The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-05 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS,

ALTrietran the gay world of Paris is out of torn,
many novel materials for autumn and winter weal
are now to be seen, says " Eliane de Marsy,"corre-
spondent of the Queen in that gay city, in our leading
show-rooms. For the benefit of those who like early
information, I will touch on the salient points of the
new fabrics. The woollens are in such variety that
they will continue to be worn for general outdoor
costumes; the novelty is the introduction of bouclé
effects—curled loops of the fabric woven either in
stripes, or figures, sometimes as borders and some-
times covering the cloth. There is bouclé stockin-
gotta, bouclé canvas, and boucle serge. The colours
in these shaggy fabrics are plomb or lead, dark green,
russet brown, and dark blue. In silks veloutine and
faille Francaise, in combination with plush and velvet,
will be worn, and for mantles fris6 velvet has been
prepared, especially in black, brown and plomb.

Tim novel feature in millinery is the combina-
tion of wool and silk. There are ribbons
ith a stripe of wool, a stripe of plush,
and a satin stripe; others show a velvet stripe
alternating with a woollen lace strips, in which a gilt
thread is introduced. Bouclé effects are also to be
seen in the materials especially prepared for mil-
linery.

TINSEL, or " otincelle," is a prominent feature in all
fabrics prepared for bonnets, whether it be net, plush,
or woollen. Gold has given place to other tinsel
threads, such as copper, lead, and silver. These
threads, which are marvellously fine, are wound over
silk, and used for elaborate embroideries on many
materials. The designs are principally floral, but
palms, Persian and Greek patterns are also to be seen.
The basor metals are quieter and less tawdry than the
gold threads with which we have been flooded during
the summer. There are also novel metallic combina-
tions, such as gilt ribbon studded with small lead,
copper, or jet beads, with larger faceted beads at the
edge. The rosary, or carved wooden beads, in brown
and red woods, on bouclé silk ang woollen galons, are
also likely to be popular. The new ribbons have scal-
loped edges formed of graduated loops of either silk
or tinsel.

THERE is no end to the modification made with
regard to bodices, they are more fanciful in their
different arrangements by far than the skirts. One
of the latest innovations is to ca it like a cuirass—
close-fitting and from two or three inches longer than
the waist, and to gather the upper skirt, tunic, or
skirt proper, as the ease may be, on to the edge. One
gown of this kind has a foundation skirt of blue silk,
trimmed with scarlet, and an upper skirt of cream-
white canvas gathered to the edge of a cuirass bodice
made of canvas lined with silk. The upper skirt,
very wide, and with the back breadths gathered more
closely than the front, is caught up in folds behind to
the waist, the two edges falling together in a coguille,
very effective, and concealing the division. A broad
band of poppy-coloured velvet is laid on the edge of
the canvas skirt and also around the throat and cuffs
—if one can give this name to the end of sleeves
that terminate at the elbow, as most of them do now-
a-days.

ANOTHER gown, made with a bodice somewhat
similiar, is composed of pale blue Surala and woollen
of the same colour, brocaded with biscuit-hued silk.
The under-skirt is of the latter material mounted in
flat pleats all the way round; the upper one, in
Sarah, open on the left side and rounded off towards
the front and back, is gathered to the edge of the
cuirass (also in Surah), and has biscuit-coloured yak
lace turned back over it. As for the bodice, it is
double-breasted and fastened by two rows of large
fancy buttons, below a full chemisette of the lace.
A band of sapphire blue velvet encircles the throat,
and the gauntlet cuffs on the elbow sleeves are of the
same material. Of course, long gloves have to be
worn with those sleeves on all occasions.

OTHER ladies have long points back and front, or a
point in front and a little jockey basque at the back;
they are considered applicable to all kinds of skirts—
gathered, pleated, or what not. Others, again, are of
the Figaro pattern, worn in muslin, crape, or Surah
chemisettes, cut somewhat longer than the waist, very
full, and turned underneath so as to form a bouillonne
below the jacket, which would be of velvet, iashmire,
Sicilienne, or some such firm opaque fabric. The
Figaro jacket has a double row of buttons, but only
the top ones are fastened, and it is generally cut
rather low in the neck, so as to leave a small portion
of the chemisette ezhibited, besides the ribbon necklet
tied at the side. It need not match the rest of the
gown; is indeed generally a contrast to it in colour
and material. A VandTck-brown velvet jaeket may
thus be combined with a pleated skirt of biscuit-
coloured faille and white crape chemisette, while
below the bouillonne formed by the latter a handsome
brown-and gold scarf, striped like the body of a wasp,
is folded—the ends tied and falling down behind.

FOR lawn tennis dresses, the new scouring serge is
a good material, being very light though warm, and
draping remarkably well; it is manufactured in self-
colours and in stripes of two shades, either perpendi-
cularly or horizontally arranged. In texture it re-
oornhlaa 1111119 A flarm“l, asla it io prArmrPri in a variety
of colours—navy blue, with navy blue and speckled
grey stripes to make up with it, dark blue and red
stripes for either plain blue or red, Indian red and
speckled fawn over red. We noticed a pretty dress
in this material quite recently in brown and brown and
cream stripes; the skirt, deep sailor collar, wrist-
bands, and waist-belt, which crossed in front, were of
the stripes, and the polonaise-shaped over-dress of
the plain brown, caught up very high on the left hip,
the somewhat loose full-fronted bodice being secured
at the waist by the belt. Another new-looking dress
was in fine cream serge, the skirt box-pleated and kilted
with a wide border of check, formed by the interlacing
of four different shades of red bruid ; the bodice was
blouse-shaped, opening in front, with a turned-back
collar, showing a plastron, matching the border on
the skirt; the sleeves were finished off with deep
wristbands of the same check, of which the waistband
was also composed; the short tunic turned up in
front, the pocket so made being utilised for holding
the tennis balls, and secured at each side with bows
and ends of the four braids; the hat, a creamish
white straw in the inevitable sailor-shape, was
trimmed to match with the shaded braids. The
blouse form of bodice is by far the most convenient
shape for lawn-tennis dresses. Well-made short
coats are sent out now by the best houses with lawn-
tennis costumes made of serge, flannel, or cloth, to
match the darkest tone of colour in the dress, or else
of some neutral tint which harmonises with the
general effect. Satin linings of contrasting shades
are usually employed. A wrap of some sort to wear
between the setts or when leaving off play is a
necessary, as, if such a precaution is neglected, the
result is too often a severe chill to an energefie player
overheated by the exertion.

Gowris imported from Paris, and there are many
to be seen at the fashionable parties now taking place
out of London, are remarkable for the manipulation
of stripes, which are certain, in some parts of the
gown, to be placed vertically. The plain skirts show
horizontal stripes, but the overskirt, which falls in
heavy plaits at the back, in front is caught into the
waistband, forming a diagonal apron, and beneath is
another apron cut on the cross. Judging from
French gowns, which we may copy later, the arm-
holes are once more to be puffed a la Henri NU;
and to make the draping of skirts perfectly success-
ful, they are first sewn to the waistband straight all
round, and then literally cut with scissors on the
stands, so that they are short here and long there, as
required. The most successful treatment is where
the upper drapery is short on the hips, and falls in a
frill-like fashion, produced by cutting. Many young
girls are wearing plain full skirts, with an overskirt
of some soft silk printed with flowers at the sides,
opening to the waist to show the plain skirt; this is
the Charlotte Corday gown. Spencers are worn with
it, which end at the waist in front, beneath '4 belt, and
have small basques at the back.
* _ *

THE seaside hat par excellence is, says La ltfoniteur
de la Mode, a large, wide brimmed chapsaa, some-
thing like a sailor hat in shape, made of very coarse
straw. Brown is the favourite colour. The brim is
totally untrimmed, but around the crown is draped a
scarf of ecru etamine embroidered in cross-stitth with
some bright colour. No hat could be move suitable;
it rests well and firmly on the head, and-shields the
face and neck from the sun; is light and cool, very
becoming, and* is absolutely unspoilable.

Fon dressy wear, young girls and children have
very stylish dresses of flowered silk, or plain ottoman
combined with a lovely pekin material—stripes of
plain or embroidered gauze and lace insertion. A
toilette for a girl of ten has a skirt of malachite green
ottoman or faille francaise (a lighter, thinner variety
of ottoman). It is edged with a pleating of faille,
ari is draped with pekin, having wide stripes of pink
gauze la pa insertion. The pekin forms also
a full covered with a long Figaro !ticket of
oLtu,an. The back drapery consists of full, deep
ottoman pleats. The wide, falling collar and re-
meats are of white lace. The hat is a large Gains-
borough of white straw, lined with green velvet and
trimmed with a beautiful bouquet and aigrette of
marguerites and white heather.

A TOILETTE for a girl of fourteen is of biscuit-
coloured etamine and green faille. The fame etirt is
draped with biscuit etamine, a long tablier of gamine
edged with biscuit woollen lace falling to the right.
A simple etamine blouse, lined with silk arid edged
with lace, is secured at the waist by a rich sash of
malachite-green moire tied in a large bow at the
back.