The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-04
LATEST FASHIONS
AT THE CAPITAL
sY MARGARET WADE.
BY MARoARET WApE.

Belgian blue and Belgian rose, the
latter new shade not in the least
roselike, but very smart and only to
be had in the choicest Of fabrics. are
likely TO displace the whole range Of
browns that have been pushed to the
front in autumn fashions exhibits. If the
great popularity Of our royal visitors is
given practical support by Dame
Fashion.
With King Albert saying frankly that
his visit to America has its commercial
slde with a view to securing American
credit in building up Belgian industries,
4 Is not altogether surprising TO find
that ne ana Queen Elizabeth are show
ing what one friendly critic calls an
| ostentatious simplicity in dress
queen Eiizabeth Is thus far wearing
very modest gowns of serge by day
ana satin by night. just like any we'll
dressed commoner at home and abroad,
but Washington has hopes Of seeing a
real court costume on the return Of
the royal visitors, when official So
clety VIII be given an opportunity of
seeing u not exactly the royal visitor
who VIII make a tour Of the country,
Just as the king did 20 years ago when
\ as Prince Albert, heir to the throne
OF his uncle, King Leopold, he made
his first visit to Washington This
change Of plan being made necessary
by the illness Of President Wilson and
complete elimination Of the program ar
ranged weeks ago by the state depart
ment.
The confusion OF today, when we are
supposed to have made great strides in
diplomatic usage, while advancing
worldwide democracy is in great con-
trast to the reception given this much
hnFag,rnA n L. LIZ - ps
ago, when attended by only two off
GERS, one court physician, Prince AL
bert was met at the old railroad sta
ton on Sixth street by members OF
the Belgian legation and escorted in the
White House carriage to the old Arl-
ington hotel. where the visitors re-
manned a little more than three days.
Each evening Of his stay was marked
by dinner party with President and
Mrs. Mckinley, the Belgian minister
and Countess de Lichteryelde, the vice.
president and Mrs. Hobart, acting as
hosts in the order named.
On each Occasiin the company reflect
ed the personal choice OF the hosts and
their sense Of fitness.
At the White House the SO-odd guests
included, in addition to the ambassa-
doris from Great Britain, Germany and
France, the immediate circle Of the chief
executive and wife, from the secretary
Of state to the assistant secretary to
the president, with relatives from Ohio
and several Of the seasons debutantes,
and, as always at Mckinley dinner par
ties, prominent members of both house
and senate.
Miss Frances Alger, now Mrs. Charles |
Pike. Of Chicago, was honored hv being |
placed next the prince at table because
IL was said of her excellent French but
as the king now speaks fluent as well |
as very pure English, no such procedure |
ha fnilRvrFFd OF dinner
OF his present visit. All the young Ia
dies OF the cabinet circle were included |
in this White House dinner, as were
the daughters OF Justice Mekenna, a |
former member Of the Mckinley cabi-
net. the Misses Evans. daughters OF
the then commissioner of pensions: Miss |
Miles, Miss Bates, Miss Ethel Horst.
mann and Miss Daisy Letter, all OF
whom have since married and most OF
them far away from Washington.
The vice-president, Mr. Hobart, fol- |
lowed their dinner with large recep-
ton as did the Belgian minister. The |
countess Of Iechtesvelde having her
gowns for this occasion sent from Brus- |
sels--not Paris, and of Belgian materi- |
ais. silk velvet and lace.
The Baroness de Cartier, wife OF the |
present envoy OF Belgian, unlike her |
predecessor twenty years ago does not |
confine herself to Belgian made gowns |
as everything she wears has the un- |
mistakable ear mark OF the Rue de la |
Paix.
At her first afternoon reception |
which was in compliment to Cardinal |
Mercier, who preceded the royal Wis
itors to Washington by week, this |
latest addition to the diplomatic hos,
tesses wore wonderful Paris gown OF |
gold lace over tulle and satin the latter |
showing the close silhouette with full |
ness drawn into the hem In turkish |
fashion with the golden drapery also |
following the suggestion OF the orient |
and much shorter on one side than the |
other
Baroness de Cartier who lived much |
in Paris as Mrs. Hamilton Wilke Carey, |
well known in the American colony, of |
the French capitol, also wears the dainty |
French shoe of the moment with very |
short vamp and high heels, consequently |
with the strap or ribbon about her |
ankle,
Few American women wear French |
shoes even when importing other ar |
tcles OF apparel The long yamp being !
rule much more graceful as well as |
more comfortable to the average Ameri |
can foot
Even should official entertaining be |
reduced to minimum, Washington is |
likely to see revival In dress In the |
coming winter
Nine. Jusserand. wife of the French |
ambassador, wore to the first dinner |
party OF the season a gown evidently |
brought from Paris as 1t Is of the metal |
brocade returning to high favor This |
is white and silver with train and the |
rather high drapery about the hips. |
The Countess di Cellare, wife of the |
ambass ador from Italy, who has Just |
returned from Newport where she and |
the children of the family passed the |
summer, also wore a dinner gown OF |
the new brocade, but in white and gold. |
A new and very smart gown intended
for wear at one Of the next weeks |
most important functions now indefi- |
ntely postponed is a petunia velvet |
like the blue hrocade showing great
tullness in the skirt but preserving the |
straight silhouette, This is heightened
by a loose narrow panel OF Jet, both
front and back, with jet straps across
the shoulders. A distinct note in the
coming season will he the new rich color
tones Of evening gowns and millinery,
In the matter Of wraps as we'll as
dinner gowns all thought of economy
has been thrown to the winds, with fur
coats lined with metal brocade finding
ready sale at $4,000 and upwards.
Millinery, too, has come into its own
from the viewpoint of the designer. The
modest little toque or mushroom which
was almost uniform that this time
last year having gone the way OF other
wartime fashions.
Tailored suits continue severely plain
and dark in color-the darker the bet
ter but every suit Is topped by hat
that Is never plain and rarely dark
Vivid red hats are appearing at every
hour Of the day, semisport effects in
felt for Informal wear In town or at
the country clubs, with wonderful Gre
ations IN velvet, satin or tulle for after