The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-11 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

WE gather the following items of July fashions
from Le Follet for the current month: Again the
report that "crinolines" are about to become fashion-
able has been raised by some of our contemporaries.
It is strange that any credence should be given to this
rumour at a time when the leading elegantes are
abandoning even the small crinolettes they were wear-
ing a little time ago. This report must be spread
either by those interested in the sale of these ungainly
articles, or by some one utterly ignorant of what is
worn in really fashionable society.

Tnoqr. ladies whose high social position or perfect
taste entitle them to lead the fashion wear as supports
to the back drapery of their dresses a single or double
" mattress " of horse-hair or eiderdown, or tournuro ;
the lower part of the skirt hanging over one, or at the
most, two steels; the lower of these is not more than
90in. or 22in. wide, and Min. from the ground; the
steel. or steels, should be run in a petticoat—as when
put in the dress skirt this is likely to hang ungrace-
fully where they discontinue—and a box-pleated
flounce sewn to the lower steel serves to support the
edge of the dress. Many ladies wear the mattress
only, with pleated skirt from this edged with a
flounce.

Titosn ladies who, with us, look on the round
crinoline as a vulgar and unsightly monstrosity, de-
priving its wearer of all grace either in her move-
ments or her drapery, need have no fear of its being
fashionably worn. We have successfully combated
its return on several previous occasions, and have no
reason to suppose our influence in such matters
lessened. In continuing to do so, we are sure of the
approbation of every woman of taste and refinement,
and every member of the "sterner sex."

ONE of the leading notes of the toilette last intro-
duced is the great variety in the manner of arranging
bodices and their garnitures. Many of the corsages
fasten on the cross or at one side, others are trimmed
at one side only, or the two sides are totally different,
such as a drapery scarf from one shoulder, crossing
the front and hanging on the hip the other side, and
a plain lace or galon ornamenting the other half of
the bodice. Corsages strapped across over plain
waistcoats or full plastrons have buckles, bows, or
large buttons at one side only. The same fashion
obtains in low bodices; a scarf of lace, fastened on
one shoulder, crossing the bodice, loose at the other
side, or draped back and hanging with the pouf—the
garniture of the other side of the bodice consisting of
a long spray of flowers—is a very favourite facon for
low dresses.

SMALL Figaro and Bolero, of silk, satin, or velvet,
lace lined with coloured silk, or lace insertions,
separated by stripes of ribbon or velvet, are very
fashionably worn over bodices of dresses, either as
merely ornamental additions, or when the thinness
of the dress renders a little extra covering desirable.

WHITE dresses are much worn for all summer
reunions ; pale blue, pink, mauve, reseda, primrose, are
all favourite colours for under-dresses, but most of the
white toilettes have very little colour about them.
Indian and other fine and softly-draping muslins,
with a profusion of embroideries and lace, ara
amongst the most elegant of the toilettes blanches;
foulards, surabs, crapes, and veilings being also
greatly in favour. Many of these are accompanied
by collars, braces, sashes, corselet bodices, or corselets,
of dark velvet, such as crimson, ruby, moss-green,
chocolate, violet, and Louis green. All these shades
are very fashionable in velvet, as accompaniments to
crème, ivory, or very pale grey.
_

ETI3IINES, canvas, grenadines, and mousseline de
laine are also much used in white or cream. Lace or
guipure insertions are very fashionable garnitures for
all the preceding materials, and a very pretty not(' of
colour may be given by lining the insertions with some
delicate shade.

THE following is a very successful style for dresses
of transparent or semi-transparent materials. rae
one shown us was of white veiling, with a slight pinky
lilac shade. known as " Nvmplie," the trimmings
being insertions of ivory silk guipure. First skirt
with three-inch hem, headed by a two-inch lace in-
sertion and a tuck, the depth of the hem, reaching
to the top of the lace; this skirt falls on a depassant
of two plissés of veiling, separated by a plisse of silk
lace. Over-skirt edged with a lace flounce about four
inches wide, very slightly fulled, this is beaded by
three tucks, two inches wide, each of which is sur-
mounted by a guipure insertion the same width.
This skirt is gathered to the waist in several rows of
coulisses ; for a person of ordinary height the
gathered portion should not be wider than four
inches. This upper skirt may be draped in a variety
of ways, but should not be much raised.

WITH this style of jupes, either fitting oi full
bodices may be worn; if the blouse is preferred, it
should be gathered on the shoulders and in front of
the waist. With either these or fitting bodices a
corselet may bP worn • if of the veiling, this should be
bound with sin, or the coraplets may he of silk or
velvet. Velvet or silk waistcoats, slightly veiled by a
falling lace, are also an elegant finish to such dresses.
This disposition is not only suitable to white and
cream dresses, but is fashionable for walking dresses
in summer woollens, woollen lace being used for the
flounces and insertions.

ONE very useful and equally elegant mode is the
toilette of black 6tamme, embroidered in silk with small
flowers, such as rosebuds, reyosotis, pagnerettes, &c., in
natural colours; these dresses are trimmed with silk
laces to match, and wide ribbon sash. The skirt,
slightly short, is worn over another of silk, edged with
ruches of the same, or gathered flounces of lace. The
bodice, with round waist, may be flat on the left side,
the front crossing en draperie to the second pleat ;
ceinture and flat bow where the draperie ends; a large
bow of wide ribbon on the tournure ; a bouquet of the
same flowers as those embroidered on the dress in
opening of the crossed drapery; a lace frill inside this
opening, and sleeves edged with lace frills. Unneces-
sary to say that for ladies who do not care to wear
black, these embroidered &anilines are made in all
colours. The silk skirt must match.

A vERv pretty bodice for dresses of such light
fabrics is a high corsage-blouse with ruche of lace
round the neck, worn under a corselet bodice &col-
let4 square, with long narrow shoulder straps, an inch
wide at most; this corselet, matching the silk under-
skirt, is laced in front, showing the under-bodice in
the lozanges between the lacings. This style of
bodice is very suitable, also, for young girls, the cor-
sages and draperies of their dresses being of simple
style and make. Silk gauzes and tancy grenadine
over black silk, satin, or moire, trimmed with a quan-
tity of jet and lace, are one of the pieces de resistance
of every fashionable woman's wardrobe. _

Tun woollen lace dresses are numerous. Ecru
woollen guipure, in wide flounces or tunics, combined
with brown velvet, have been made by some of the
leading modistes within the last two days, and much
admired. With one, the tScru guipure bodice was on
a silk foundation, the same colour, with a brown
velvet waistcoat and skirt; tunic of guipure, raised
high at one side, over a brown velvet skirt, with a
double boxpleat at the side, shown by the tunic. Two
guipures, with scalloped edges, trimmed the hem of
the skirt; they were placed about two inches apart,
the scallops facing each other. The fronts of the
bodice had the dents laid on the velvet waistcoat in a
similar manner.