The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-20 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON IYlttl't

ALTHOUGH the leading characteristics of the coming
fashions have already been settled by those authori-
ties who rule with absolute depotism in such matters,
the indications of the "style of the future " are as yet
only dimly shadowed forth. A correspondent of the
Queen gives some hints as to the forthcoming novel-
ties in an article on "Dress at the Leading Dress-
makers," from which we make the following extracts:
In the first place I notice that, although the founda-
tion of the skirts of dresses are but two yards and a
half wide, the outer trimmings and arrangement of
draperies and materials make them appear much
wider. They stand out well at the back, the best
Paris models appear to have quite a shelf at the waist,
though they cling to the figure at the sides. Polonaises
and coats—viz., the bodice and skirt back in one, are
fashionable; but distinct bodices are almost univer-
sally pointed in front, short at the sides, with a decided
basque at the back. English people wear straight
high collars somewhat in the Medicis style, and they
cling to the high shoulders • although their day is
over as far as the acme of fashion goes.

Jr is to be a velvet year. Plain velvets will be
much worn, and an infinity of magnificent materials
with Sicilienne and satin grounds, on which velvet
designs are thrown. The great novelty in these is
that the patterns are in three heights of pile. There
is a choice of circles, rings, and geometrical designs,
also arabasque, which leave but little of the ground
work visible. The materials intended for mantles are
still more magnificent, the designs as large as they
well can be, leaves, feathers, and geometrical patterns
in plush, as well as in velvet on silk and satin grounds.
Some of the new mantles are very long, quite covering
the dress, while others, and I am inclined to think
the more dressy, are of the Dolman shape, short at
the back and long in front. They are trimmed with
fur, and with fur tassels—l do not mean tails, but
tassels formed of tails. A great deal of chenille and
of bead pa,ssementerie are also used in bold large
leaves and ornaments, for everything nowadays is
massive.

E are seven leading colours to be worn this
coming season. Violet of the prune and heliotrope
shades; the bluish green, called Canard, because cf
its resemblance to the green in ducks' feathers; a new
mahogany browns; winter grey, like the gull's
plumage; cinnamon, myrtle, and bronze. Two
materials are employed in nearly all dresses. Plain-
faced ladies' cloth in the above colours, with velvet
trimmings, are used for many new gowns and fancy
serges, especially striped and made uf.) with the self
shade. For demi-toilette there is a very pretty gauze,
covered with pendant drops of chenille, and tied knots
intermixed with metal beads. Corduroy jackets are
to be worn, as well as many short cloth oses, trimmed
with astrachan, a favourite trimming, by ,the way, for
cloth dresses.

SHOT silks we are to wear without doubt during the
coming months, and there is likely to be a good deal
of much-needed simplicity in their arrangement,
judging from a dress described by the writer. It was
a most delicate shade of peach, shot with cream, the
skirt short, bordered with a close ruche cf pinked-out
silk some five inches deep, and a similar ruche eight
inches above. There were short draperies of the silk
above the hips, and long looped bows of cream
ribbon at the side, the bodice having folds of peach
foulard and lace in front. A pink and gold shot
(apricot perhaps rather than golden) was covered all
over with a small patterned brocade in velvet; the
plain skirt had three rows of wide red ribbon velvet.
the drapery at the back being composed entirely of a
new material, a species of silky linen, also red and
apricot shot. This proved a most happy combination
with the silk, and appeared again in the bodice, which
had a silk waistcoat.

BLACK lace dresses are so universally useful, that I
may be pardoned for describing one. The back was
composed entirely of a full-gathered breadth of piece
lace, edged wish broad black lace, which was raised on
one side over lace flounces, and was caught up with a
satin rosette, very long bows falling at the other side,
and wide flounces of lace being carried across the
front. Either a high or low pointed bodice could be
worn with it.

Timm are so many new stuffs that it is puzzling to
remember their names, or decide on their merits.
Surah beige is quickly establishing its reputation—a
soft, rich twill silk. One, of the paiiz bis colour, was
made with simply a straight apron in front, bordered
with the richest chenille fringe—red and pain, Ais in
colour; the back has deep broad pieces of velvet
intermixed with the draped silk. The skirts look
wider although they are really so, but they are more
distended by steels and well-arratiged petticoats.

FINE braiding is now applied to many of the cloth
and other woolleil dresses, and even to silk. Most of
the woollen dresses are made up on woollen founda-
tions. A good example of this was a rich green poult
de soi, the front of the skirt box-plaited from the
waist, the plaits caught down with bfaided vandykes
of the woollen material to match, falling ois'r silk
plaitings ; the back was a drapery of wool, one end
lined with silk, and caught up at the back like a fan.

WINTER dresses are to be much trimmed with fur
and ostrich feathers, but marabout has had its day.
A good travelling dress here had a plain black skirt,
and a tunic of check red and black, caught up with a
velvet band to the waist& one side; the bodice black,
with a red waistcoat. The useful polonaise js making
its way again. The newest mantles just now come to
the waist, and are composed of richly beaded silks
and satins, but from the waist fall deep flounces and
draperies of lace, which are very becoming to the
wearer.

'WEDDINGS are never out of fashion, and a rarissante
bridal dress has just been completed by a leading
firm; it is composed of point d'Alencon and rich
Duchesse satin, having garlands of orange flowers,
the bodice high to the throat, and trimmed with
pearls. The travelling dress worn by the bride was
made of petunia velvet, trimmed with ostrich
feathers; a velvet hat and feather of the same
shade. Some stylish bridesmaids' hats had very high
crowns, and were trimmed in front with lace and
plumes, composed of osprey marabout and ostrich
intermixed. Havane and ficelle lace are fashionable
on hats, from the fact that they are becoming to the
complexion.

THE same writer mentions the following trousseau,
as deserving special description: the bridal dress was
a mixture of the very thickest and richest brocade,
the design copied from one of the Louis XV. period,
and trimmed with magnificent Brussels lace, the
handkerchief matching. The bouquets on the dress
and the wreAth were of orange blossom, myrtle, and
jessamine, the whole covered with a long tulle Veil.
The travelling dress was a grey gauze de velours made
up as a polonaise, and trimmed with lace of the same
shade over a skirt of grey Merveilleux ; the bonnet
grey velvet and feathers. A black velvet had two
bodices, the high one with a puffed waistcoat of black
lace; the skirt was bordered with black lace falling
over a white flounce; this was met by black lace and
the velvet, which formed a demi-long train, and was
puffed and caught up with inimitable grace. An et en-
ing dress had a front breadth of gold brocade, with a
touch of terracotta in the design, and was arranged
with some Louis XV. drapery. All these dresses were
perfectly finished, and there could be no doubt as to
their good style.

THE Queen, in an article on "Autumn Millinery,'
remarks that a few leading milliners are prepared
with novelties for autumn wear. The Paris models
in both bats and bonnets are somewhat eccentric in
style, by reason of their great height, their Pointed
fronts, the brim being pinched to a peak above the
forehead, aid further accentuated with trimming;
their narrow sides and soopped-out crowns, the last
being contrived to make room for the back hair.

VELVET is to be the material for dress bonnets, and
felt and cloth for wearing with woollen costumes.
There are several varieties of velvet—plain, frise,
beaded, and embossed; but the special novelty Is
velvet embroidered in small sprays, &c., and often
worked by hand. Shapes are covered in irregular and
informal ways, as in loose folds or puffs, or gathers,
and in some cases the velvet is tacked at irregular
intervals, and an embroidered figure is thrown into
relief in each space between the tacking. When
smooth velvet crowns are used they are well-nigh
covered with pendant jet or gilt beads, or else em-
broidered with gilt threads. Poppy-red velvet with
jet drops, and black velvet with gilt figures worked on
it, are effective contrasts.

FEATHERS have quite superseded flowers, and a pro-
fusion of them appears on all the new models. Ostrich
feathers have :the mother-o'-pea x:1 effects, but groups
of the plumage of various birds' siimoth quills, curled
feathers, and feathers of curious shapes are massed
together on one bonnet. Birds also play a conspicuous
part—humming birds with brilliant plumage are seen
on black bonnets, the head and neck of a bird are
surrounded with ostrich plumes and straight quills,
snd cock's feathers swround a marabout aigrette.
The fashion is decidedly for motley arrangements in
feathers and wings.
HATS are high like bonnets, and have narrow brims
The best ones are velvet, trimmed with white China
crepe embroidered in gold, and metallic braids are
also used. Felt hats will be very popular with
feathers in front, and there is much variety in the
crowns; some are melon-shaped, others sugar-loaf,
and there are pointed Pierrot hate. Tam-o'-ganters
will be general among young people, either to match
the costume or of bright red velvet. The crowns are
full and have a silken tuft in the centre. There are
also red, .blue, grey, and brown Tam-o'-Sbanters,
embroidered in either gilt threads qr in silks to
match.

"Clara, what makes you sit cio" doer) to George
when he calla,? I hope you will Aet forget the pro-
prieties, n# child." .."12; bit., id,g-sorge t, dreadful
"Yes, I retne'thber, your father wit's troubled
with the satn# complaint before we. irere YoNted, but
now I Cannot ks:thrchigh hta tr.ritalOtl4l,l:4tot.§1ID
the morning, without waking bini