The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-21
FASHIONS AT THE CAPITAL
Welldressed Women of Washmgtons Smart Society
Their Gowns Their Hats Their Furs and Their Laces

I showing this shade in it's pannier over
| dress. with its skirt entirely of cream
lace in deep flounces. The blue material
| is one of the soft French taffetas. II
opens from the waist line in front and
| is embroidered on each side in colored
7 pearl beads, taking on several blue tints
| with gold, silver and crystal interviewer
| in the design. This same combination OF
lace bodice, which is sleeveless, and also
appears in the suggestion of high
girdle.
The north bank of the Potomac possesses
| the same geographical advantage In the
| matter of dress for its feminine resi-
, dents today. which recommended it to
| the fathers of the new republic n CEN
fury ago, when seeking proper point
twiXt north and south as a site for the
Federal Capital. Here women Of assured
position and acknowledged taste from
Boston and from New Orleans may meet
on common ground. with each maintain
ing her home standards i'm the matter of
attire. vet neither be conspICuously out
of harmony with any fashionable COM
pany in which she may find herself. This
broad latitude in dress was illustrated
in a very happy manner at the reception
last week in compliment TO Mrs. william
Cummings Story. president general OF
the Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton. The receiving hours being from
to :. and the company almost exclusive
~ from the ranks of the daughters. Amer
lean fashions may be said to have had
their best representation of the season
Mrs. Story, a modshly attired woman.
according to the standards of New York.
on this occasion departed from the con-
ventional demi-toilet of her home city
to wear a handsome and elaborate gown
of pink brocade velvet with lace top,
gown such as Boston. New York, Phla-
delpha and Baltimore is accustomed to
see at dinner parties. At the play. or the
dance At the play only when a supper
party is to follow and the performance
is viewed from a box. Mrs. Story wore
this same gown in Richmond earlier in
the season. where not only the members
of the receiving party. hut large pro-
portion of the guests were dressed in
the same fashion.
Mrs. Samuel Spencer, who claims
both Washington and Tuxedo Park as
her home. welcomed the guests hidden
to meet Mrs. Story in trained gown
of dull blue satin and black lace made
on the lines dictated by New York
and the Northern standards. The skirt
was made with train: the bodice was
high, with a soft waistcoat of cream
lace. The drapery of the skirt was
black lace in long becoming lines.
suggesting the panier. Mrs. Spencer's
sleeves were long and of lace. She
wore no hat. but wore very handsome
jewels in the form of a necklace of
pearls with cOrsaGe ornaments of dia-
monds. Mrs. George NJ. Sternberg.
wife of the former Surgeon General OF
the Army and for many years 4 resi-
dent of Washington. wore a dcmi-toI-
let OF lace and satin much the same
character as Mrs. Spencers. while the
fourth lady of the receiving line. Miss
Hilda Fletcher, of Indianapolis wore
a gown of orchid-colorcd chiffon made
with round skirt and the smart new
draped bodice with squarecut neck
and elbow sleeves.
Mrs. Joseph f.. Ransdell. wife of the
Senator from Louisiana and one of the
officers of the National Society of the
Daughters. wore a handsome gown of
white chiffon with its establishment
a deep border of silver paillettes form
ing scalloped edge for the straight
full overdress. Mrs. Ransdelrs bodice
was high with elbow sleeves. Four
ffths of the visitors wore tailored
suits. and as the day was cool. wore
furs well. The other fifth wore
afternoon gowns. usually of dark
toned velvet or brighter colored crepes
or taffetas with hats that genera
tion ago could have been described
only as dressy, and in this A. ID. 1915
are distinctly afternoon hats. De-
spite this wide diversity of costume
every one of the 500 women present
enjoyed the occasion immensely with
out feeling herself overdressed or IN
derdrcSscd. which goes to show just
what comfortable place to live
Washington is
In speaking OF tho daughters OF
the Revolution and their popular pres
ident it may h" said she has laid aside
tho mauvcs and puppies that have dis
her gowns for many years
past and for visiting and attending
afternoon affairs is wearing a particu
larly smart and becoming tailored cos
tum" of taupc cloth with moleskin
furs. including very attractive little
hat which the recent return TO cold
weather made most appropriate.
Another prominent daughter recent
~ entertained In Washington and of
more than passing interest is Mrs |
George T. Gurnsey, Of Independence. |
kanS. That is Mrs. Gurnsey's home. |
but her ancestral halls. if good DEM /!
Dcratic daughter of Kansas wants to !
ak about ancestral halls. are at Lam |
'aster. Pa. where her Ereat-great- /
Gen. Edward Hand, aide |
ic-camp to Gen. Washington, lived and !
lied at Rockford. a spacious red brick /
mansion still standing on the banks |
# the ConcstoCa.
Mrs. Gurnsey. who. according to the !
gossip of the Daughters. is Mrs. Storys |
most formidable rival for the presi- |
lency OF the society. is woman who
always dresses to tn" occasion. For a
Inner party in Washington or in In
dependence she wears the usual even
ng gown of velvet, satin or of tullc.
according to the season. For the |
monthly board meetings which she at
ends regularly she wears the most |
eYere tailored suits. always plain. but
- well cut and well tailored as were
Ter Ereat-Sreat-g uni
orms when that officer and gentleman
ervcd on WashinGton's staff.
Mrs. David Jayne HILL who is
amous on two continents for putting
mental attainments and generous hos
'itality far above consideration OF
rcss. is nevertheless the posscssor of
handsome wardrobe that has been
n constant requisition since her re-
urn to Washington in the early win
or, Mrs. Hill looks particularly well
n a handsome white brocade dinner
own which except for the absence of
train might have done duty for a
curt function in Berlin where she was
or four years the mistress of the
american Embassy. The well hung