The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-12-05 00:00:00

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Tin: large buttons, apparently growing larger as
they increase in popularity, are to be seen dorm the
sides of the skirts, the fronts of jackets, and in
couples at the throats and waists and cuffs of gowns.
Some skirts of curly cloth are arranged in long grace-
ful drapery all round, except down one side, where
great bows either of the new Astrakan• ribbon, or
broad velvet ribbon are placed at short distances
apart. The Signorita and Matador short jackets are
very popular. When the costume is velvet, loose
double-folded fronts- of some pale-coloured Surat
are inserted between the jacket and the tight-fitting
velvet vest. Pale blue with dark brown, or claret
velvet, pink with black, or dark grey, green. or ruby,
are popular.

TnEnz is wonderful 'variety in ribbons. The newest
are the Astrakan and felt ones, in most of the fashion-
able shades, both extensively used for trimming bats
and bonnets. The former is not often worn as strings,
except in a made-up bow, as it is too• thick; but is
used for trimming day costumes and muffs. There is
also a fine woollen canvas ribbon, somewhat re-
sembling merino, with a raised plush edge-. Tinsel
ribbons are being greatly used for evening and ball
gowns, either massed by themselves or mixed with
velvet. Some are sewn on at distances rouna the
waist, at the back of the tulle ballet skirt, and allowed
to fall long and straight to the ground, with an occa-
sional stitch to keep them in their place. In velvet
or satin ribbon this has a good effect, and the width
varies from three to four inches. The fashion of
tying up one sleeve of a low bodice with a bow of
fancy ribbon is pretty. Shaded plash and satin rib-
bons are to be seen on some of tho newest bonnets
The bridal, bridesmaids', and ball bouquets have all
long loops and flowing ends of satin ribbon, some
loops being so arranged to fall over and cover the
hand. Fans, muffs and hand-screens are also
adorned with bows and very long ends.

IN daily walks abroad a strange and wondrous
variety of hats and bonnets can be met with. The
Spanish hat, with its tight velvet-coloured brim and
full rosettes; the Astrakan toque, with its military-
looking twisted cord looped across the front to the
side, where it fastens an aigrette or "shaving brush"
of black or red; the high-crowned felt and straw hats,
with the startling erections of upright loops, stiff
wings, or clustered birds (reminding one in some cases
of Mercury's headpiece), or with a small bow in front,
and an inquisitive-looking group of curled feathers at
the back peeping over; and, lastly, a close but re-
duced copy of a bishop's black beaver hat, with the
brim curled well at the sides, a silken scarf fastened
low at the right side, carried across the front up to
the left, and then finished off with some curled ostrich
tips at the back. The beaver hats worn by men in
the early part of the century, with tapered crowns, are
to be attached next and revived and adapted to the
female face.

Tim generality of hats are, however, stylish and
becoming; the bonnets, too, suit nearly all faces, and
the prevailing style of soft trimming (fur or feathers)
and the shades of grey, brown, and green are becom-
in.; to almost everyone. Felt is the popular material,
trimmed with velvet. There are rosary bead bonnets,
strung on to gold braid or wire, which have velvet
strings and a smart aspiring bow in front. There are
velvet bonnets, with rosary beads scattered over, and
plush bonnets with other beads; black Astrakan and
lambswool ones, with a whole row of little feathered
friends ranged round the brim, with their tails cocked
up to form a crown. For very smart wear, there are
bonnets of peau de Suede, dyed as near as is possible
to the shade of the beech tree in its rich autumnal
beauty, and trimmed with the softest seal fur, and
tied with velvet. There are three graduations of the
shade of russet gold. Soft golden otter and beaver
is used for binding the new bonnets. The stiff wings
of sea birds form the crowns of others, all placed
elantwiss towards the front, with the brfm of two
shades of blended grey velvet. Black cocks' feathers
are arranged in the same way, with brim and strings
of poppy-red velvet. Long black quill feathers are
incrusted in jet beads, and placed upwards in hats and
bonnets. At a recent wedding, a guest wore a bonnet
of brown velvet, with the trimming composed of pam-
pas grass, little bulrushes, and a few sprays of dried
fancy grasses. Wooden bonnets are the latest novelty.
They are as light as others, and somewhat resemble
pale fawn Suede kid. No one would guess what they
were unless they were told, as they bear no likeness
to wood as we know it.

• • •
FANCY pocket handkerchiefs are now tucked into the
bodice very high under the chin. If with lace borders,
they look well under bonnet strings at afternoon
receptions. The Primrose Dames and their followers
use pins with small primrose heads to fasten their
bonnet etrings or attach the corners of their fancy
handkerchiefs to their bodices. There are also pretty
little safety pin gipsy brooches, with a tiny primrose
in the centre, used for the same purpose. Striped
muslin pocket handkerchiefs in soft blended hues are
novel, also self-coloured ones with Valenciennes lace
round the edge, or vandyked ones with horseshoes in
two colours alternately in every vandyke. For deep
mourning, plain white with very deep hem-stitched
borders are considered in better taste than black
bordered ones. Coloured silk ones are very popular,
peeping out of the fronts of bodices, with two, or even
three corners pinned back with fancy headed pins or
small brooches.
*

A nynia swallow, or a flight of three or four, is a
very fashionable design in jewellery, whether real or
in imitation. A crab spiked on a trident, a royal
crown resting on a sceptre, a guitar, a banjo, an Irish
harp, a crescent moon with an owl on it, are a few of
the many new designs. A very large hook and eye
in Paris paste diamonds is novel as a clasp for wear-
ing at the throat of a handsome evening cloak or rich
materlal gown. There are some beautiful " berry "
pins now being worn in the hair, about the size of a
very large raspberry, composed of mixed pearls and
paste diamonds. The same may be seen in jet. A
diamond star is well displayed by being put in the
centre of tho bonnet string bow, at any entertain-
molt. Another is frequently put in the centre of
the brim of the bonnet. Rococo jewellery (made in
England, and copied from the antique) is gaining in
popularity.

MOST of the new fans are of fine crane or gauze,
with exquisitely painted designs of clustering or fly-
ing birds, ethereal figures, or delicate scraps of land.
scape. Flowers are not nearly so fashionable as they
were. One new design has a spirit flying near a
young crescent moon, surrounded by stars, painted in
neutral and pale blue shades, in the centre cf the
fan, veiled by most delicate black gauze, skilfully laid
on in a medallion. The rest of the black gauze fan is
powdered with silver and gold stars, and the outside
ebony stick has a crescent moon and stars over it.
Another fan has a powdering of insects of all kinds in
metallic paints. A third, on brown gauze, has an in-
serted half-circle of satin at the top of the centre of
the fan, on which are clustered five birds of bright
plumage, their heads rising above the edge, and the
satin cut out around them. A black ostrich-feather
fan has two artificial robin redbreasts apparently fly-
ing over it, and a white one has a bird of paradise or
green parrakeet. Pale pink is one of the colours for
the winter, and pale pink fans, paintul, with mother-
of-pearl mounts, are being prepared for some of the
toilettes. One in pink gauze (ordered as a Christ-.
mas gift) has a water scene in the centre, surrounded
by drooping willow-like foliage of shaded brown.

PINK in bonnets has appeared at several fashion-
role gatherings, and very becoming it is to a brunette.
Recently, at an afternoon wedding tea, a yormg mar-
ried woman wore a costume of black velvet, with a
black velvet bonnet trimmed with pink, and a high
black cock's tail, and carried a large bouquet of pink
carnations. Pink satin ball skirts, veiled with paler
pink tulle, have been ordered for some of the coming
county balls, and several sortes de bal are lined with
pink satin, and have a plaiting of the same inside the
stiff, high collar. Very long black fur boas are
fashionable, some of them almost touching the ground,
and measuring 3 yards. Artificial birds—so palpably
artificial as to remove qualms of conscience—are
being much used on ball gowns. Some are placed in
twos and threes on a twig, and adlpted to the bodice.
The most airy, fairy-looking birds with chenille heads
and bodies, and tinsel wings and tails, are to be had
in every colour, for fastening anong tulle eaml scat
tering about bodices and shirts.,