The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 22, 1901, Page 5

HOSTESS «® NEW YEAS pense. The long or court tralns as they are now seen in the handsomest establish ments are things*of great cost, and the loftiness of their prices, together with their beauty, clothe them with something of the majesty of mysticism "“"Who can possibly afford such a gown?”’ was the question asked by a young wom- an as she paused in front of a great glass show window in which a waxen beauty, llfn. size, simpered above the draperies of satin and chiffon, of lace and ribbon, of velvet roses and silk, all combined in one beautiful whole that made up an evening gown, “Who, indeed?’ echoed another girl, whose eyes dwelt upon the sweeping train in whose lengths there were dollars plain- ly shown. In the shops as a New York gift to all the world of women there are shown silks and satins in brocades and figures, many gl‘f them recently brought out for display. T'hese bring the long train, if not within easy reach, certainly within speaking dis- tance of the woman who aspires. The New Silks. Time was, not so long ago, when the cost of a gown could be plainly discerned by glancing at it, but now it is to a cer- tain extent different. The new silks are 80 beautifully finished and so prettily fig- ured that one is really deceived in them, and might easily be mistaken in thinking them much more expensive than they are. There are the Louisine silks, of which one never tires in praise, and there are the empire stuffs, that are so pretty with their bouquets and their floral baskets, their wreaths and their little market bunches; and there are the Persian silks, which really grow more and more won- derful as the world goes by. But besides these there have recently been manufactured many handsome silks that for beauty of coloring and delicacy :)‘f design wlil probably never be excelled. These are sold for small pricegs, some of them well within a dollar a yard, and are 80 good in stamp and texture that they can be made up very simple, often with- out any trimming but their own figures. A_ sown of one of these silks, made en tr:uln for a New Year reception, could easily bo put together in a few days, cer- tainly in a week. The waist would re- quire nothing beyond cutting after a sim- ple shirtwaist pattern. Any good summer model would do. It must blouse a little if of figured silk, if it would be in the very newest Parisian style; and must be brought down to a rounding point in front, precisely as though it were a cot- ton shirtwaist. It is very smart to wvefl such a blouse- waist in figured chiffon. Any simple chif- fon with small figure will do and the cut- ting should be performed upon the lines of the outside waist, though the two ara made separately, one over the other T figure from the under silk shows through the outer walist of chiffon with very soft effect, Cutting a Bodice. The cutting of a decollete bodice is a simple thing, but the amateur is apt to do her work not wisely but too thorough ly. The neck should be rounded and cut delicately, not nearly as low as one de- sires the waist to be, but at least two inches higher. When completed the neck will sag and the seams will give so that the desired lowness is obtained. The cutting of a neck too low is a fault 50 common to the amateur that it can b always looked for, but in the hands of a real modiste such a mistake 1« er occurs. Of course an error of this 1®.d robs a bodice of its beauty completely. It gives the wearer, too, an uncomfortable feel- ing as though her garments were coming off. The skirt of a handsomely figured ra- terial can be entirely plain with a lorg rounded train and a ruffle under the foot to keep it out. The belt may be a soft crush belt. The sash will play no unimportant part in the season’s gowns. It will be made of chiffon and worn in one of many ways all thoroughly approved. Miss Hay, whose engagement to Payne Whitney has been recently announced, wears a viack crepe de chine gown with a sash of biack silk bordered with a very narrow double box plaiting of chiffon. 'This is set-entire- ly around the edge of the sash. Another form shows the wide sash all of chiffon without a border. This is wound once around the waist and once around the figure, the lower winding com- ing under the hips and well down tiae front, It is finally tied at one side. Still another of the long sashes of the season is tied directly in front, but this should be worn only by a very slender figure. E':J‘hero are new methods of tying the sash., One shows it as a chou consisting of four loops, with long trailing ends. Another method displays the crossed ends caught under a pretty pin. The sash pin is one of the new features in this year’s jewelry. It is in the form of a long clasp looking something like a buckle, but having a fastening at one side, something like a boa pin, but on a much more limited scale. The sash is really a charming feature of dress and one that will grow more popular, For the New Year day costume its value can hardly be overestimated, for it has a way of beautifying a new gown and of positively glorifying an old one. The new sash ribbons are the ones that are velvet dotted. Others are striped with travsparent stripes, while qthers OO~ have beautiful roses that will admit of a bit of hand embroidery upon the ends, which can be finished with fringe. New Year Handkerchiefs. After a long period, during which the pocket, handkerchief was banigshed from public gaze and relegated to an inner pocket, there comes a time when it can be brought out again. Not only is it now permissible, but it has become actually an object of beauty and part of dress. Lhe lace handkerchief of two generations ago was not more necessary to the woman of those days than the fine little linen ones nowadays. . With the New Year gown it must be carrfed in the hand, or it may be tucked in the front of one's corsage, or even slipped in the sleeve, if that be long. It ‘an be arranged to hide in the belt with pretty little ends projecting, or it can be merely a matter of ornament, of dalli- ance, for the fingers. The handkerchief ring is also in process of revival, and may be soon seen again. A ring, with chain 1t is, to which is attached a ring through which the handkerchief is drawn. The new linen handkerchiefs are very small and of very fine linen. Their bor- der is narrow, and the main claim to beauty consists of the embroidery that is in one corner. This is in the form of a little wreath, with the initial inside, the wreath worked out in colors. Or it may be a little white silk eagle, with a wreath beneath it and an initial inside the wreath. The family crest is very good upon the corner of the handkerchief, and can be done ‘‘quartered” in full colors, to make a very brave heraldic design. The 1902 handkerchief is a trifle that wins favor. It is a-little linen affair, with 1%2 embroidered on one corner. Below must be one's monogram. New Year Gloves. It is in the height of etiquette to go without gloves at the New Year reception, for there is no hand clasp like the bare one. In one’s own home the extended hand should be gloveless, Still, there are hos- tesses who wear long gloves New Year's day, and for them there are the gloves with handsomely trimmed tops. There is this about the long glove—that it comes wel up toward the shoulder and sort of dresses up the arm and is becoming. Another has a top trimmed with ap- plique put on to make a still upper part. A third has a lace top with the kid cut out underneath the lace, while there is another style that has the embroidered top, the roses coming out in full relief of color against the kid background. It is difficult to purchase such gloves ready made, but they can be ordered to match one’s costume, o