Evening star., 1939-11-18
Yesteryear's
Fashions at
Reception
Twentieth Century
Club Clock Back
To Cos and Beyond

Heavily plumed hats and tiny bon
nets, wasp waist gowns and billow-
ing skirts and many other treasures
from the attics Of Twentieth Gen.
tury Club members and their
friends, once again contributed to q
gay hour yesterday as they were
worn at the clubs annual reception
at the Washington Club.
AS this is the clubs jubilee year,
the reception was gay nineties"
party, though many of the costumes
dated back much further. There
were few modern gowns, though
most members took the opportunity
to display rare and authentic cos
tunes of by-gone periods.
Mrs. Edward G. Montgomery, club
president, headed the receiving line
of officers, while Mrs. Philip Sidney
Smith, chairman of the Golden Ju-
bilee Committee, greeted guests at
the head of the stairs. Both. wore
costumes from the wardrobe of Mrs.
Smiths mother-in-law, Mrs. Mont
gomery's gown having a redingote
effect with the basic dress of old
lace and the coat, of flowered figured
material. Mrs. Smiths costume was
a royal purple redingote with train,
and an underdress of opalescent silk.
She wore hat with opalescent
plumes.
Gown Dates Back to 1724.
Mrs. D. A. Greenlees wore prob.
ably the oldest dress. a gown de-
signed in England and dating back
to 1924. Mrs. Stanley Young wore
Paris gown purchased so years
ago. while Miss Caroline Tyler wore
a bonnet purchased in Paris In
1906
Mrs. Robert S. Townsend wore the
gown of Mrs. w. C. Wood. one of
the charter members of the club,
while Mrs. Alfred H. Brooks wore
a bonnet which had belonged to
Mrs. Thomas Sidwell, a former
president and member of the club
for 40 years.
Costumes representing three pc
riods, which came from the family
of Mrs. w. w. Husband, another
past president, also attracted in
terest. The gowns, worn by Mrs.
Husband, Mrs. Stephen Olop and
Mrs. Virgil Jackson, were wedding
or trouSseau gowns of Mrs. Hus-
bands grandmother, her mother
and her sister
Mrs. E. B. Clark. also past presi-
dent, wore her sister-in-laws we'd
ding veil dating back to 1870, while
there was special interest in the
costume of Mrs. Fred NJ Hopkins,
who wore the wedding suit of her
husbands father. with his watch
and chain. AS Mrs Hopkins adopt
ed the manners as we'll as the cos
tune Of gentleman of that period,
she proved to be one of the most
popular members present.
Several wore gowns from the COL
lection being made by the Womens
Guild of the Goodwill Industries.
Miss Strider Makes Introductions.
Greeting the guests with Mrs.
Smith were Mrs. r. Thomas West.
Gallinger Hospital chairman: Mrs.
olOoho, lllStUl dIlu FlCHdIQ
D. Stimson, Social Committee chair
man.
Miss Emma T. Strider made In
Productions, assisted by Mrs. George
Oliver Gillingham and Mrs. Eugene
R. Whitmore. Alternating at the
tea table were past presidents of the
club, Mrs. Ernest P. Bicknell being
chairman of this committee. Others
were Mrs. Ulysses c. B. Pierce. Mrs.
Clark, Mrs. Gilbert H. Grosvenor,
Mrs. Lyman B. Swormstedt. Mrs.
Frederic E. Harrington. Mrs. Eugene
R. Stevens, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Hus.
band, Mrs. Ellwood P. Morey, Mrs.
James K. McClintock and Mrs. Karl
Fenning.
Board members and members of
the jubilee and Gallinger Hospital
committees also assisted. as we'll as
members of the Social Committee,
headed by Mrs. Stimson.
The reception is held annually by
the club for members only.