The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-07 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

WE cull some gossip anent the dress of Royalties
from the Queen:
TIIE CROWN PRINCESSES or GERMANY have
been supplied, from a London house, with costumes
of fine copper-red cloth; the skirt falls in long
draperies, carelessly folded, and on the left sine
appears a broad bias fold of striped plush, in a shade
exactly matching the cloth. This is also used on the
revers of the bodice, and in a band round the basque.
Cuffs of the same finish the sleeves, and the effect is
both rich and stylish.

THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES have also ordered cos-
tumes of fino navy cloth serge, which are made very
simply, and yet are elegant in appearance. The
bodices are of pointed shape, with short tail bisques,
and the skirt falls in loose graceful folds, both back
and front, the former being caught up in several full
loops just under the basque. At the edge of the
skirt, a set of the new cord stitching is introduced,
seeming to take off any idea of plainness, and at the
same time giving a new and finished appearance to
them. Buttons of curious shape, cut into small
appleg, arc inerl in a close row on the bodice.
* it *

A GOWN made for the Countess Walparga di Masino
Trotti is of a flue claret-coloured cloth, and has a
bodice of plush of the same shade, showing a vest at
neck and waist, being fastened by one button only at
the bust, where the coat revers terminate. The
skirt has three wide plaits in front, and from the
sides to the back is arranged in very fine kiltings.
Back drapery fails to the foot of the skirt in long
loopings. This is for a visi!ing dress. *

FOR the Princess Thorn Taxis the same West-end
firm have recently made a gown of fine navy serge,
with plain skirt, braided a few inches from the
bottom with cream military braid, in set of five rows.
The bodice has a plastron of plaits in front gathered
closely Li at the waist, where it is finished by a full
scarf sash of same serge, falling in looped sash ends
at the hack. Cream btaiding is used on collar and
cuffs, and, though very simple, this is still an elegant
and useful gown.

Tim Countess Zichy has just ordered a stylish gown
of an extra line serge af a navy-blue shade, the bodico
simulating a jersey, looking invisibly at the back, the
skirt in wide kilts meeting a short scarf drarery,
which falls at the back in long graceful folds. A spray
of foliage embroidered in gold is introduced near the
collar on left side, and the same in smaller size appears
at the foot of each wide kilt, seeming to relieve thn
monotony of colour in a charming manner. A toilette
made for the Contessa Irene Rignon di Cigala is of a
new shade of light green, with bodice arranged as a
tight Zouave, the vest being buttcned with tiny gold
knobs. Tabs of wide braid in dark green shade, and
outlined with a narrow gold thread, are used as a
trimming on either side of the Z-mave bodice. The
front drapery ia.divideci, and, slanting to right and
left, shows a fine kilted front to the underskirt, while
the upper drapery is finished by tabs of the same
braid as used on the bodice. A short scarf drapery
above the long one forms a small panier on either hip,
and is carried to the back, where it is arranged in long
bouffant folds.

Gem-, says the Lad,vic Pictorial, will be very much
worn this winter, and we hav3 seen at a leading
shol a charmingly simple little gown in grey fade
Pan;ave, made with that very delightful invention,
an adjui.table train. The skirt itself is made in front
with a short scarf drapEry, threelong pleats, fixed at
wide i...ervals, forming the left side, each pleat being
drawn down into a sort of small pair', in a novel and
pretty fashion. On the right of the skirt is a gradu-
ated panel covered entirely with a handsome garni-
ture of metallic grey Leads, matching exactly the
colour of the silk, and being arranged in an elegant
design of festoons and drops. The back of the skirt
is remarkably pretty, with its neat arrangement of full
pleats gathered in compactly just below the waist, and
then allowed to drape themselves, as it were, in a
series of soft and graceful folds. Over this the train
may be placed at the pleasure of the wearer. It is a
simple but effective train, made with a scalloped edge
and bordered entirely with bright metallic beads to
correspond with the panel on the skirt. The beads
are again repeated on the bodice, which is made with
a kind of demi-zouave front opening over a beaded
vest.

THOSE who are anxious to obtain a really inempen-
sive black silk gown, either in faille francazse, pekin,
or gros grata silk, will perhaps be interested to hear
of some pretty little gowns prepared for a well-known
house in several different styles, and in any of those
three materials, for the price of five guineas and a
half, including sufficient material for the bodice.
One of the prettiest of the various styles in which
these gowns are made is in pekin stripe, made with
a simple scarf drapery in front, a very fully-pleated
back, and a side panel trimmed with jot and edged
with rows of bright black beads. Made upon a silk
foundation, these costumes are marvellously cheap.

To come now to some of the latest Parisian notions
as regards afternoon costumes suitable for shopping
or for making calls. Here, as everywhere, wooden
beads form a leading feature, and we see them in
every shape and form, plain or polished, carved or
enamelled, cunningly introduced into the handsomest
passementerie or used to form a borde;ing to panels
and draperies. A French gown in black cheviot,
destined to be copied many times, no doubt, for
English wearers, was most effectively trimmed with
dull black wooden beads, varied with small touches
here and there of scintillating plush. The underskirt
was in cheviot, with stripes of plush woven into the
material, while the graceful draperies above this were
edged entirely with black wooden beads. A panel of
beads and passementeric, finished at the bottom with
four square tabs, ornamented the left side of the
skirt, the draperies being caught up rather high ort
the right side, and fastened on to the bodice at the
back. The bodice was trimmed with a lovely orna-
ment of net and beads, applique on to a velvet founda-
tion, and so arranged as t 3 form a kind of V-shapd
plastron, almost covering the back, and coming round
in a kind of deep collar over the front of the figure.
No description can do justice to the elegance and chic
of this costume, which must really be seen to be
appreciated.
• •

ANOTIIER entire novelty in the way of winter morn-
ing gowns is made in a particularly light warm fabric
known as shawl canvas. The long draperies, arranged
in a half-classic fashion, terminate in a veritable
shawl fringe, the knots of which are thickly orna-
mented with polished wooden beads. These soft folds
are gracefully arranged over a plain underskirt of
plush, the canvas being fastened on the left side with
a tab of plash and a large metallic button. A panel
of plush forms the right side of the skirt, the bodice
being made with a plush vest to correspond, and wide
tabs, also of plush, fastened back with metal buttons.
A heavier and handsomer gown, in a combination of
cloth and velvet, had a wide cloth front, closely em-
broidered with polished wooden beads, and crossed by
two thick silk cords, ending on the right side with
large tassels to correspond. A velvet wing-shaped
drapery placed on the left side was brought down in a
straight panel from the waist to the feet, aud after-
waris mixed with the cloth at the back in a most
effective fashion.

I Am happy (writes " Parisine ") to find that elderly
matrons and scraggy women are become alive to the
fact that low dresses are not an absolute necessity for
full dress, and that some fine old hies or wavy tulle
is by far more becoming to those who have passed the
age of shoulders, or for those who have never attained
them. I will give two toilettes I saw recently at a
solre dansante to illustrate my idea. The first, worn
by an elderly lady, was a long, plain skirt of silver-
grey broche in a large pattern, opening on a panneau
at the left side, of very fine old Point de Venise ; the
front of the skirt was cut at the edge in square tabs,
the train being long and full; the bodice, pointed back
and front, was trimmed with tabs, slightly degage at
the neck; it was ornamented by one of those very
large square collars of lace worn in the reign of Louis the
Fourteenth; a splendid set of emeralds and diamonds
was the only ornament; long sleeves with an upturned
cuff of lace; a barbe of white lace fastened with a
jewelled comb was mixed in the hair.

Tun next was a girl's dress of the palest moonlight
blue satin, composed of five skirtakf tulle, pinked at
the edges, one shorter than the other, until the last
was a mere flounce; from the loft hip to the right
edge of the third were bunches of real deep purple
violets varying in sizes; the pointed bodice of satin,
veiled in tulle, had transparent sleeves to the elbow,
where they were finished by a bracelet of the fragrant
flowers; the body was cut square, and this is the most
original feature of the dress. A piece of blue tulle
was arranged in the hair like a Turkish cap, sur-
rounded by a circlet of violets. This same piece of
tulle, gradually winding, was carried round the neck,
veiling the bosom completely in a bluish haze; twist-
ing round the waist, it formed a bias drapery on the
front and back of the skirt. Open-work blue silk
stockings; blue satin shoes embroidered with violets;
pale grey Suede gloves; Portia fan, composed of
violets. The girl, an American, looked like a fragrant
moonlight dream.
•

Ont great and good outcome of the present system
of training girls (says a Brighton correspondent of
the Lady's Pictorial) is that they often have a
supreme contempt for the opinions of the average
dressmaker, and, even where they do not make, will
design their own dresses, and the results in most
cases are so much happier. Four lovely frocks,
designed and watched over by the girls who are to
wear them, are now in preparation for the Brighton
Polo and Hunt Ball, the owners thinking rightly that
to leave the making to the last minute, when every
other person will be wanting the dressmaker, is had
policy indeed. Two I might call harmonies in black
and white, the sisters for whom they are intended
being in slight mourning, and preferring the black to
violet because it enhances their beautiful com-
plexions. The materials used are soft surah and fine
net, the fronts of the dresses being in white, veiled by
the net, which is black, and on which is sewn at in-
tervals handsome jet pendants, the bottom being
finished by a fringe of jet. The fronts of the low
black bodices are of puffed net over white, while the
demi-trains are lined with white, the bottom being so
cut ea to turn over in a series of revere showing the

white lining; tufts of feathers and trails of silvsr
leaves will complete the trimmings.
• • •

Tun third and fourth dresses at which I have been
vouchsafed a r peep are respectively pale lemon-
coloured and grey. The former, for a brunette, is of
satin, the front breadth exquisitely embroidered with
red-brown beads, which are continued up the front of
the bodice; back drapery falling in straight folds
from the waist. A handsome red-brown sash is
attached to the front of the short pointed bodice by
a buckle, is folded over the hips, then tied in a loose,
graceful knot behind, where the long ends droop
over the well-setting tournure. The grey frock which
belongs to an "airy fairy," something neither blonde
nor brunette, but partaking somewhat of each, is a
cloud of soft tulib, all puffs and lightness, with trim-
mings of exquisite wild roses, shading from the most
delicate pink to blush red, the whole dress reminding
one of the "rosy-fingered Aurora who opes the gates
of day."