The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-11 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Ix an article on "Dress at the Leading Dress-
makers'," a writer in the Queen says: I am not very
fond of dresses made to serve two purposes, but I think
you will agree with me that the one I am going to
describe is worth a thought. A dress the less in a
round of visits is a consideration. How difficult it is
to compress them within reasonable compass, and
what a trial it is either to have to take so many
hoses, or to run the chance of crushing your gowns!
Well, the foundation of this one is good lace, in
ilounces and drapery; down each side from waist to
;.eet is a panel of velvet cut in vandykes, bordered for
Ihe day with chenille fringe, while for evenings the
l'ringe is buttoned back, and replaced by lace; it has
two bodices, and is a magnificent carriage or dinner
gown at will.

THERE is nothing that will stand hard wear like
serges, but I am not sure whether we can say as much
for the ladies' faced cloths, that are very much
td lug their place. I saw one of a green leaf tone, a
:ilain skirt, which, with the tunic, had many rows of
,! itching round; the said tunic crossed in the front
nid fell in many folds at the side. The foundation
I was told was only two yards and a quarter wide,
but it had the appearance of a very much wider
skirt, which in well-made dresses is brought about
by the draping. The sleeves terminated with what is
called the nightgown cuff, just fitted into a band
beneath the actual edge of the sleeve, which was cut
in vandykes, and, like the front of the bodice, was
worked in bands of black feather stitch.

IF you go on the Continent just now, you will hear
on all sides how dowdily English women are dress-
ing. Last season I was often in the London parks
and assemblies with friends from Paris, and Parisians,
and they talked of little else. When I went abroad
this autumn I began to understand what they meant.
Barring the fact that Englishwomen never do appear
to acquire the art of putting on their clothes so well
as Parisians, they would seem also to have adopted
only black and sombre colours the last year or so,
while their Continental friends mix their bright
colours harmoniously and freely—as, for example, a
gown of reseda Pnd salmon satin, the front plain
reseda satin draped at the sides into a flounce, ap-
parently headed by bows lined with salmon, and this
combination appeared in the high bodice and back
draperies. Skirts, too, are made of striped satin,
each stripe two inches wide and of a different colour.
A. beautiful dress is made of bright green velvet, with
a Louis XV. coat and large revers at the side, over a
front of green and red shot silk; this is present
Parisian taste. The fashion of draping now would
seem to be plainness and length at the back, caught
up high at the side.

VELVET dresses arc made up often with mantles of
the same. A brown velvet costume of this kind, fit
for a Russian princess, had the front of the skirt
entirely of beaver, the cloak of brocaded plush, the
long ends in front arranged to form a muff. A bis-
cuit ottoman and green velvet also had a voluminous
mantle, and the all-popular rouleau collar. I will
conclude this list of novelties by telling you of a
leather bodice stamped out SO that the silk lining
showed beneath, all the perforations bordered with
gold thread in tambour stitch, and was by no means
a cheap investment. It was just such a garment as a
Venetian dame might have worn when Venice was in
its glory. There is no doubt that it is quite possible
to dross fairly well, according to the requirements of
one's position, on a limited sum of money; but women
who mak3 dress a study, and require to have the
1 ttest costly novelties, must nolens volens make up
their minds to spend their money.

I HAVE just seen a few pretty dresses, going out to
India, at a Bond-street dressmaker's. She is one of
the few dressmakers of the kind who will, if desired,
make up your own materials, and give you an inex-
pensive dress of good style. I like the black lace one
she showed me much; it was made up over black
Merveilleux, with a plaited flounce round the edge,
on which were three rows of salmon-pink satin,
covered with lace; the upper part was piece lace,
draped and edged with a lace flounce, having looped
bows of pink satin ribbon. The bodice was high,
with a plain pink waistcoat in front, covered with
black lace; a row of lace down the centre of the arm,
inside. A white India muslin, with full bodice and
Valenciennes lace trimmings, was the most comfort-
able dress possible for India. A cream grounded satin
foulard, covered with large flowers in mousse an d
grenat, was gracefully draped and trimmed
with lace, having knots of green and claret
ribbon upon it; the bodice was made as a
low square, with elbow sleeves. To wear with
this was a pretty headdress of green shaded ostrich
feathers, with grenat satin bows, and a black lace
bonnet, with a salmon aigrette, showed that the lace
dress was suitable either for day or evening wear. A
thoroughly useful day dress was a blue foulard with
rings of old-gold upon it, trimmed with old-gold lace.
There is cold weather in Calcutta sometimes, and for
such cold days there was a rich blue velvet dress,
trimmed with silver opossum. A court dress was a
pink brocade, interblended with claret velvet; the
train was of the velvet, lined with pink, having a
thick ruche at the edge, and caught up with pink
flowers; the edge of the train square.
THERE dresses were all distinctly different,
embracing as they did walking, visiting, dinner,
ball, and court gowns. The walking dresses
had bonnets to match. There were some most un-
common items in the dress arrangements. A navy-
blue velvet for day wear had a drapery which came
from the neck to the waist, and then was attached to
the back. A fawn-coloured satin gown was made
with a long square train, caught up in a large plait at
the side with garlands of flowers, the low round bodice
trimmed with lace. Another cream satin had a low
square bodice, the skirt covered with point de gaze,
draped at the side with plisses—very light and pretty.
A shot silk for evening was covered with cream lace,
fastened with bouquets of roses. Another blue and
white shot was trimmed with draperies of broche
gauze, caught up with bows of brown and blue
velvet.

UNDER "London Fashions" the same journal,
says: The majority of woollen stui's prepared for
autumn gowns are decidedly dark in tone, lustreless,
dull, and subdued. Green is the colour of the day,
and " cresson " the favourite tint. Seal-brown is still
much in favour, and navy blue yet holds its own; but
bronze, in all shades, will be worn by the monde, and
" fir green" is fashion's last freak. Thts last, though
sombre, looks specially well with woven patterns of
gold or silver, or trimmed with broad bands of
galloon, in silk mixed with bright metal threads.
Many of the new woollen materials have a gold and
coloured selvedge running the length of one side,
which is used as a border for the " housemaid " skirt,
or for the tunic, if worn with a petticoat, kilted or
made up in plaits. A dull state of violet, tinted with
red, with a selvedge of gold and silver, was p•-etty
when made as a full-plaited tunic, over a round I. kirt
of velvet of the same colour which hdd three narrow
tucks at the edge. The bodice was plain and tight-
fitting, and fastened with metal buttons; the broad
velvet cuffs and the roll-over collar was merely
ornamented with a neatly tied bow of the metal
bordering.

THERE are "skirtings with bright satin stripes and
shot " winseys" figured and plain; also self-coloured
woollens in rich winter shades, striped with velveteen,
velvet, or plush. Entire skirts are made of the last.
named material, and these stand in need of no trim
ming. The tunic and bodice are usually of plain-
woollen, relieved with small velvet revers. Two
colours are sometimes used in the velvet stripes with
good effect. A green velvet stripe shot with red
appears in a woollen of faint dead-leaf hue, and brown
and rich coppery-gold looks well on a fawn-coloured
ground. A red and black winsey in wool, shot with
silk, had a pattern of small coral branches; and a
black Bradford serge was figured with tiny floral
designs in slate, red, and shades of dull gold. A fine
twilled serge, also black, had squares of small frise
red loops; and another of the new lead-blue shade
was covered with narrow lines of blue silk and tufted
chenille. These serges are often made up as tunics
or second skirts, over petticoats of plain poult de sole,
the long-neglected favourite of fashion's bygone days,
whom, however, the goddess again deigns to honour,
and once more proclaims it la mode. Small tufts and
spots of chenille, and French knots of bright-coloured
"twist," are seen on woollens of all fashionable shades,
such as navy-blue, bronze-brown, and grey. A rich
tone of sapphire-blue shows up well on a dull purplish
red, and small oval ,tufts of wood-brown are effective
on fir-green twilled serge. A navy-blue woollen was
thickly strewn with crimson French knots all over its
surfs.c:,,producing a curious but beautiful appearance
Min duped over velvet or plush. Plain morning
go -M tweea, or of serge, or of "skirting," as men-
tioned above, are made with two skirts; the upper
one gathered and falling in folds, and the lower one
tucked at the edge. Should the skirting be used, the
petticoat looks best quite plain, with the tunic in folds
end straight-edged, lifted high on one side at the
hips. This would be of self-coloured material, and
likewise the bodice, with cuffs of striped skirting, and
collar wide-spreading and square. The tunic (which
may be open in front if preferred) has rows of stitch-
ing, or numbers of small half-inch tucks. A novel
material is coloured crape cloth, its crinkled surface
woven with devices in contrasting shades of wool.
Remarkably pliant and easily draped, it is worn over
velveteen skirts or cloth striped with terry or plush,
or of poult de soie plaited or plain.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE DUKE OF MANCHESTER.—
The British Australasian publishes the following tele-
gram, dated Adelaide October 1: " The Duke of
Manchester has received a remarkable farewell
demonstration. During his travels in the Northern
Territory his party were attacked by the blacks, and
some of them killed. The duke narrowly escaped.
Revenge par‘ies have now started in pursuit." The
Duke of Manchester speaks enthusiastically of the
fertility of the Northern Territory. His grace, the
British Australasian understands, has a large inter-
rest in the syndicate which has been formed for tbe
purpose of taking over and working the pastoral pro-
perty of Messrs. Fisher and Lyons in the Northern
Territory, comprising 34,000 square miles leasehold
and 23,000 miles freehold property, and It was pro-
trably during his visit to this property that the attack
occurred.