The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-03
M elvet Gowns
 Are Popular ,. At Capitol
By MARGARET WADE

nnodistes and milliners are hera1ding i'm portant changes in spring modes, the best dressed women in Washington are wearing velvet gowns, fur trimmed even: ing frocks, and top coats, all suited to the weather, which is true to the old adage that the cold begins to strengthen as the days begin to lengthen. ..-
 The end of the season is still month off with a number of smart balls to take place during the present month, all offering opportunities for exploiting the very latest models in evening frocks, while afternoon receptions bring out many very becoming costumes in mid. winter fabrics, but in the line that the most advanced authorities tell us will distinguish the gowns of spring. =
 There is very distinct preference for satin in black, in white, and in colors Chat will be carried all through the spring and summer.
 The small hat is also being pushed from its pre-eminence as the hat of the year, by the return of broad-brimmed shape in satin or very fine French felt, which will be followed by straw hats of the same shape, which really never
 
 arc always to be found in the wardrobe of Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, Mrs. Peter Goelet Gerry, Mrs. Breckenridge Long and Mrs.. Louis Titus, all famous for smart dressing with special emphasis on the hats. ......-. :. = Another slight but significant detail in tho latest gowns from Paris is the N neck line for afternoon with 8 return tO the white or cream vestee. The ba- teau line is still to be met on majority Of gowns, but, like the small hat, it is no longer the dominating note. All of which is most encouraging to the woman who likes to dress to her type and figure rather than by her order of importer or modiste.
 :. Mrs. Coolidge has added a new green gcwn to her wardrobe, chiffon of jade tone striped in inchwide lines of crys- tai beads. The gown is draped slightly with the fullness gathered on the left side and has a square neckline but 10 sleeves. With this Mrs. Coolidge wears . string of jade bads.
 % Spaking of beads, or, rather, of neck aces, the sensation of the hour is the necklace of black pearls which Mrs. Pe- l, ter Goelet Gerry has secured by pur- chase from the collection of Russian crown jewels now being sold to Ameri can millionaires and heiresses by Prince Felix Yousoupoff. This string of 40 pearls, ranging in size from small pea to small filbert is said to be the choicest collection of black pearls in the world, with an estimated value of S40O,' 600. Mrs. Gerry and the jeweler who made the sale for Prince Yousoupoff naturally decline to state the terms of their contract, but it is known that the necklace was offered to another resi-. dent of the capital for cash price of $250,000. This was to man of many millions, who could, if so inclined, have written his check for the amount and hung the pearls about the neck of his young daughter without disturbing his financial credit in any way. He, how ever, did not wish any such piece of jewelry in his family.
 Mrs. Gerry, although the prospective the purchase in her own name and for her own pleasure, and is now wearing tn epearls with either a white satin or q black velvet evening gown for practi' cally all formal occasions. Should she snd her husband, the senator iron, Rhode Island, attend the congressional reception on Thursday evening, their as- ,Sociates in Congress and some one thou sand or more additional guests may look upon this addition to an already well stocked jewel casket.
 Mrs. Gerry, althoughthe prospective keiress to a large fortune now con- Golled by her mother, Mrs. Richard Townsend, has never been considered rich in her own right. She is a hand some blonde in her 30s and has no chil- dfen. Her maternal grandfather was the late William l.. Scott of Erie, Pa. Her late father was Richard Townsend of Philadelphia and Washington.
 Miss Ailsa Mellon, daughter of the Secretary of the Treasury, is one of the younger women who follows the fash ions in very happy fashion and always looks as though each particular costume was created for her and never dupli- cated.
 7 On a morning walk through Dupont circle with the thermometer far down la the POS, which is about as low as a Washington thermometer falls, Miss Mellon wore a long squirrel coat fitted across the shoulders with the precision of tailored costume, but with a gener- ans width at the hem. The sleeves were eoat-shaped and to the wrists. The gown beneath was dark homespun, but enly showed as the coat opened.
 - The hat topping this was small felt Sloche, guiltless of trimming except for the gros grain band and rosette at the aide. Miss Mellon wore low tan shoes, sport stockings in heather wool and heavy gloves matching her shoes. She carried a substantial walking stick with curved handle. At formal dinner pArty the same evening Miss Mellon wore a pure white gown in soft satin with the drapery held by a girdle oi crystal made in small flowers and leaves. This was worn at the natural waist line. A string of small, we'll matched pearls completed this very dis tinctive toilette. Mrs. Lawrence Phipps, wife of the senator from Colorado, and one of the best gowned women in official life, wore last week a reception gown of black satin showing the new V line with white lace vestee, also the trimming of silver beads applied in inch-wide stripes about the long-waisted top and on the dra- pery.
 Mrs. Carroll Reece, wife of Represen- tative Reece of Tennessee, a bride of the early autumn, wore to receive on her affornoon at home a very mOdiSh gown