The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-04 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

UNDBR the heading, "The Latest Chic," the
fashion writer of the Lady's Pictorial gives a descrip-
tion of the Parisian fashions. The bonnet (says the
writer) most. in favour is the capote, with its brim
slightly raised in front and cut through, so that there
is room for a single flower or ornament, which must
be small but high. The grancle nouceaute is a wide
faille ribbon, rose, shot with oseille, or grenat with
beige or blue, in two or three large knots placed in
front, but falling elegantly towards the back of the
bonnet. A very charming one worn the other day by
a young matron was entirely made of two colours of
silk tulle, the under one cardinal, and the upper one
veiling it oseille. The tint thus produced was beau-
tifully subdued and very becoming. In front there
was a pretty little bouquet of the foliage of three
different kinds of water plants most exquisitely made
in velvet, the outside trimming consisted only of a
bow of the soft ribbon just described in cardinal and
oseille, and the brides fastening under the chin were of
the two tulles combined. It was deliciously simple
and marvellously becoming.

PETTICOATS of soft twilled silk or satin inarveil-
leux are still de riyueur for evening wear. They are
well gored in front to fit the figure, but bouffante
behind, and this is the only approach to a tournure
now considered admissible in the highest circles.
Those who can afford jupons for each dress have them
of the same tint, but cardinal and pale blue go with
almost everything. The only trimmings admissible
are rows of white or ecru lace.

DRESSES are trimmed very little, but there are three
distinct styles, and I must just tell you how each is
applied. Three or four beaded passementerie orna-
ments are made to match a dress, one of which will be
placed on one shoulder, keeping a large fold in its
place, another on the opposite hip, and two more
either fastening a side drapery or behind, where the
the folds spring from a princessc corsage. The beads are
made in a great many different colours, and some very
pretty round ones are the exact tint of lead. These
are very fashionable, and look particularly well
with certain shades of mousse, dull red, navy
blue, and old rose. Another favourite style of
trimming is mohair braid about an inch
wide, and covered with stamped or appliquéd
velvet and gold or steel. This must not be confounded
with the gatons, into which gold threads are woven,
for they have become dreadfully vulgar and common.
The third method of trimming adapted by the best
couturieres consists of bands of shaded velvet or plush,
cut and arranged either in cross way or straight bands,
or en chevron, that is to say, raised to a point in the
middle of the front and sloping downwards. Those
of my fair readers who understand heraldry will
comprehend the term.

GOLD braid, galons, and broderies are all but
banished from costumes and their trimmings; the
quantity of glitter has been getting beautifully less for
the last three weeks, but it will reign supreme in
spring bonnets in the shape of lace ruchings and
plissés. Silver would have divided the honours with
gold, but no one has yet invented a silver that will not
tarnish when exposed to the weather.

THE meg habit is very charming, but it must be well
made. it is of silk, faille, brocatelle, velvet, or plush
of various colours, with black, white, ecru, or em-
broidered lace arranged down the front in coquilles.
These are worn in the house with dresses of almost
every colour, but not out of doors.

A GREAT many new stuffs have come out within the
last few days, and I can just tell you a few of the
names. There is voile de misaimet in two thicknesses,
one heavy and the other light, serpillieres of every
shade, Linage sanglier, and a kind of canvas alternated
with bands of velvet. Some of the beiges have just a
shade of blue or rose colour in them that is perfectly
bewitching.

THE lace of the season will be Chantilly. It is
made in the piece for dresses, and in flounces, ker-
chiefs, scarves and mantillas. Every lady who goes
into society at all must have at least one lace toilette,
and this is not at all an extravagant fashion.

THE outdoor garment par excellence of these spring
days is the veston-jacket. It is made in cloth, and
fits closely at the back and under the arms, though in
front there are no pleats, so that it falls just a little
loose. It is fastened down the front by two rows of
very large buttons, and trimmed with two rows of
galons to match, relieved by the merest .otipcon of
gold. It looks very distingue in plain dark red cloth
with gold ornaments just in the corners, but is
usually in beige, noisette, or kiddie cuite,light yet
subdued tones that look well over dark dresses of
every shade.
* *

THE latest idea in the way of corsage is a high, well-
fitting bodice brought to a small point in front, and
fastening only by a single button at the neck and
another at the waist. This shows a bouffant waistcoat
of striped Algerian silk, and gives the idea of a fichu
worn under the corsage, and just showing itself be-
tween the unfastened fronts. It looks extremely well
with a black velvet or dark blue plush dress, and may,
of coutse, be applied to less costly materials.

A VERY becoming toilette has nothing new about it,
but consists of a plain skirt of thick rich soie
with bodice and tunic of fine bure or thick, soft wool-
len cloth, to match, without an atom of trimming.
Young girls are wearing dresses of bore, cheviot, or
epervier, made with fall plain skirts set in box pleats
all round the waist, and hanging quite straight. In
front there is a width of plain, rich silk of the same
colour, but the pleats nearly cover it, so that it is only
visible near the bottom, or when the wearer is sitting
down. The corsage has a collar and revers of the
same silk, lined with pale blue or rose-coloured velvet,
which just shows, and that is all.

A PRETTY new fashion promises to become popular
this year, with regard to the wearing of real flowers
for morning dress. Small bunches of flowers to cor-
respond, if possible, in colour b'with the trimmings of
the hat or bonnet, will be worn on the front of our
muffs, pinned in among those bows of lace or ribbon,
which make the fanciful muffs of the present day so
much prettier and more manageable from an artistic
point of view than the straight, flat, bolster-like
monstrosities which we are doomed to carry in the
days of our youth. Spring flowers are very inexpen-
sive luxuries just now, and are seen to great advantage
arranged in thlr, way. With daffodils and violets,
snowdrops and narcissus, wall-flowers, and hyacinth
to choose from, we need have no difficulty in selecting
suitable colour.