The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-11
Latest Fashions
At The Capital
BY IDA MYNDERS
BY MARGARET WADE.

While Washington Is still feeling q
natural disappointment in having missed
the first view Of the king and queen
af Belgium. and the hoped for opportu-
nifty OF i~naugurating q social season OF
international interest with three .officiai
dinner parties and a reception fn@tht
an American union. the autumn we'd
dings and the coming and going Of dis,
tinguished visitors from ali parts Of
the country are Of sufficient Importance
to make the early autumn notable as
period OF social reconstruction.
Even should the health of the presi
dent make 1t necessary to eliminate all
White House hospitality. Washington
still promises to see an after-the-waT
winter Of unusual interest with Dame
Fashion receiving due consideration
from young and old.
Due consideration Is said advisedly
for despite all discussion Of women,
clubs to the contrary, dress has its ap-
pointed place In the scheme OF life with
a careless indifference to clothes quite
as unfortunate as an extravagant idea
of their Importance,
II Is this happy faculty OF dressing to
suit the occasion that has made the
women of Washington excellent exam
pies of good taste, let the occasion be
grave or gay. 4.
The handsome gowns ordered early in
the autumn In anticipation of n series
Of dinners and receptions in compliment
to a succession Of visitors have been
hung always In dark but well-aired clos.
cts until the official program is finalla
~inaugurated, and these anxious, uncere-
tain weeks happily forgotten.
Tailored suits and autumn hats are
for the moment the most important fac
tors In feminine attire with the galleries
OF the house and senate-more frequent
ly the senate-common ground for the
one of the East, West, North or
South, all for the time being washing
tonians, and interested and intelligent
followers of the questions Of the day,
Mrs, Wilson always attends a session
of congress when the president ad
dresses that body, but rarely on any
other occasion,
Mrs, Marshall, too, can be depended
upon to occupy a seat in the gallery Of
occasions, but for scores of womer
every day Is an occasion while the
peace treaty IL before the world,
Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, an almost
daily visitor to the senate, looks hand.
Some and girlish in her very simple
white gown Of the same kind she loved
from her school days, conforming to the
mode of the moment without detractina
In the slightst from the wearer's dis
tinction,
For instance, early in the week Mrs
Longworth woret a gown Of white voilv
with tucked skirt nine inches from the
ground, with a black silk coat and a
black velvet hat. The coat to the hips
was semifitting and worn with the In.
formality of the average sweater, yeI
the most casual observer would note it;
! cut and finish as strictly custom made
The hat was a broad brimmed rounc
shape, slightly mushroom, with sof
crown, and its trimmings a half-incf
band of grosgrain ribbon at the base OIL
the crown tied In a jaunty little bow
In front. The day being warm, Mrs
Longworth wore white pumps and hos.
iery and dispensed with gloves, Becom,
moved her hat. showing her abundanO
/ brown hair to be arranged in loose
wave from the brow. then coiled In tn,
back. Although invited to a seat In th'
gallery reserved for families Of sen
ators, the former Miss Roosevelt claim.
no special privileges, and, IL going L
the gallery alone, rides in the public el
evator ard takes her seat In a rea
bench until, as is invariably the case
someone in authority invites her to on
OF the front benches, which In thes
days are kept locked. even though tn
admission to this gallery Is strictly b,
card,
n continued warm weather mas re
tarded the wearing Of autumn fash
ions In everything but hats. \ Mos
women are like Mrs. Longworth, com
promising with the season by continu
ing in comfortable foulard wolfe an
%georgette gowns, with satin or velve
hats and an occasional fur neck piec
to show preparedness for a change
season.
Mrs. Warren Harding, wife Of tn
senator from Ohio, wore In the senat
gallery recently a very chic dark blu
foulard, with round hat of straw an
satin, while Mrs Joseph Frelinghuyse1
who apparently came right to the ga
lery from the railroad station on reach
ing town, topped her very smart dar
blue gown made on the long tuni
straight line model with a hat Of yelye
and satin, much the same model a
Mrs. Longworth's, but in blue.
II Mrs. Medill Mccormick, another youn
hanatron OF the senatorial circle, wore
lSht- weight tailored suit Of tan clot
with a straw hat,
Parasols are still to be seen on Con
necticut avenue any day in the weel
although most women who carry thet
are ready and anxious TO substitut
muffs.
Mrs. Hitchcock. wife Of the Deme
cratic leader. who makes the trip 10 th