spring.
This is a long way to look ahead, but the
prediction is probably right. At present
in one or two Of the shops OF importers
of Oriental novelties on Fifth Avenue
there are to be seen exquisite hand
carved ivory buttons. Buttons OF this
sort are worn by fashionable women
not only as trimmings to indoor gowns,
but as coat buttons for suits and even
ing wraps. Z
Among the new American-produced
ivory buttons, however, Is the carved
ivory button with black rim and coloned
center. The next buttons include both
self-shank and sew-through buttons.
Among the sew-through buttons those
with four holes. which are SeWed on
with colored silk, are most Seffective-
There are some novelty shaped ivory
buttons-square and acknowledged
among them-which are exceedingly ef-
fective.
The Double skirt.
lust as the full, short tunic has de-
veloped itno the short, wide skirt. 30
the double tunic, which has been and
still is featured in some Of the French
models, has developed into a double
skirt It is utilized for evening frocks
of tuIle or other very sheer fabric.
Usually each skirt is bound with satin
or ribbon, to give 1t q certain hrmness,
so that the fiaring lower edge is en-
phasized and the two skirts hang away
from each other.
some of the new sl<irts-and this dou-
ble one is among thenf-do most decided
ly show the influence Of crinoline. Last
spring crinolines were predicted. And
when . French society leader, the