The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-27 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

is the season marked by the fall of the leaf
makes its approach more obvious, the activity of
dressmakers increases to a considerable degree, and
in the West-end of London the leading establishments
are displaying a capital assortment of modish and
novel goods. What is actually being worn is well
described by a writer in the Queen in an article
entitled "London Fashions," from which we make
the following extracts :—A rough make of serge is
much used for plain autumn gowns, and velveteen
closely competes for the kudos of popular favour.
At last the term " gown " is, we fancy, now fitly
applied to the garments with which we are clothed;
for the plain skirt, devoid of all extras—no paniers,
no tunic, no poufs—and the bodice made round, with
a belt, seems to us to be rightly so named. Many
are made with rows of velvet ribbon, fancy braids, or
narrow tucks at the lower part of the skirt, and, apart
from their somewhat prim look, are most useful and
sensible wear. Some of these skirts have a deep
band of velvet describing a hem at the edge, with the
upper part tucked to the waist, or left plain if it be
so preferred. The bodice has a collar and cuffs
f the velvet, and waistband with long drooping ends.
These plain skirts are also relieved with perpendicular
rows of ribbon velvet, placed their own width apart,
from the waist to the edge of the hem below which is
a kilting of velvet, or may be a small gathered
flounce. The velvet is usually of a deeper shade than
tl.e woollen material of the skirt, but contrasting
shades are frequently used, which, if well chosen,
produce most artistic effects. Bronze-green serge,
and dull ruby velvet or dark blue and lustreless gold,
are especially good combinations, and both look re-
markably well when made in the way we describe.
Tile, bodice is either of velvet, velveteen, or of serge,
with plain velvet revers at the neck and cuffs, or a
narrow plastron front terminating at the waist, and
fastened with fancy metal buttons. The fashionable
bodice, if not made "round," is basqueless and short
at the sides, pointed both backend front, and piped at
the edge with velvet or braid that appears on the
skirt of the gown. A waistband of velvet is in-
variably worn with these plain woollen skirts, and in
front, but a little to one side, is a metal clasp, or one
of carved wood or enamel, from which hang a number
of loops, and ends, cut in tiny " saw " points.
TIIE same writer says that the Tam o'Shanter cap
is much in vogue, and is largely affected by youthful
matrons, girls, and young children alike. Picturesque
and decidedly pretty, it does not suit all types of
10 iuty, but looks best when surmounting fair curls on
the heads that are small and well shaped. Its form
is now greatly improved, and not nearly so loose as of
yore, the rolled under-brim, made in soft gathered
folds, being novel and highly becoming. Made of
velvet, matching the trimming of the gown, it is de-
corated with a single quill feather, a la Langtry, or
caught down on one side by a partridge-claw br( 0;1i
or the personal badge of the wearer, be it monogram,
garter, or crest. The stiff feathers are gilded,
silvered, or dyed in all shades of bright colours.
A very stylish cap was of olive-green velvet, having a
paler blue quill, apparently tied with a bow of narrow
blue velvet, studded with small silver beads. It was
worn with a gown of dull olive-green serge, the full,
round skirt perfectly plain, but stitched at the edges
with blue silk. The short bodice was of olive velvet,
piped at the edge with pale blue, and had a narrow
waistcoat and sharp-pointed cuffs of blue velvet, held
down by rows of gimp buttons, studded thickly with
cut silver beads. At the left side of the skirt, from
under the pointed bodice, fell a cluster of long loops
of olive velvet ribbon, lined with pale blue, and each
finished with a large ball of blue silk gimp, worked
with silver beads.

FOR children, these velvet caps are most effective
in scarlet or sapphire-blue, with cockade of cream-
coloured ribbon, the frock being also cream, in serge
or surah silk, with Swiss belt, and collar and cuffs of
velvet of either shade. It is early as yet to say much
about bonnets, except that they now have no strings.
It remains to be seen if this fashion will last through
the approaching season of winter's cold, dreary, dark
days (when the feeling of warmth is so pleasant), and
cheeks, throat, and chin would be laid bare At pre-
sent the fashionable bonnet is mostly of the peaked
and high-crowned variety; and lace ones, with the
odd-looking, pent-house shaped brims—which have
lately been voted la mode—are now giving way to the
same form in felt, or in satin encased in yak lace, or
a trellis of beads and chenille. The crowns of these
coloured felt bonnets are covered with small tufts of
chenille of a darker shade, or with velvet shapes out-
lined with gold; and the brims are bordered with
a rope of chenille, or a puffing of chenille
to match. Foliage in velvet, most beautifully
shaded, is placed in huge clusters in front,
and is also seen inside the brim. Bullrushes, palms,
and green ferns are arranged in large, wide-spreading
clumps, or the russet-tinted leaves of the chestnut and
maple tree. The latter quite perfect in colour and
form, and wrought with surprising vraisemblance.
Garlands of closely-curled feathers, small-sized; and
tinted in shades, are worn round the crowns of velvet
bonnets, which are edged at the brim with gold cord,
and are lined with contrasting colours. For instance,
a bonnet of cigar brown velvet was so trimmed with
feathers of all shades of fawn, brown, and red, the
scuttle-shaped brim being lined with red velvet and
bordered with fawn and gold cord. A small metal
openwork clasp was placed at the back of the cut-out
crown, where were three short but full ostrich tips of
a rich shade of dark brown.

Trin writer of the article in the Queen makes
special mention of the gold-woven, rough, Bradford
serge, as a material that is likely to be fashionably
worn, and certainly deserves success, no less on
account of its handsome appearance than its purely
" home " produce and make. A leading West-end
firm, we are told, have a quantity of this fabric, which
they make up in various styles, both as plain gowns
for everyday wear or as costumes with velvet and
silk. Lead-blue and brown are the favourite shades,
with smoke-grey and watercress-green. The serge
has a wide ribbon border of gold-metal threads and
bright silk, or a deep band woven with basket-work
patterns oar others in squares or large spots. For
morning wear the serge is made up as a plain skirt
in long hanging folds, or rather as a full tunic over a
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the bodice, and again at the neck and wrists. The
serge looks exceedingly well in the new shade of
blue woven with " darned " spots of gold, and worn as
a tunic and bcklice on a round skirt of fine velveteen.
A costume of cinnamon serge had a ribbon border of
pure gold thread edged with silver, and mixed with
bright red silk. The tunic fell straight from the waist,
and was cut up its whole length in front, showing
a petticoat of cinnamon plush. At the back of the
tunic were many fine long-gathered plaits; these stood
well out from the point of the bodice, which was made
very short on the hips. The bodice had lappets of
plush both back and front, which reached to the point
of the basque, and from the side seams were velvet
bands tapering to a sharp point, and striped with
small folds of gold ribbon, which crossed in front
below the waist in a new and original manner. The
plain sleeves had velvet cuffs crossed witha
gold ribbon, and tied in a bow on the
top. The bodice was fastened with round gold
buttons; at the neck was a bow with long ends.
Bridesaids' costumes will be made in this style,
though, of course, of more dressy material, such as
cashmere or silk for the tunic and bodice, and velvet
or plush for the skirt. The bodices will also be made
to turn back to admit of a lace chemlsette, should the
dress be required for home dinner wear, for a concert,
or night at the play.

THE Bradford serge is also much used yrith a fine
make of silk corduroy; the latter for the round skirt,
and the serge for the bodice and drapery. We were
much pleased with a novel mixture of smoke-grey
corduroy and a light shade of seal-brown serge. The
straight skirt of velvet had a flounce of open-work
silk embroidery exactly matching it in tint, and sewn
on the edge without any fulness whatever. Through
this work, , flounce could be seen the underskirt of
brown serge, which was finished with rows of silk
stitching. Above the corduroy skirt were graceful
draperies of serge, rather long on the right, lifted
high on each side, and falling in long loops behind.
The close-fitting brown serge bodice was short on the
hips, with a shallow coat-tail back, cut up and filled
in with grey silk embroidery, and ornamented with
oxidised buttons. It was cut rather low in the neck
in front, and finished with crossover tabs of brown
serge. Above was a small stand-up collar, covered
with grey silk yak lace, which also composed the long
narrow waistcoat, that had buttons placed downeither
side.

FROM the same source we learn that the establish-
ment already mentioned is exhibiting many decided
novelties in materials for autumn wear, among them
being the " tufted " and " astrakan " cloth, and a soft-
shaded plush stamped in stripes. This they are using
with excellent effect with the astrakan cloth we have
named, the plush of a full golden-brown, and the
cloth of the new shade of blue; the perfectly fitting
cloth bodice, cut short and round at the waist, and
fastening obliquely in front, opens in the centre of the
chest, and is turned back with striped plush revers.
The waistcoat and collar of plush are fastened with
gold silk buttons, worked with small stars of steel
beads. The skirt is of cloth and striped plush.
In front is a plain piece of cloth cut straight
to the waist on the right side, and also
at its lower edge, which slopes, away to
the left, and forms many plaits at the back,
the striped plush showing below the apron front, and
forming the right side of the skirt. The upper part
of the apron is concealed by a short folded scarf of
plush, which ends rather low on the right, where are
a number of satin-lined loops of velvet of graduated
lcagth, and each one finished with a silk guipure
ball, with a pattern of stars of steel beads. At the
back of the bodice are four short plaits, and the
sleeves are mace long and quite plain. The cuffs are
of velvet in long pointed tonnes, and fastened with
steel headed buttons. The tv3lted cloth is stylish and
unecin mon. Strlpes of dull gold and brick red looked
well on a groundwork t very (lark green, the gold
~tripes all bristling with tufts of red wool, and rice
I.crdli throughout the wide range of colours, embracing
l the most fashionable shades, and mingled with
tuuzment and taste.