Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1892 — THE THEATER TOILETS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE THEATER TOILETS.

THEY WERE NEVER SO BEAUTIFUL AS NOW. Toilets Can Be Seen at the Theater Nowadays Which Would Not look Out of Place In an Opera Box-Charming Reception Gowns. late Fashion Gossip.

silks and 7M velvets, cobwebby, laces yellow with * w age, diaphanous A tulles and gauzes, 'j slender graceful A figures banded with n ribbons which drop j.l their long floating ends, Watteau • u pleats springing ra} out like folded wings from fair t shoulders, trailing || robes edged with m fur, such are a few [!\ of the ingredients 1 1\ which make up a tl\ vision for my Lady hLA Clara of Fashion jj/M Castle, in the Kingdom of Allmodes. SsEr From her shapely shoulders drop soft

laces, such as English and Venetian point, whose yellow tone set off admirably the red, blue or black of her gowns, whose thick guipure lies flat upon dark grounds with lovely effect. And the Watteau fold, where will its popularity end? Already the applications are infinite, writes our New York correspondent. I have noticed some in embroidered gauze, in lace and in transparent textures which drop with exquisite effect from between the shoulders and in nowise conceal the beauty of the figure. Such Watteau folds are usually framed by two long velvet ribbons, one on each side. In one case I saw'a superb reception dress of Bky-hlup veloutine which had a Watteau fold of lace reaching quite to the end of the train. Theater toilets, too, it seems to me, were never so beautiful as they are this season. In fact, one sees toilets in the theater boxes nowadays which would not look amiss in an opera box. In m.y initial cut I present a charming cloak for use at theater or at an evening reception. It is made up in peacockgreen plush, over a completely adjusted inner garment, with an embioidered plastron front and back. The pelerine has too large folds at the back, and is gathered on the yoke. The bottom of the pelerine and also of the cloak is trimmed with an embroidered band, and the collar and fronts are garnished with moufflon. You may line it either with yellow or green silk. The pelerine must be made up in two parts, both cut straight, and you must so join them on the shoulder as to hide the seam with gathers. Just at present there are signs of new styles of coiffure which will no doubt

oust the Greek from its long-continued popularity. At dancing parties, especially, is this noticeable—there being a manifest tendency to greater omateness and intricacy, and yet it is an easy matter to vary the classic simplicity somewhat, and still retain its absolute grace. For instance, in my second illustration you will see pictured a very pretty style of dressing the hair for full dress. You begin by waving the hair, using as little heat as possible, so as not to produce a crinkled effect. Then you gather up the hair and coil it in a chignon, as represented, curling the ends and grouping them gracefully. The usual frizettes go with this style. In my third illustration I present the hick view of a very dainty little wrap for use at the opera or at a dancing party or evening reception. It may be made up in lace or embroidered chiffon. The back is gathered on a yoke of pink feathers and set off with a large bow of pink ribbon in the middle, in which place you mass the folds and cover them with two long ribbons springing . from the bow. The fronts are sewed to the feather yoke and brought down across the bust and tied loosely just above the waist line. They are quite detached from the garment itself, which barely covers the arms. This light and gossamer wrap is of course more for ornament than practical use, although you make up the feather yoke so thick and heayy as to yield considerable warmth, i merely suggest the combination of white and pink, but you may exercise your taste and ingenuity in devising others. Twelve or fourteen people are about all the average New York dining-room will hold, henoe the woman of fashion finds it extremely difficult to pay off dinner party obligations. But the next best

thing to being invited to a swell dinner, Is to be summoned for the dance that follows some of them. Toilets for these linner and dancing parties are very rich ind elegant. In my fourth illustration sou see pictured a dinner dress, a silk, dimmed with galloons of embroidery, which literally inenist it, outlining the lecollete and encircling the corsage in three rows about equidistant. Silks are much used for dinner Iresses. In fact, silks are reasserting their old-time domination. The change»ble silks are especially in vogue. An ixquisite buttercup yellow moire atracted my attention. It was trimmed * x

with fur in almost an original manner, at the bottom of the skirt, and also framing the decollete, but it did not stop here. The lady wore a dog collar of pearls and there was a band of the fur encircling it top and bottom. Very quaint idea, but extremely becoming to the particular wearer. For receptions and small gatherings the Jane Hading blouse is very modish. It is made up in white lace or silk crepon, overhanging a belt of galloon set off with mock gems. The same galloon frames the neck and the sleeves. In some cases these blouses are worn without sleeves at dancing parties, or, for reception purposes, you may add.the Kussian sleeve, which is double, a large puff ending at the elbow and the under sleeve being tight-fitting and extending to the wrist. I must not forget to call your attention to the new shade called “pink green. ” Pink here has reference to the flower and not the color. It seems that by artificial means the florists have succeeded in growing pinks of a green color. They will soon be the rage for buttonholes. Hyacinths and daffodils are to be treated in the same manner, and it will not be long before we shall find it impossible to recognize these dear old friends of our youth in their new coats. It*s too bad, really, to have these scientists changing the tints of flowers in this way, so that poor Mistress Mary will need become still more contrary if she attempts to tell how her garden grows. In my last illustration there is represented a very charming evening costume

—two kinds of silk in combination, the bodice being trimmed with galloon, a bronze-green leaf on a lighter shade of green. The sleeves are of figured silk. The same material is used to fill in the neck, but being wider in front, the galloon running to a point just above the waist line. What are we going to do when Lent comes In? is the question now agitating the world of fashion. No more dancing, of course, but possibly a quiet dinner party. The modish thing, however, will be the musicale, at which sacred music will predominate. The toilets will all be in minor key, if I may so term it, toned down, but still discreetly rich. The fair penitents will look most charming in these Lenten costumes, which will strive for quaint and picturesque effects. The old composers, Gluck, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart, will be in vogue, and, naturally, one must dress up to them. The wide berthas of heavy guipure will look most charming on the dark velvets, and the moire antiques will be in lively demand. It is fortunate that black velvet bows and streamers are so much used. They will chime with the Lenten gloom and may be worn with almost any toilet. They look very coquettish attached to one shoulder, and then, too, the black satin slippers, now affected by those who make a study of the fashions, come in very appropriately for Lenten purpose, with the additional advantage that they make the foot look very small. Afternoon tqas bring out some really charming little gowns. One in particular attracted my attention. It was in crepe de chine, bordered with Oriental

embroidery, and there was a little vest of emerald velvet, gold braided, and set off with mock gems. The vest opened on a chemisette of crepon, and the inevitable Watteau pleat was represented by a bow of satin ribbon set between the shoulders, the ends falling down over the skirt. In the line of outer garments, the long jacket coming down well below the knee will undoubtedly hold on to its popularity way into the spring. They will be made quite tight, or merely fitting at the back and straight in front, and with such a garment a glove-fit with little garniture is to be preferred to a poor fit with every seam covered with rich embroidery. The long jacket is essentially a hint taken from male attire and should always have a tailormade look about it. You will note that plain cloth skirts, when they are not ia : lor-made, are very prettily combined with velvet. The latter in the form of a deep band cut straight is fitted to the bottom of the sk'.rt, and, after the band is tacked on, the cloth is cut in fancy edges and a braided design carried out, producing, if tastefully wrought, very rich effects. The velvet band may be of any depth you choose, but looks best when about fourieen inches wide. Chicago thieves are so bold that they slip into churches and steal the $75 overcoats of the clergymen who are busy in the pulpit. Happily there is a place where Chicago thieves will not feel like stealing overcoats and where there is no home market for heavy clothing.— Courier-Journal. The report that Sarah Althea Terry is “off her mental balance and has gone insane” is surprising news to those who know her best. They had an idea that any change in her mental condition would have been in the direction of returning to sanity.— Philadelphia Times. When a girl marries a man to reform him the devil doesn’t worrv.

MODISH COIFFURE.

WRAPPER OF CHIFFON AND FEATHERS.

DINNER DRESS.

A DANCING GOWN.