The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-16 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

ACCORDING to the Queen the following are a few of the
prevailing styles: Very wide sashes tied in large bows
and forming a trimming in themselves are universally
worn in Paris. A cream canvas with open work
stripes, just fitted for races and such full dress occa-
sions, has the skirt bordered with woollen lace over
blue; the sash which crosses the front is also blue,
and tied at the back in these large bows.

VERY elaborate gowns are to be worn at races.
:For example, a white floss silk embroidered on tulle,
mounted over silk, and trimmed with Valenciennes
lace sewn on full, the bodice made as a blouse, with
a Swiss belt matching the colour of the wide sash.
Another gown had the entire front covered with lilac
and leaves, the flat artificial blooms appliquéd on to
the material. These skirts stand out well, and have
flounce upon flounce of lace-edged plaited muslin
carried up the back inside.

- * * *
STRINa colour in light fabrics would seem to carry
all before it, especially in canvas, which is often made
up with tucked front breadths to the skirt or rows of
ribbon instead of tucks; the back quite plain. The
blouse bodice gains in favour; it is bimply unlined
and full, secured round the waist by a Swiss belt of
velvet or silk, and having at the neck a double row
of wide turn-down lace. String colour is much
trimmed with heavy white guipure. The Theodora
bodice is a French novelty, the front is perfectly loose
and full, but across the waist there is either a belt or
a sort of basque, so arranged that the loose drapery
can be drawn through or allowed to fall over in bag-
like fashion; it is well suited to slender figures.
* * *

A GOOD useful style of dress is a plain coloured
canvas—green, slate, dark red, or brown—with a
wide flounce of worsted lace sewn on without fulness;
the bodice is often made as a Norfolk jacket. These
costumes are sold with bonnet and parasol to match,
as for example, a dark blue canvas with poppy-red
lace, a poppy-red bonnet, made in mousseline de soie,
with a bunch of poppies, and a large red Turkey twill
parasol, flounced at the edge, with a square handle
covered with red velvet nailed on. These parasols,
which are exceedingly large, are to be had in all
colourings of batiste, and transparent muslin and net
orer a colour.

A RESEDA satin dress was made with the new
folded bodice, opening over a velvet vest, V shape, so
that it could be removed and replaced with ecru
lace; to be worn with this was a bronze gauze
parasol, over gold, tied with bronze ribbon. Another
parasol had three rows of deep black lace and a
handle of olive velvet. An evening dress in blue
satin was notable for a front breadth covered with
blue pearls and gold bead embroidery, having
draperies of cream lace, the bodice was made square
back and front, with shoulder straps, a favourite and
becoming style for very young ladies. Another note-
worthy gown was shrimp or crevette faille, with ruby
velvet stripes on a canvas ground.

Amosa a large choice of wonderful bonnets there
was a white straw trimmed with crepe lisse plaitings,
gold oats, and mousse velvet leaves, describing a sort
of arch over the face, filled in with tulle closely
plaited. A hat-like bonnet of red velvet of the Olivia
share over the face, and large hiJi crown at the back,
was trimmed with pink roses; the combination is
uniqle, but really a happy one. Another was com-
posed entirely of roses and rose leaves. Another was
of velvet, covered with straw spots and much lace,
with an upstanding bouquet of green leaves. The
Amazme hat is the one shape worn in Paris; very
high in the crown, the brim turning up on each side,
wide i the centre and tapering towards back and
front; brown would seem to be the favourite shade
in this straw, trimmed with mousseline de soi shot
with gc Id.

THE Lady's Pictorial has the following: The Prin-
cess of 'Vales looked so fresh and lovely when she
opened the new Inventions Exhibition! I expected
her to be a little fagged in appearance after her long
Irish exertions. But no! she was fresh and youthful
as ever. Her dress was a new one, and very elegant.
It was nnde of brown velvet with bright gold spots
forming r?gular lines upon it. The bodice was tight-
fitting, an .1 was trimmed right down the front with
small loops of narrow brown ribbon velvet, set with
their round sides towards each other, meeting over
the hooks. The front had a drapery of golden brown
Irish poplil, which material was also mixed with the
velvet to form a drapery at the back; the spotted ma-
terial was arranged in panels at the sides. A cluster
of one large and two half-opened Marechal Niel roses
was at her Lreast.

HER bonnet was very plain, and was of a close
shape, though more cut out behind than the old
Princess shape, which her Royal Highness's influence
has kept in fashion so long. It was covered with a
shot brown and gold handkerchief prettily folded
towards the front, and fixed there with a silver
dagger; no otLer trimming on it. The young Prin-
cesses were in red-brown cloth costumes. Princess
Louise of Wales wears her hair turned up on the top
of her head, but the two younger ones still have
theirs floating down their backs.