The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-13 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

AUTUMN toilettes form the subject of articles in the
leading fashion journals. From Le Follet we make
the following extracts on this topic :—For woollen
dresses, dark blues and greens are the mo3t worn;
in the latter there are some new shades called
"Amazon," "Watercress," and a new blue-green
generally called "Tryon," but known also by other
names. Some very elegant dresses of cloth are being
made in the "Amazon" shade; many have velvet
waistcoats, collars, and cuffs, and broad biais on
the tunics, all the velvet being trimmed with gold
or silver braid ; others have white cloth waistcoats
also gold braided. Velvet or velveteen are more
fashionable than ever; the best qualities of the latter
are much used as parts of dresses, with either silk
or woollen, and the combination of Louie :1%1/4 and
eachemire is perfect in tone ànll style. Many of
the woollen and other dark dresses fare brightened by
the addition of a waistcoat of lighter colour; these
may be of piqu4, pain with bright stripes, or some
similar fabric, and fastened with metal buttons. These
ivaistc6ats may be made as part of the vests worn
over them, to which they attach at the shoulder and
aide seam, or may be .a. separate bodice attached to a
-back of plain lining. This arrangement enables
different dresses to be worn with the same bodice. The
waistcoats are generally striped, or of some pattern,
but a plain bright colour may be worn if well harmon-
laingspith thadress ; when ,this is the case, a narrow
"pllss43, of the same as the gilet, is added under the
edge of the skirt, and the same may be introduced
and slightly eliown iia. the folds of the pouf or other
drapery.

SCALLOMID and pinked flounces are much liked,
especially for shot silks and many skirts are completely
covered by them; the flounces, if at all wide, are pinked
at each edge, and put on with a puffing, to which the
upper pinking forms a heading, or with rows of
gauging; narrower volants dechiquetes, i.e, pinked,
are arranged in groups, headed by a chicorde ruche,
also pinked. Bodices are generally made with
points, or with short basquee ; these may be round
and tabbed, or curved on the hips, and longer at
the back and front ; the backs may be plain and
close•fitting, or left open to form two points,
or with double pleats turned tinier, or, again,
with a small pouf formed by pleats in the seams;
there is no limit to the fantasies of basques in fact.
All corsages, whatever be their make or trimming,
are closely fitted to the figure, the full plastrons
and drawn fronts, which appear loose, being sewn
on a fitting lining, Waistbands are very well
worn, but should be abstained from by ladies at all
given to embonpoint, as the eye naturally follows the
line round the waist, while the seams of the bodioe,
uninterrupted by the horizontal line of the ceintnre,
serves to apparently lessen its size. The same remark
applies to 'plaid materials, which are still fashionable
in combination with plain woollens or velveteen. The
newest have the skirt or tunic pleated or draped on
the cross, the diagonal lines not having the effect of
Increasing the size. The tucked skirts are much liked;
the quiet simplicity in their effect is considered very
good style, but they are certainly more suited to
ordinary materials than those of a richer quality. There
are two ways of arranging them—making the tucks in
the material itself before mounting this on the faunae
jupe ; in this method the stitches show; the other is
to make the tucks separately, and lay them one over
the other on the foundation; they are continued
round the skirt. The tucks may be disposed in
groups, or alternated with others of a different material.

SETBRAL serge and other woollen dresses have been
made within the last few days, trimmed with tucks in
groups of threes separated by a fold of velvet; and
others, with pleated skirts of thinner woollens, have
these edged with a broad band of velvet, headed by
two or three narrow tucks in the material, all at.
ranged before pleating up. We have seen two or three
very elegant dresses lately of a combination of
materials thus made ; the skirt, front, and sides are
cut up in four or five places nearly to the waist, over
folds of the other material, the long panels thus formed
being attached to each other part of the way down by
straps of velvet ; these may be fastened by Luckles or
buttons, or bows at one end, towards the back. In
velvet or pattern and plain material, in brocade over
velvet or satin, this style is very elegant. For woollen
dresses broad braid will be much used as trimmings;
in fact, this and bands of ribbon velvet, or biais of
velveteen, will be more used for the purpose than any.
thing else.

Du Queen, in its weekly article on "London
Fashions," remarks that the manufacturers have
decided that grey, claret, crimson, and plum colour,
In all and every material, are to be the prevailing
tints for the ensuing winter season, the votaries of
fashion will doubtless follow suit, and, in many cases,
blindly adopt the selected shades, completelymegardlesa
of individual style or c3louring, in their eagerness for
novelty, and, perhaps, pardonable desire to be clothed
strictly I/a mode. The new grey is, however, a
prettier and more becoming shade than the somewhat
hard tone of colour so universally worn during the
past spring and summer months, the admixture of blue
in its composition imparting a touch of teLdernese and
requisite softness, which will go far to ensure its ex-
tensive patronage by blonde and brunette alike.
Smoke•grey, smoke-blue, and smoke•green, are all
fashionable shades—a term which aptly describes
them—for the various colours, pure and bright in
themselves, appear to have been subjected to the
influence of the all-pervading obnoxious element of
our town of London, and as if they had in reality
passed through the smoke.

PLAIN and figured velvet will be much used as
trimmings for woollen dr egF es in these colourings,
either as entire skirts, or as fl t buds edging tbe short
pannie-s or more fsshionable polonaise. Thee velvet
bands are sometimes embroidered with rcroll patterns
or floral designs, in light shades of silk in the same or
contrasting colours, and are used in this way with good
effect. A costume of a deep rich shade of smoke-blue
vicuna looks exceedingly well trimmed with bands of
grenat velvet embroidered in crimson and blue silks,
which edge the pointed polonaie• and ornament the
bodice. The skirt of blue velvet is perfectly plain in
front, with graduated boxplaits at the back, the habit
bodoe being also of velvet ; the gathered chemisette
of vicrua is edged with a narrow band of embroidered
grenat velvet, which is continued round the neck as a
shallow stand-up collar.

IN continuation our contemporary says: —The
Henri 11. hat, which has so long retained its position
of reigning favourite, is likely to be deposed by that
of the period of Henri 111. This, with its graceful
boat. shaped brim and high tapering crown, is made in
light-weighted felt in delicate tints of fawn, drab, and
grey, and in the more sombre shades of blue, brown,
green, and crimson. The curled brim, which certainly
is more generally becoming than the hard lines of the
Henri 11. hat, is hound with a galloon of the game
colour mixed with threads of gold or silver, the crown
surrounded with a wide band of the same, ornamented
in front with a cluster of loops, and the head, breast,
and wings of some gay•coloured bird. Hate of black
or brown felt are also trimmed with torsades of velvet
and plumes of feathers in Mandarin yellow or shaded
gold, and the brims of these are bound with narrow
gold or mixed braids.

Avrionosa pure and creamy white is still pre-
ferred by young ladies for evening wear, yellow
and pink will be popular for the same purpose.
The latter colour is now produced in the more
pronounced shades in vogue some years ago, and
all tones of yellow, from pale lemon to the vivid
scarlet orange, are everzwhere displayed, and will
be extensively used in the production of dinner and
ball gowns. Some very pretty gauzes in these shades,
having fine silken lines mingled with gold threads, are
Intended to be worn with plain pointed bodices of
either pink or yellow satin, the skirts made with plaits
or graduated flounces, and the bodices ornamented with
bouquets of chenille fruit and leaves in shades of crimson
or gold. Bows and ends of ribbon are placed en eauctde
at one side of the basque, and are arranged across the
drapery at the beak of the skier; narrow gold late at
the neck and sleeves, which, by the way, is now also
frequently used as frilling with blacknr dark-coloured
costumes of satin or velvet, in place of the familiar
"tuckers " of cream or guru lace.

N oncrna the show of furs at a London establish-
ment, the last-quoted writer says saw some splen-
did dolmans, very long, and full at the back, of the
finest Alaska seal bordered with black beaver, and
thickly lowa with the grey hairs of the badger, which
gave a pleasing effect of brightness to the full and inde-
scribable richness of the seal fur. The long square or
rounded sleeves sprang either from the seams at the
centre of the bask, where they were finished with
handsome ornaments of cords and tassels, er frocuthe
sides beneath the elbows. The sleeves were edged with
heaver trimming, which, in one stylish model, was also
continuad round the back of the dolman, forming a sort
of circular cape. The dolmans are allhigk ahonldered in
the prevailing fashion, and it well to the figure, gradu-
ally falling away from the waist downwards. Seal capes
for young ladies are finished with a novel fringe of fur
balls • and a new trimming, consisting of a rope of
sealsiin, around which is twisted a silken cord, is
particularly tasteful, and decidedly more appropriate
thin cerdefierse of silk and chenille, which are always
PuOr-looklng against the luxuriant richness of the fur
they are intended to ornament. We were shown some
• skis-fitting, short coats for young ladies' country
wear, and very suitable, for walking or skatingt A
novel make in this style was called the " Pergolkse."
It was of seal fur, fastened at the neck, and opened
in front over a watstcoat of sealskin, which was cut to
the. figure and a perfect Et. Tke lining of the gut
-
away coat was of crimson and gold brocade. The
waistcoat could lalso be made of the natural undyed
• seal, which would be effective and uncommon., •

'
UNDER the head of ",Needlework Jottlnee," a
writer in thesame journal, seys :7.--Parpadttfotting is
coming Into vogue again for chalrbacks,"ePecially in
,combination with cross-stitched canvas.. .Three strips
af the cream canvas, delioatelrefleught witksmilla
in washing silks, are separated* bY tvio bands, of egtiat
Atridtb, tistolernecr, iritetsiali*ltitlt'ishn[Sle
ataiu Tbav42ola i framed -by Torchon lace, inter-
- thiladed settitthe.pWottred. 14imp!er ebalrhacks
are wholly composed of 66 netting, powdered with
/tarried sprays, the edges vandy.ked and buttonholed.
Thqe is a maqt.sgoripaicknap,s4q.fecipra, thttpaeterial
worh by Azieilan,piiitant„women, It ip,a kind of stiff
tapestry êanva with coloured eross•stifah desiins,
printed so disttnetly as to be mistaken, from a distance,
for needlework iteeltaAtithhiltirWe brown leather, it
is e*peerlingly dintabte faxielotting bookrOititrilberT,'
eases, wall pocketek,itiorktand,...)sanclkerchief -.boxes. 4'
•legram cases, hottiewifwarervielcasee, work satchels,
and many such trifles, even to covers for scent bottles.

Py the returns published in-Tuesday night's Dublin
Gazette, it appears that the foot-and•moutn disease is
decreasing in every part of Ireland. The number of
animals attacked last week was 8,000, against 11,000
in Ilk, previous seven days.
The number of failures in England and Wales
gazetted during the week ending Saturday. Oct. 6, was
140. The number in the corresponding week of last
year was 193, showing a decrease of 53, being a net
decrease in 1883, to date, of 333.