7
Frocks and Wraps for Fair Theater-Goers
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 19, 1903.
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A HANDJOJIB, BUT INEXPENSIVE, THEATER WRAP.
Good Form in the Theater
NOWHERE does good breeding or the
lack of it stand out more clearly
than In the theater. What you
wear, how you wear it, how you bear
yourself on entering the playhouse and
luring the performance, all contribute to
make you a charming companion or the
reverse. And here, as in all phases of the
social life, good form is founded on kind
ly thought for others and their comfort.
If you are attending an evening per
formance in a city other than your home,
tBcertaln first of all the theater customs
Df that city. In some small cities, you
would make yourself conspicuous If you
went to the theater in a light frock with
evening wrap and a scarf Instead of a
hat. On the other hand, in a large city
where hats at the theater are no longer
considered correct, and where the man
who acts as your escort will probably
wear evening clothes, you would feel de
cidedly out of place if clad in a tailored
juit and silk or net shirtwaist.
If you are joining a theater party in
a large city or even in a smaller town
where boxes have been reserved for your
party, wear a dressy frock, a large loose
wrap, something warm but light over
your well-dressed hair, and carry your
fan, handkerchief, glasses and powder
puff in a bag. Do not, if you value a
man's regard, wear a huge picture hat,
a heavy tailored wrap, a fur stole and a
muff, all of which either you or the man
must hold on the lap during the per
formance. If there is a checkroom in the theater,
you can leave your wraps there, thus
Insuring comfort for yourself and your
escort in your seats. If you are to oc
cupy a box, you wear your wrap to the
box, and it is hung on a rack or a tree
provided for that purpose in the rear of
the box.
The woman precedes the mRn in enter
ing the theater. He hands his ticket to
the doorkeeper and then, receiving his
seat checks in exchange, he steps back
for the woman to enter first. If an usher
is ready to receive them, the man hands
the checks to the usher, and, stepping
back, allows the woman to follow the
usher first down the aisle. If the man
Is an habitual theatergoer who has a per
fect knowledge of the house, and it is
almost time for the curtain to rise, he
sometimes does not wait for an usher,
but goes straight to the seats indicated
on the checks. In this case, he precedes
the woman.
in many cities the ' custom of women
moving about the theater between the
acts. Is decidedly on the Increase. If the
foyer is large, women with their escorts
stroll therein, meeting friends and stop
ping for a chat between the acts. Women
also pay calls on friends in boxes, and
those sitting on aisle seats. It is rather
bad form, however, to push one's way
past a long row of other playgoers for a
chat of a minute or two with some
friend sitting in the very center of the
row. All these questions must be set
tled by consulting that Invariable barom
eter, the feelings of these upon whose
good nature you may be imposing.
Girls who are under the guidance of
really watchful mothers are today per
mitted to go to the theater with young
men, unaccompanied by a chaperon, but
they do not go to a restaurant after
wards. Generally, the mother provides a
little supper at home and awaits their
return. A young girl, however, may go
i to supper at a restaurant with a theater
party, provided the latter Is properly
chaperoned by a married woman.
The host or hostess of a theater party
generally sends out her invitations from
five to ten days In advance and aims to
have an equal numbes of men and
women. Esther boxes are reserved or a
Made of seats In one row. or In two.
sir
K ill
rows. The host can either distribute
tickets among the guests in advance.
making sure that each woman is properly
provided with an- escort, or he can meet
them in the lobby of the theater before
the curtain rises.
The noisy theater party is a modern
abomination.' It comes in late, chattering
down the aisle and through the per
formance. It is conspicuous but not well
bred, and is often rebuked by a star on
the stage who has the courage of his
convictions. Such conduct may indicate
that Its participants consider that the
possession of money gives them the right
to annoy their neighbors, but it la not
the stamp of social smartness.
As a rule, the host and hostess of a
theater party entertain also either at din
ner before the play or supper afterward.
This meal may be served at home or at
a restaurant, but it Is not obligatory.
Sometimes a married couple gives the
theater party, and a bachelor entertains
at supper afterward, or vice versa, the
bachelor gives the theater party and the
chaperon and her husband entertain at
the supper afterward.
The girl who thinks that a man must
provide a huge bunch of violets, a cab
and supper as well as the evening's
pleasure at the theater, , has entirely
wrong views of the man's social obli
gations, unless they both belong to that
social set where money Is plentiful. With
the man of average income, a pair of
theater tickets, with perhaps a simple
supper afterward, represents about all
that, in these times, he can afford to
spend, and it is a rude girl indeed who
does not manifest her appreciation of such
courtesy. It is the man's place to thank
the girl for her company to the theater,
but most certainly it is her place also
to express her appreciation of the play
and his courtesy.
It is not good form to eat candy in the
theater and rustle the wrappings of the
box when your neighbor is trying to fol
low the play. It is not courteous to com
ment on the play during its progress, and
interfere with the pleasure of those who
wish to follow the dialogue. If you have
seen the play before, do not spoil the
pleasure of those around you by telling
your companion what will happen next,
and where the laugh comes in.
And above all things, do not wear a bat
or a head-dress which will interfere with
the view of those behind you. If you
persist In wearing the hat in a first-class
house, an usher will ask you to remove
It, thereby embarrassing your escort. But
if your head-dress is one of those 1908
enormities, built all round your head on
a wire halo, you may rest assured . that
uncomplimentary remarks will be passed
by men and women unfortunately seated
behind you.
Hasty Dressing.
Never boast that you can dresa in five
minutes.
No woman who has any respect for her
appearance will attempt to dress in
double that time.
It is true In dressing, as in everything
else, that where there is great haste
there is little speed.
It Is particularly trying for any woman
to dress in a hurry.
She gets flurried, and In her attempt to
put in rins- sticks her fingers and proba
bly stains her blouse with blood.
Buttons come off, laces break, gloves
and veils cannot be found.
When at last she is ready she Is con
scious of appearing her worst instead of
at her best.
The five-minute dressing habit Is one
that the carefully dressed woman will
never Indulge in.
urn'
H I
STYLES In theater raiment are very
pronounced this season. While even
ing dress is not yet . seen in the
American theater, the elaborate reception
or house gown, with perhaps a suggestion
of the decollete bodice, such as a small
"V" or Dutch neck, and elbow sleeves, is
greatly in' evidence. In none of the
larger cities do well-dressed women wear
short skirts nnd tailored suits to the
theater after night. If e cloth frock is
-worn, it is of most supple quality, cut
with a slight train and softened at neck
and sleeves by elaborate lace, chiffon or
embroidered mull tucker, or yoke and un
dersleeves. The city -woman, whether she rides In
carriage or streetcar, is generally aban
doning the hat when she goes to a fash
ionable playhouse after dark, and there is
no reason why women of smaller cities
should not follow suit. The crocheted
"cloud" or "nubia." dear to the -hearts of
our grandmothers, was considered most
fashionable in their day, and it reappears
this season in a dozen modern and fas- ;
elnating forms. Certainly the average
woman maxes a much more pleasing ap
pearance at the theater in some soft
Clinging frock, with hair carefuiiy dressed
and finished with a pretty ornament, than
If she wore her best tailored gown with a
beavy hat to match. If a few women
who are recognized as leaders in the
smaller cities would puBh this fad for
regulation theater gowns and theater
wraps, however simple, worn without
hats, their less progressive sisters and
neighbors would soon follow suit, and the
local playhouse would take on a more fes
tive air.
The theater frocks seen in first-class
houses In such large cities as New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and
Chicago, this season, are well worth
studying.
First, as to general effects. The Ideal
theater frock has a slight train, is made
from clinging material which falls in soft
lines, is of a tint not too garish but soft
under electric and gas light, shows the
same fabric in tooth skirt and bodice, has
a suggestion of the low neck, such as one
displays at an informal dinner, and is set
off by such jewelry as harmonizes with
the gown, and brings into play the most
charming contents of your jewel box.
Unless you go to and from the 'theater
In a carriage, do not select a very delicate
or perishable fabric for your theater
gown. And even when you have a car
riage, the floor of the theater may 'oe
far from spotless, and if you are on the
aisle, men passing you between the acta
are apt to step on your dainty frock and
spoil it
Chiffons, gauzes and thin nets are not
wise selection for this gown. Better far
AN UP-TO-DATE THEATER FROCK.
is a voile over silk, or a heavy blonde net
inset with lace. Soft, supple silks like
louisine, messallne and liberty, make
practical theater gowns, and for an Inex
pensive frock there is nothing more ef
fective than cashmere, which comes this
year In all the newest and most effective
colorings. Crepe de c-hine is seen very
little this Winter, but black nets, heavily
spangled or inset with lace, are very pop
ular. Young girls are wearing organdies
and other wash fabrics over silk slips,
tout while these dress the theater as well
as the wearer very prettily, they invite
pneumonia, unless the girl Is well-wrapped
for the trip to and from the theater, and
tht playhouse Itself is well-warmed. Light
weight, supple broadcloth is a popular
fabric also. . . '
In colors, unquestionably, black, white,
or one of the various pale tans or biscuit
tints is most effective for theater wear.
When a black gown is worn, it is relieved
toy much soft, white material at neck and
wrists, and here the ingenuity and handi
work of the home dressmaker have full
play. When real lace is to be found in
tlie- family box of heirlooms, it forms the
best combination with black net. chiffon
cloth or silk voile, but if this is not at
-hand, then embroidered Bilk mull, silk or
cotton net, encrusted with lace medallions
and run with handtucklng is an excellent
substitute.
The most effective and up-todate com
binations show wonderful overgowns of
transparent silk voile, chition cloth or
net In a delicate biscuit, mode or smoky
tan tint, with undersllp of rich golden or
bronze-brown. The frock proper may be
trimmed with lace dyed in the self-tone,
or to match the underslip, or in passemen
terie, in which the brown and metallic
hues appear.
A gown of this type Is pictured today.
This is a" very pale tan or biscuit colored
silk voile over amber colored silk The
bands of cluny lace were dyed to match
the voile and are fairly illuminated by
the brilliant tint of the silk beneath. The
skirt Is in three pieces, with a front sec
tion laid In a double boxpleat. The tunic
or overskirt, is in two pieces, and finished
with deep points so that the height of the
wearer Is not cut off. For the very short
woman, the bands which finish the tunic
must be of the same material, or in self
tone, but the very tall woman may use
lace or bands of contrasting color.
The blouse is most- effective, having
long "V" shaped lines back and front,
with or without a tucker of fine chiffon,
mull, ne) or lace. This chemisette may
be high or low-necked, according to the
needs of the wearer, or two chemlssettes
may be supplied, one for the matinee and
one for- evening wear. For a medium
sized woman, about 12 yards of 27-Inch
goods will be required for this costume.
The wrap shown is admirably designed
to meet the needs of a woman with slen-
der purse, but ambitious to appear well
dressed.
With the rage for Japanese effects slow
ly waning, it is folly for a woman of
moderate means to buy a kimono-like
wrap. Far better and less conspicuous is
the wrap of our Illustration, . which Is
Toomy enough to protect the frills and
puffs of the most elaborate frock, and
simple enough for the home-dressmaker
to score success with the pattern. Made
from tan-colored broadcloth, with self
tone frogs, and collar and cuffs of oriental
embroidery in soft colorings, it Wquld be
handsome enough for the average theater
party.
If white is chosen, it will require many
cleanings. Colors more pronounced, like,
pink, blue, cerise, etc.,' are too conspicu
ous for the woman who can afford but
one evening wrap, and black is not always
becoming to a woman after night. But
tan is a safe color always, especially if
brightened by the oriental colorings in
the collar and cuffs. This pattern calls
for three and a half yards of material 4
Inches wide, the average width of broad
cloth and similar cloakings.
Blouses to be worn at the matinee
should match or follow in some way the
general design, color and fabric of the
two-piece suit with which it is worn. A
design for such a blouse is shown in this
connection. The overblouse can be made
of material like the skirt, broadcloth, vel
vet, eta, but If the two-piece suit has been
bought ready-made and no material is left
for a blouse, then select silk of precisely
the same shade, to be made over a guimpe
or yoke of lace, net, silk mull, etc. The
application of embroidered bands to out
line the overblouse in this design Is most
effective, and gives the home needle
woman ample opportunity to demonstrate
-her deftness and taste in color combina
tion. .
At'the matinee, the' Independent waist or
fancy blouse of white silk or net Is often
seen with the two-piece tailored suit, but
the really well-dressed woman chooses a
blouse In which both the color and the
fabric of the tailored skirt appear.
Leapyear Dances
-pc DELIGHTFUL, and appropriate enl
r tertalnment to give during the next
few weeks would be a leap year dance.
People are always looking for something
a little out of the ordinary when they
are planning to entertain, and, while this
is not strictly novel, it nevertheless has
not been played for four years. So it may
be that those who participated in it when
they last bad an opportunity to do so
would not care for it now, and that those
who at the present time are of an age
to enjoy it, have not heard of it so far.
At any rate, it is very diverting, and I
offer it as a suggestion to the hostess of
the New Year who is racking her brains
vainly for ideas, perhaps at this very
moment.
The whole affair must be gotten up by
the girls. They must engage the hall (if
none of them has a house large enough),
they must engage the music, see to the
decorations and the programmes and en
gage the caterer.
Having attended to ail the details, each
girl must sit down and write a note to
the favored young man, asking his per
mission to escort him to a dance. After
he has coyly consented, she should call
him on the phone and arrange about the
time for calling for him.
Oh, yes, Indeed, she must call at his
house on the night of the dance, and see
to it that he gets there safely. She
should also bring him a buttonhole bou
quet of some kind, for it is certainly not
very complimentary to refuse to bring
flowers to the person you are to escort to
a dance.
There are an sorts of ways of getting
around this unpleasant necessity of hav
ing to call for the gentleman. Of course,
If you know him very well, and are on
good terms with his family, you will not
mind it so much, and you could arrange
to call early in the evening, say about
half past seven, so that you need not be
afraid.
But in case you do not care about going
boldly up the front steps, ringing the
bell, and inquiring of the maid whether
or not Mr. Smith is at home, you might
get a carriage, and not alight from it at
all. It would be a very simple matter
to have the coachman drive up to the
house, get down from the box, and ring
the bell. When the maid answers, he
could Inquire if Mr. Smith was ready,
and then return to his post. You could
remain quietly seated in the carriage,
secure from any curious glances, and
wait until the gentleman joins you.
which would probably be a matter of only
a minute or two.-
Another method of sliding out of a dis
agreeable duty would be to invite the
gentleman to your house for dinner. At
the conclusion of the meal, the two of
you would simply have to depart for the
place at which the dance is to be held.
But such a procedure would be departing
not only from the letter, but also from
the spirit of the law.
Arrived at the hall, the gentlemen,
after having disposed of their raps, will
eat themselves modestly against the
wall, while the girls, lounging around the
door and in groups, will see to it that
their partners' cards are fllied.
When the dancing begins, it will be
the duty of the young women to find the
partners, and to bring them up and in
troduce them to the gentlemen. As soon
as supper is announced each girl must
find the gentleman whom she escorted
to the dance, accompany him out to sup
per, and see that all his wants are most
gallantly supplied.
The girls will conduct- themselves
throughout the evening with as much at
tentlveness as possible.
Not until the dance is over, and prepa
rations are being made to return home,
should conditions be permitted to revert
to their original state. The young men
will escort the girls home, for naturally
it is out of the question for girls to play
at being men, no matter how much they
may enjoy the game, at 2 o'clock in the
morning.
Pepper and Salt Mixed.
Bohemian'.
The proof of the auto is In the death-list.
Many a man thinks himself far-seeing,
when in realky he Is only far-sighted.
The secret of success aim high and use a
shotgun.
Promoter a modern alchemist who can
transmute hot air Into gold.
A eure way of rendering the straight and
narrow path more popular make it wide
enough for automobiles.
The original Big 6tlck the rolllng-pln.
Money may make some people mad but
It's the lack of It that makes most of us
wax warm In the neck-cloth.
A checkered career frequently ends In
stripes.
An agnostic Is a fellow who says he
knows nothing and thinks he knows every
thing. In Bhakeepeare's time the play was the
thing. Now it's the box receipt
The dark ages anywhere between 28
and 40. '
Matrimony-Che lighting chance.
A BLOUSE FOR
To Look Well
IF daylight is trying on the complex
ion, artificial light, and especially
electricity is merciless. The woman
whose complexion, features and hair
show the onward march of years, or the
fact that she is not just as well
groomed as she might be, takes refuge
in a drooping hat and becoming veil
when she fares forth during the day.
But at night, and particularly in the
theater with its myriad lights, no mer
ciful shadows are cast, no hat or veil
minimizes her defects. Therefore it
pays the theater-going woman to make
her toilet with great care and linger
lovingly before her dressing table.
. Her throat, her complexion and her
hair must be carefully prepared, before
she dons her costume, and however
fetching the latter, it will be wasted if
she is not well groomed.
To begin with, when she massages
her face and applies such simple cos
metics as today are considered essen
tial to the toilet, she must also treat
her neck.
For the chronically brown neck and
in this day of tailor collars, brown
necks are unhappily common she must
use regularly the following lotion:
Boric acid, 1 drachm.
Distilled witch-hazel, 2 ounces.
Rose water, 2 ounces.
Exercise the throat night and morn
ing until it becomes moist with per
spiration, wipe off the perspiration
with a soft cloth dipped in warm water
and apply the lotion - with antiseptic
gauze. After a week of this treatment,
you will see a marked improvement in
the color of your neck.
When making your theater toilet,
massage throat, ears and face with Ori
ental cream, formula of which is given
below. Rub this in carefully and pains
takingly, so that no oil stands out on
the skin.
Oriental Cream:
Sweet almond oil, ounces.
White wax melted, 320 grains.
Spermaceti, 320 grains.
Trifles for Theater-Goers
STARTING quite properly with the
slippers, the very newest thing in
fancy f oot-coverin-g for theater
wear is the bronze slipper, a deep, rich
brown-bronze. They come in both
fancy and plain styles. A deft-fingered
girl can purchase a pair of plain
bronze slippers with medium high
heels, and bead the toes with fine
bronze and gold beads. This is diffi
cult work, but it can be done by using
a fine leather needle. Or she can buy
smart buckles in bronze or gold and
fasten them on herself; she can buy
bronze ribbon, and set off smart flat
bows with gold or bronze buckles or
beaded ornaments, like butterflies! in
beads, on heavy net, wired around the
edge. The plain bronze slippers can
be' bought for S2. Beaded or buckled,
they easily touch the $5 mark.
Next comes the theater bag, which
this season is made principally from
ribbon, Dresden or pompadour, or from
scraps of rich brocade. The ribbons of
velvet with satin or moire edges, or a
flowered center and velvet edge, are
much in favor, also ribbons with tinsel
in their pattern.
If you have the mounting for the
bag. a top of an old bag with hinges,
catch and chain, either in , silver or
gilt, all the better. You have only
to cut your oblong bag, line it with
harmonizing silk, and whip it upon
the frame. If you have no frame and
do not care to buy a new one (though
these are on sale at all department
stores), then run a ribbon through the
top, or better still, use a cord and tas
sel. Have this bag large enough to
hold your opera-glasses, your latch
key, handkerchief, a tiny fan, if you
must carry one. and your powder box.
Some of the prettiest ribbon designs
show yellow roses with shadowy
touches of gray for gold mountings.
THE MATIN KB.
by Night's Light
Benzoin (finely powdered), 100 grs.
Tincture of ambergris, 60 grains.
Rice feculae (pulverized), 320 grs.
Pure carmine, 15 grains.
Blend the fats in a double boiler, add
the benzoin while they are heating;
the rice and carmine while it is cooling,
and tincture last of all. You will note
that there Is no lanolin in this cream,
hence no danger of encouraging a
growth of hair on the face.
When this cream has been thoroughly
worked into the skin, decide Just what
whitening or coloring your skin needs.
If you have a high color, you need only
a delicately tinted powder. If you are
very pallid you can work rather high
on tho cheek and back into the temples
a bit of rouge. Do not apply this In one
round spot, but break the coloring as
it is broken in the naturally tinted
complexion and work it out slightly
toward the edges where It joins the
whiter, natural skin.
Make sure that you get neither cream
nor powder into your eyebrows or hair.
Brush the eyebrows very carefully with
a tiny toothbrush, or one that comes
especially for this purpose. '
Dress your hair very softly around
your temples, and especially above
your ears. The severe pompadour or
classic coiffure Is charming on a per
fect profile, but few modern women
have perfect profiles, and your escort is
pretty sure to secure only a profile
view of you in the theater. Soften this
view by waves or tendrils of hair about
the ears, and at the nape of the neck.
This does not mean uncurled, strag
gling locks, but soft, clinging ripples
of hair which any girl can achieve by
dressing her hair with care. I will be
very glad to furnish a good hair-curler,
with Instructions for its use, on receipt
of a stamped and addressed envelope, to
any girl who has not clipped them from
former articles.
and wonderful ehadowy orchids on a
white ground, and perhaps a touch
of silver or gilt in the design.
Ribbon enters largely into the mak
ing of the new hair ornaments, though
It is far more soft in its treatment than
it was last year. Narrower ribbon is
used, generally a double-faced supple
satin ribbon about an inch wide. This
is twisted like a rope in and out of the
puffs, which contribute so much to the
beauty of the up-to-date hair-dressing.
The showers of ribbon flowers and
stiff blue and pink roses offered of late
years in the rlobon departments -have
disappeared in favor of softer effects.
Oelicate chiffon flowers, or artificial
blossoms in finest silks and velvet, are
combined with ribbon.
For the stiff, upright hair ornaments,
the ribbon bows are made entirely of
loops, smartly wired, and from the cen
ter of this bow generally rises a spang
led aigrette or tiny, dew-tipped marl
bout ponpon.
Spanish and point de Paris scarfs,
oblong or three-cornered, are much
worn over the uead. also dainty trifles
of chiffon, crepe de chine, or liberty
silk, trimmed flatly with lace. These
are not so long as the neckscarfs, and
always light and airy.
Slips for Children.
A new departure in the making of nn
dersllps to wear under children's lingerie
dresses is seen In the employment of warp
prinks.
Persian and pompadour designs are tootli
much used where warmth is desired, or
the undersllp can be made of satin of a
soft weave. The new French patterns in
which the materials are shown are very
artistic and original in treatment, and are
sufficiently decided to make them adapt
able for the requirements of the color
tone necessary in an undersllp.