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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1906)
PARIS, Dec. 2S. (Special Correspond ence.) "Tell me," writes an Ameri can girl student, contemplating study In Parif.. "how one must dress over there: whether in the latest fashion as far as one can afford or not in the fashion at all. I hear funny stories of how the Parisians often comment audibly on a foreigner's clothes, if they don't happen to please the French taste. Is It true?" To begin an answer to this lettor. the last statement is quite true. Paris is. In some ways, the most provincial., as well as the most sophisticated, city In the world. And when It comes to the point of women being dressed in poor taste, the Parisian mind, so famed for its courtesy, sees no reason for politeness. However, this does not refer to women who are simply or poorly dressed. It applies to the Haunting of grotesque and foreign oddities Paris is not used to, or the wearing of lineries at the wrong time and in the wrong way. For this reason, ail things considered, it is best for the American student to buy most of her wardrobe after .she reaches here. The Parisian toilet has a cachet all Its own and it Is a. great wife guard In a strange city to. look like the rest of the people one meets. Of especial Importance Is this to the girl of small means who Is looking forward to a sea son of serious work, for the fitness of a student's clothes depends largely upon the life she is to lead here. The taxation oh her pocketbook also will be determined by the clothes she wears and the money she spends for living ex penses, dressmakers, milliners, shoe makers, all charging according to the out ward sign the customers gives of pros perity. Liastly, a very smart toilette, ac cording to French etiquette, requires a carriage, and one may not risk any ex tended Journey afoot unloss prepared for disagreeablo adventures. Styles aro never very alert Xor the studying and working classes in Paris and In the Latin Quarter, where so large a proportion of the stranger girls aro com pelled to live from motives of economy,, fashions may be said to sleep. Some of the Frenchmen, indeed, still dress as In the days when Paul de Koek romances were the fashion, while the foreign girl who lives and studies in the Quartier generally wears her oldest gown and cul tivates the look of a student. But girls who only live hi the Quartier and go to schools at tho other side of Paris make always a strong effort to achieve a good and properly Parisian appearance, for tho moment the Seine is crossed styles smart en prodigiously. New Gowns for Hard Service. New gowns fashioned for hard service are, however. In the simplest materials and cuts, many coat frocks In rough black, blue or 'brown serge being seen. On tho coldest days these are worn over chamois and knitted vests for warmth, and tho neckpiece of fur, whatever the skin, never scorns very large. Very plain hats are seen with these gowns, in youthful felt shapes generally, with velvet and quill trimmings." Or, if the dress is of cloth, a folded toque of the same material or velvet may go with it. made becoming by a huge velvet ro sette, a flat bird or wings at the side. One very Important detail with the work-a-day get-up, the skirt of which is always short enough to show sensible boots, is a little divided underskirt or pantaloon of some warm material, which is worn in lieu of all other petticoats. For Paris mud, which the usual fluttering petticoats have a way of accumulat ing: and smearing over boots and gown, is as thick sis tar and almost as difficult to remove. Besides the llt tie divided skirts, which are virtually gymnasium trousers, fitting the hips with close yokes and bagging modest ly lower down, are much warmer. This is a very valuable attribute for any under-rigging that Is to be worn In Paris, for unless a student lives in an exceptional way she must battle all "Winter witli bitter cold. None of the little apartments are heated, nor are any of the student hotels where a few girls of tremendous courage (and very few pennies) live sometimes. Prepare for the Cold. As for the usual French boarding house, it is an undfrstood thing: that the pensionaire comes provided as if for polar regions. Felt bedroom shoes, flannel smocks (to put over the shirt waist while In the bedroom), and an eiderdown square for the foot of the bed, are indispensable comforts in Paris. For even In quite good boarding-houses only the salon, the dining room and the halls are heated. But the majority of the girls who live in the Quartier rlnh tnrcthpr nnrf take an apartment, going out for meajs. une arst breakfast, coffee or chocolate and rolls, they take at some coffee stand in a porte cochere, tho carriage way of some little hotel or rented room house. This costs 6 cents (without butter), and the girls who are given to foregathering in pairs, dressed, for the day's work, take It standing, without thought of embar rassment, since, they are following the custom -of the entire Quartier. A raincoat and sandals and umbrella are very necessary comforts, for it rains a great deal in the Winter -In Paris. Ways and means. of acquiring a good coat, and a sonslblc gown of right appearance, are excellent things for the student to know before arriv ing. . The fussier frocks, which arc needed for social gathering, arc generally made by little dressmakers, whose prices range from $3 up. But these brilliant and plteously Inexpensive sewers arc quite at sea with tho tai lored thing, so a number of girls who need to make one frock or coat suit many occasions go to an Knglish shop, where gowns and coats are made to order out of English and Scotch ma terials. Two of these frocks are demonstrated on the foreground figures of the larger drawing. The checked drow is of taupe and black wool with plain taupe cloth for trimming. Scotch flannel in deep blue shapes the other dress, and both show the belted tall coats, wmcn are sun exploited for slim wearers here, and which, properly Interlined, require no additional wrap. For dressier wear many frocks aro made up entirely of their own materials, except maybe for a charming white Social Debts Every Person Has .ICK WORTHING'S wedding comes 1 next week and we haven't sent any present yet. We must get some thing for him, and something that is real ly worth while, for he gave us those beautiful cups when we were married." "But. Mary, the last installment on our furniture comes due next weok and I thought surely 1 could get it out of the way for good and all. This will mean that it has to wait over for another month, and I'll have to lose the amount for prompt payment. Hang weddings, anyway! I wish we'd gone off and been married and told our friends afterward. We'll be paying for all the presents they gave us twice over before we get through." The family of moderate income usual ly has just this sort of a problem to face two or three times a year. Wedding presents, like pew rent, have to be fig ured in the annual expenditures. It is all very well for the wise heads to sit by and say It isn't necessary to give them if the household funds are rather low or the extra money happens to be needed at that time. But the fact remains, so cial debts have to have their Interest paid quite as regularly as any other debt, and the wedding present which brought so much pleasure when you were married cannot be forgotten when your friend's wedding invitation comes round. The same is true of every form of so cial entertainment. This invitation to dinner, that invitation to the theater or a visit at a friend's house in the coun try all have obligations attached to them which cannot be overlooked. How best to meet these obligations and still keep within an income is an important ques tion with every person of moderate means who enjoys social lntcrcouse. Calling Card Essential. One of the first essentials In paying so cial debts Is the calling card. These little pieces of pasteboard can wipe out a mul titude of small obligations, and no one should be without a supply always on hand. The card, however, must be ex tremely neat, and engraved rather than printed. For a man an oblong of pure white brls tol board an Inch and a half wide and three or four inches long holds his name In full across the center of the card, with Mr. before it. Should he have the same name as his father or an older relative. THIS SUNDAY OREGOXIA.V. PORTLAND. JANUARY A, 1906. guixnpc and undcrslccvcs. Cashmeres in most beautiful shades are choson for many of there. In wonderful dim tints of red, faded blues and esthetic shades of brown: for the girl who studies In Pari.", whatever the profession, Ls largely prone to do the artistic thing. Such gowns as these and others made all of some artis tically tinted silk and topped by delight ful lints, which private milliners who live simply, turn out for a song, are now be ing made for girls wlo attend the Clas cal matinees at tho Franca Is. Those oc cur generally during Lent, and aside from the charm of the rare and delightful com edies, they furnish the student a means of acquiring good French. When dressed in her go!ng-out fineries, the girl student needs as well as a car riage, a long coat In some neutral shade or In black. The cost of the carriage is trifling 30 cents the trip and if three or four girls take It together, as is often done, the expense Is scarcely more than carfare. As for the coat, if one made to order cannot be afforded, very excellent models can bo found in the big depart ment stores at incredibly low prices. The small shopkeeper, onco no delight ful a feature of Paris life, is fast disap That Everyone Must Pay Obligations to Be Met as Regular as Money Debts. Jr. follows Tils name. The proper card for a girl ls as nearly square as possible and at least two Inches wide. For a ma tron k,' still larger-size card carries her husband's name, preceded by Mrs.. A widow has her cards engraved with her maiden name preceding her husband's surname. Aside from the cards themselves each person should have a package of small envelopes that exactly lit the size of the pasteboard. The uses of these apparently trivial little messengers are, multiple. In the first place they should always be left whn an Invitation is accepted to any formal function, such as a tea. a coming out or a wedding. They are dropped on a plate which stands near the door upon entering, and they serve to Inform the hostess Just who has accepted her hospi tality and also aid her In making out fu ture lists for Invitations. When making a call the card Is always handed to the person who opens the door unless the latter ls a member of the fam ily. At a hotel apartment house the card ls given to the clerk at the desk to be sent to the rooms by a bellboy. On the other hand, the Invitation which Is not accepted Is acknowledged most satisfactorily by sending a card In an en velope of the same size on the day of the- function. Letters of condolence or of con gratulation are answered In the same way. Inscribed In one's own handwriting with "many thanks." In sending a pres ent of any kind either by mail, express or messenger, the card Is enclosed, and. If the person to whom the gift Is sent Ls an intimate friend, all but the Christian name Is crossed out by two straight lines run through the other words. Another Important use. of cards Is when a man or woman suddenly leaves town and has not time to mail parting calls. In which case the calling card. Inscribed with the new address and a few words such as "Sorry not to have seen you before I left" or simply the letters P. P. C In one corner, will keep one In touch with acquaintances that are left behind. The second great help In paying social debts Is the letter. To give an Impres sion of sincerity and correctness this should be Inscribed always on a very good quality of note paper with careful and neat handwriting and with an at tentive consideration for what Is said. Never write a social note In haste. Take plenty of time and make 3ure that it can be Interpreted in one way only. The most essential of the social notes Is the bread and butter letter. After HOW pearing. However, those who manago to keep their footing confine themselves in the old conservative way to one thing corsets, gloves, lingerie or cosmetics. All of which comparative trifles, as well as others too numerous to mention. Paris turns out more perfectly than any other city, far behind as she may be In offer ing the more wild comforts. Therefore, for the article which Is essentially Paris inn, the small shop Is the place to go. A very popular distraction for girls who live at the other side of the Seine the side where prices for everything mount onormously. and English is virtually more often- heard than French Is to spend an hour of the afternoon at some tearoom. At these pluccs. where It has come to be the tiling to meet friends and read the home news, the dressing Is sometimes very smart. Everybody who attempts to dress at all in Paris makes a special toil ette for the afternoons, so the gowns shown at this tlirie are usually the best in the student girl's day wardrobe At one place, which has a tremendous clientele of Americans, empire and di rectolrc effects have lately outrun all others, both in beauty and number. One smart little dlrcctolre coat of blue and spending a night at a friend's home, courtesy demands that a note shall be written to the mother of the family at least within three days of the time of de parture. A second letter of appreciation addressed to the particular member of whom you were the guest is always In good form, though not absolutely neces sary. One or the other of these notes, however, should under no condition be neglected. . Especially If written In a happy and grateful spirit, they convey a thanks to your hostess or host which well repays either of them for 'their hos pitality, while to omit the bread and but ter letter means a decided breach of eti quette, and. In many cases, the failure to receive a second invitation. Xotes of Condolence. Undoubtedly the most difficult note to write is the letter of condolence to ex press sympathy for some misfortune or los,s which has come to a friend or ac quaintance. Prone as ls human nature to forget people in their sorrow, these slight expressions of friendship at such a time are doubly appreciated and help to wipe out many debts of kindness. To bring real comfort to the person or persons to whom they nre addressed, these, notes should be free from all ef fusiveness and carry but the slightest reference to the friend's immediate trouble or sorrow. Lastly, write notes when your Impulse prompts you to do so. Persons are few and far between who do not like to find a personal letter In jthe day's mall. Coming unexpectedly, it Is even more welcome and the pleasure It brings repays them for any pleasures they may have given you. Unimportant as. It may seem to dwell so long on cards and notes, as Interest on social debts their value is Inestimable and quite on a par with that commonly accepted courtesy for returning hospital ity, the call. Formal or Informal, the social call becomes more valuable each year as business and life in general be come more strenuous. An annual visit to all friends has become not only a duty, but a necessity, for the work-a-day world and the social world are very closely In terwoven. The person who makes a suc cess In these days must give as much thought to sociability as to trades or pro fessions. To this end a friendly call on old and new acquaintances at least once a year helps wonderfully In a business way. aside from the good-will credit es tablished by a regular tendering of in terest." Duty calls include a' short visit to a A mil 1 AMBMCArt &TUDTLMTS HO U)E "WORK JHD TOR. SOCIAL GOTjHEBINGS white cloth, with a vest, cuffs and belt of black satin, seemed the plnnucle of girlish daring, especially as It was topped by a most audacious hat. This was a derby shape in black silk beaver, with a huge fancy white feather fixed on. with an India brooch at the side. The girl's skirt was a plain full model of blue cloth, and she carried a huge black lynx muff and wore a blouse of soft white silk, the em broidered flounces of whose sleeves fell below the elbow sleeves of the coat. "With this American girl was a maiden equally smart in an Eton dress of short brown eoliennc. with plaited bands and a charm ing rosette trimming of plain bfown taf fetas. The headpiece for this frock was a white felt shape, with brown velvet and wings, and the muff was brown astra khan. Just 20 cents exactly their little spree was costing them 75 centimes for tea and bread and butter, and 23 for the pour boire to the waitress. Yet when they stood upon the sidewalk a moment later, daintily beckoning to a cab. they looked as If they had gone to a banquet. So re member the tearooms when you come to Paris, for any innocent and Inexpensive distraction which keeps away the awful host or hostess within ten days of ac quaintance, or refusal of an invitation. Dinners, lunches, weddings, formal re ceptions, evening parties, dances, all de mand tjhls formal call, which should not last over 15 or 20 minutes. Such a call Is made by a woman between the hours of 3 and 5 o'clock In the afternoon, and by a man not earlier than S and not later than 9:30 o'clock In the evening. Married men pay a coll of this sort accompanied by their wives, after the dinner hour, or at an afternoon call, the wife leaving her husband's card with her own. Bachelors should always call In person after accept ing any form of hospitality. Giving an afternoon tea once a year Is a favorite means for persons of moder ate income to pay off all social debts. This necessitates sending calling cards to each and every friend with the date of the tea and the hours 46 or 47 In scribed in writing In the lower left hand corner. Simple refreshments such as hot chocolate or carefully brewed tea and various kinds of sweet cookies and cakes arc served on this day. The host ess on this occasion invites several friends to assist her In entertaining the guests should her list of friends be large, al ways picking out young women who are attractive and can keep the ball of con versation rolling. For no matter howun pretentlous these afternoon teas may be. a hostess will have amply repaid her obligations if each one of her guests is treated with consideration and made to feel that' he or she is essential to the suc cess of the function. Some families pay their social debts by entertaining their friends at different times through the year at dinner In their home. This is an intimate form of hos pitality that ls a compliment to any guest, no matter how proud or humble the position In life. More elaborate and expensive forms of entertainment open out In wide range for tho person who has the time and means to give them. Whatever the func tion, however. It should be in keeping with the income of the one who gives It. Paying social debts In any other way Is unfair, both to one's self and to the per son being entertained. The point is that each individual should realize his or her social obligations and meet them regu larly In a friendly and thoughtful spirit. The Silence Club. Baltimore American. The "Silence Club's" membership is lim ited to ten. all of whom are season ticket holders on a London suburban railway, and the subscription Is sixpence weekly. It was established solely to enable the members to read the papers on the way to town. The revenue derived from sub scriptions Is handed to the guard every Saturday morning, and he reserves a car riage for the members. homesickness Is most valuable. For homesickness is like the qualms of the sen trip it is bound to come. And now a word as to girls that are lucky enough to be plnccd while here in good French families, who sometimes open their doors to the foreigner who can pay well. "When so established the stu dent wardrobe needs to be very carefully considered. French ladles have no pa tience with the vagaries of the unsophis ticated student. It is noticed that board ers in French families, while dressing plainly, yet pay attention to all the fetes of the house. The New Year home dinner Is the most important of all of these, for while othr nations celebrate Christmas, In Paris New Year Is the great fete. Some delightful little frocks, designed for one of these French home dinners, which is to be followed by a young peo ple's dance, were of pale chiffon taffetas, deliciously trimmed with some simple lace or other. Valenciennes and narrow black velvet appeared upon the bodice of ono dress, whose full skirt was in deep tucks at the bottom. Simple silks are much used for young girlo" evening frocks over here, and, strange to say. the suspender model, de Talk of Top IVE demerits for an untidy top bureau drawer?" The weekly Inspector of pupils' rooms in the private boarding-school for young ladles, closed the door be hind her and proceeded on her round of visits. The girl whose bureau drawer had Just been inspected threw herself on the bed with an explosion of pent-up anger and tears. She had had noth ing but demerits the whole week long, and then to have five more tacked on because a few ribbons were out of place in that miserable old bureau! Suddenly the tears stopped flowing, and the memory of an entire after noon spent at hateful mathematics to work off the demerits vanished- wth the tears. She had an idea! The teacher never looked at anything but J the top bureau drawer! Why not keep that endless collection .of top-drawer knick-knacks In some other part of the bureau? The next Saturday when the Inspec tor came around on her tour of thank less visits her report for this girl's top bureau drawer was "perfect or der." The fact that it held only a neck ribbon and a comb and brush did not escape her scrutinizing eyes, nor did she examine further Into the remain ing drawers. She had been a girl once herself, and her duty called only for inspection of top bureau drawers. Many a girl who Is farther through her 'teens than this happy-go-lucky pupil has quite as much trouble .with heij top bureau drawer. A general mix-up in this catch-all of feminine accessories ls an 'annoyance which every woman has to contend with, and now that little fixings are so numer ous, the confusion Is greater tnan ever. The suggestion offered by the school girl's faculty for getting around diffi culties, simple though it may seem, is a very timely one. Dainty white col Jars and cuffs that are crushed Into a drawer with a pile of gloves, several boxe3 of pins. Jewelry, curling kids and stocks galore, come out looking well-mussed after two or three hur ried searches among them to find a bit of lace or a piece of veiling that has slid out of sight. And the veiling 43 throned in America, Is all-prevailing. But tho French suspender gown Is a thing of immense dressiness. The suspender part ls often quite a bodice in effect. - Those designed for any festive evening use have the neck of the lace or musllu under-blouso cut out slightly and th sleeves short. Sometimes a. princess skirt has a suspender upper portion, which makes a very striking style when welt turned out. To return, however, to the dinner Itself. To be admitted to a genuine French fam ily circle is a treat never to be forgotten. One feels forever afterward as If they have lived in a page of Balzac, for not only are all the poor relations Invited, but very often among them one meets splendid titles, and shabby, grandly court eous old gentlemen litterally covered with decorations. New Year's morning, when presents are received, a visit Is generally .made to tha Grand Boulevard, where there are charm ing booths, as at some great fair, and foolish folk go by grotesquely costumed. But before this Is the church service. the same quiet toilets arc worn for tha boulevard promenade as well. NINA FITCH. Bureau Drawers itself has lost all semblance of. fresh ness in Its tight quarters. The result Is, the busy woman, when her toilette Is compeleted, can lay no claim to looking smartly dressed, for no matter what supply of essential small accessories she may possess, once they have lost their stiff, fresh appearance, they detract rather than add to a costume. Endless cases and boxes for hold ing the various articles arc of very small help, either. When a woman is in a hurry these are pulled In every direction and much of the contents with them. In a lower drawer, how ever whichever one Is used the least the bulk of these pretty, delicate ac cessories can be kept either in their special cases or each In its own pile, and there will be no occasion of a con fused Jumble every time a pin or a clean handkerchief is needed. For some reason or other, as many times as It may be necessary to ob tain some article from this lower drawer. Us contents never receive the reckless mauling and crushing that they do in the top drawer. And though it usually takes a few days to become accustomed to the new order of things." a woman is trebly repaid by the spick-and-span newness and smoothness that each bit of finery presents when she comes to wear It. A Scotch Ini'pressionlst? Harper's Magazine.. Not long ago the son of a well-known college professor was trotting across the campus, when he was hailed by one of the students, who walked along with him and entered into friendly chat. "Well. John, what are you going, to be when you grow up?" . "I'm going to be a painter." de clared the youngster. "Oh. are you? What are you going to paint pictures?" "No" scornfully. "I am goin to puiui iiic iuiuc ul tiuuoco iiuu mc Hill side of houses." "I see. And what color arc you go ing to have your houses?" John reflected a moment. This was a point to which he had given no pre vious consideration. Then he an nounced: "I am goin' to have them ths color of the paint."