The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-18 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

TITE fashion writer in the Lady's Pictorial gives the
following interesting items :—ln bonnets the chief

trimming is ribbon, almost to the exclusion of
feathers, birds, and flowers—even the tossy aigrette
is gently set aside. The ribbons, either in corded
silk, satin, or gauze, are mostly arranged in loops in
the front of the crown by sets of two, piled one above
the other in ladder fashion, or placed in a circular
form to describe a massive rosette, graphically called
the "octopus" bow, on account of its numerous
ribbon ends sticking out in all directions. Three
colours intermingled appear now necessary to obtain
a fashionable cluster. For instance, I saw a straw
hat in deep green (nearly black) rather startlingly
bedecked with bows twisted in this wise : one set,
knotted as a tie, rested against the crown just above
the brim, one loop being in corded green ribbon
matching the straw, and the opposite one yellow:
over this were spread pink, shrimp-coloured loops,
with the strand in dark green; and I believe the
third set was apple-green; the whole resting against
a backgrcund of stiff ribbon ends, which in this case
would make four colours blended together.

MORB pleasing appeared the havaua, red, and
yellow loops on a white straw bonnet, the effect being
still more enhanced by the picots or pearl edges of
the satin ribbon. Piece silk is also used in nearly
the same style. A young girl's legborn hat had its
crown wreathed with a broad band of black velvet,
bordered with gold cord and relieved in front with
three colours, putty, pale primrose, and twine. Each
colour was represented by a fan-like pleat in doubled
twill silk. The piece had been folded just as for a
fan, and without spreading it open it was sewn on to
the brim sideways, and then let free towards the top
of the crown, the three fans being of a different
colour. Still heavier, the box-pleat trimming. In
front of a chestnut-brown hat nods a treble box-pleat
in doubled piece velvet, which extends from the top
of the brim to the high crown. From the right side
springs a torsacle in vivid red surah silk, which con-
ceals the foot of the pleat to be carried on to the
left side, where it spreads as a scarf, then up along
the full-blown pleat and across the crown. Loops
again appear as a garland to the crown of a hat, in
spaced tufts disposed somewhat like the Prince of
Wales's feathers. The turned-up ends of two or
three loops are passed through a slit made in the
straw, while the top of the loops reaches up nearly
to the middle of the crown.

A CURIOUS idea is also to dot the fiat brim of the
hats with small bows sewn close to the edge, and
from under which emerge two ends, which are
secured under the brim, giving it the appearance of
being bound with an irregular bouillonne. The strings
of bonnets often start from two slits on the sides of
the square crowns, or describe a perfect cross over
the top of the crown, as well as on the sides.

A BEWITCHING bonnet, worn by a widow at her
second wedding, had the shape covered with flowers
of white gauze, embroidered with silk, and bordered
with a raised-up trellis work in pearls. From the
side rose up a spray of delicate Edelweiss flowers in
snowy white velvet. Strings, striped satin, and
moire fitly finished off this becoming headgear.
Fragile flowers, with long stalks, are, as you see,
fashionable, and often chosen so as to reproduce two
shades such as white or yellow daises and nar-
cissus. I immensely admire the sweet little net
bonnets on which glitters, like dewdrops, a shower of
beads. They are very easy to make at home, having
merely to be puckered with a few stray stitches on a
gold shape; the wide strings are not hemmed, and
the full rosette only requires a few yards of narrow
pleating always of the same soft net.

STEEL-GREY walnuts, with satin foliage, adorn half-
mourning bonnets, and chestnuts, with their leaves in
spring-green velvet, are seen on tulle bonnets, as well
as perfectly-imitated broccoli. The stiff quills or flat
feathers are not yet entirely discarded with their
painted and gilded surface; instead of being left, as
formerly, quite straight, they now are slightly curved
or turned inwards at the top.

I CANNOT dismiss the subject of bonnets without
mentioning the large ball beads in black facetted jet,
in size rather bigger than a shilling, so much in re-
quisition for outlining the bonnets. Indeed, mil-
liners appear to put all their ingenuity to the fanciful
decoration of the brims ')f bonnets. On a turned-
down brim of black velvet runs a narrow gold braid
twisted at intervals into six wee loops describing a
daisy, with two or three gold beads in the centre.
* * *

RARE exotic plants and Indian corn in various
stages of ripeness are amongst the latest introductions
in the millinery world. Every grain of the corn is
imitated by a little straw ball. These balls also dust
the net of the bonnets, and harmonise with the
branches of leaves made in cream loops of straw.
* * *

I SCARCELY feel equal to the task of describing the
spring mantles, for they are but a mass of beads and
lace. I may as well sum up all the details of these
garments in few words. Mantlet or dolman in silk,
grenadine, gauze, trimmed with flounces of lace,
beaded galloon, huge tassels, and a litivish powdering
of beads. The leading feature, hoM'ver, is the use
of deep flounces, the deeper the better, in black, thin
limp lace. In fact, the fetes mantles have entire lace
skirts, falling from close to the waist to the hem of
the dress, over which droops a perfect medley of
tassels, gimp ornaments, and 12-inch strands of
small beads. The bodice of the dolman is frequently
entirely beaded and overlaid with 5-inch beaded
galloon, further sprinkled with jet drops, loops, and
cabochons. A splendid dolman in black velvet, cut
low at the neck and with narrow fronts for the better
display of a palatine, or stole-like ornament, in a
costly open work of beaded gitnp, with lama lace, is
a very durable and stylish garment. A long pelisse
is composed of small flounces, divided by broad faille
bands which described braces on the bodice, the back
of which is made of two pieces of insertions joined
together. A mantle in blue woollen guipure is lined
with red silk and embroidered with the same cheerful
colour in silk.

N the matter of dresses I observe that the style is
getting straighter and plainer. On a mushroom-
coloured skirt I have counted as many as twenty small
pinked out flounces goinc, all round, with the fulness
carefully managed at thee'back ; a ribbon of the same
colour loosely encircles the hips to fall in flots at the
sides. The pleated bodice was decorated with pinked
out bands. Richer looking, but still plainly made, is
a gown in pearl grey satin, embossed with black
velvet. The bodice, waistcoat, facings, and panier
draperies were all made in the figured material withl
out the slightest addition of any trimming whatever;
but what struck me most in this quiet ladylike attire
was the points of the waistcoat, which projected
downwards like two long claws nearly two inches.
The skirt was disposed in Mn. box pleats, finished off
with three tucks; through a slit under the central
box pleats was passed a ribbon girdle, which was
,knotted at the side.

AMONGST the numerous odds and ends of a lady's
toilette, I note that many of the plain linen sets, in-
cluding cuffs and collars, are either entirely red or
blue, with microscopic white lines, or the outside is
left pure white, whilst the inside is decorated with
wee designs in keeping with the two short and flat
ends which are attached to the band of the neck, to
he crossed at the throat under a pin. Those mascu-
line ties are intended to be worn with tailor-made
costumes. Others have a bib in white open work,
completed with a frilled jabot. Endless kinds of
fichus and dress fronts are concocted with the new
ecru canvas of different qualities. As I have already
told you, squares and scarves in soft twilled silk,
gauze, canvas, crape, either striped with satin, checked
or printed, are in great demand, not only for bonnets
and caps, but also for flchus and bibs. Some are
merely framed with a wide bright border, others have
a butterfly, a. boat, a cock, or a flower at each angle;
but many are entirely covered with large squares,
glowing with a golden background, over which is
printed brilliant patterns in the Byzantine style. An
uncommon cap in white muslin had three rows of
coffee-tinted lace with a dainty bow placed on the top
of the head, fashioned with two narrow ribbons, pink
and apple green, the ends falling over the puckered
crown. A good way to renovate a light coloured
parasol is to encircle the ferrule with a broad satin
ribbon of a contrasting shade; with this ribbon three
loops are shaped. and fixed round the stick, and the
two ends are stretched together across the foundation
in a straight line to meet the flounce or bouillonne,
and where they are secured under a small bow.