The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-14 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

METROPOLITAN society was again enlivened last week
by another State Ball which will given by command
of her Majesty at Buckim:h un Palau on Friday
evening. On this occasion her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales wore a dress of pale blue and silver
brocade, veiled in pale blue tulle, looped with a bou-
quet of geraniums. Head-dress a tiara of diamonds.
Ornaments—pearls and diamonds. Orders—Victoria
and Albert, the Crown of India, the St. Catherine of
Russia, and the Danish Family Order. Her Royal
Highness Princess ChriPtian of Schleswig-Holstein
wore a white striped satin and tulle dress trimmed
with pearl embroidery and branches of convolvulus.
Head•dregs—a tiara of turquoise and diamonds.
Ornament?—turquoise and diamonds. Orders—the
Victoria and Albert, the Crown of India, the Portu.
guese, the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Family Order, the
Order of the Red Cross, and the Order of Louise of
Prussia.

Tnn holiday season having fairly set in, new
fashions for tourist and seaside dresses engage atten-
tion. On this subject the Queen, in an article on
" Paris Fashions" says : —The costumes prepared for
the seaside are quite different from those that are
packed for the spas ; for the former, bright colours,
serviceable materials, and shady hats are required; for
the latter, the most elegant toilettes, made after the
latest styles, are de rigueur. Poppy-red will again be
worn at the seaside, and duchesses have ordered
simple cotton dresses of the material called " Adria-
nople" in that brilliant colour. Adrianople is cheap
enough, but, as with inexpensive fish, the most
costly sauce is required, and the trimmings con-
sist of deep ficelle lace and either black or red
velvet. By the way, all sorts of new trimmings have
been introduced for summer costumes. Lovers of novelty
may admire them, because, although incongruous,
they are effective for seaside and country dresses ;
they are made up of twine, Indian cottons, linen, and
leather. For example, there are ecru linen braids an
Inch wide, with embroidered figures worked in India-
red and indigo-blue cotton, or else there are oval
medallions of leather basket-work set on buff linen
bands, and the edges are wrought with red and blue.
White linen scalloped borders have beautiful Persian
designs stitched in bright red and blue, and em-
broidered with gold thread, Then there are bands of
printed cotton satteen with Turkey-red or indigo-blue
grounds, with quaint Eastern designs stamped upon
them, and rows of silk cords are stitched upon this
background; these trim the delicate buff Tussore Bilks,
although made on cotton ground. Twine trimmings
are also shown, making a lace-like edge for galloons of
blue, red, or 4cru linen, or else the twitie forms a
ha-ket-wuven galloon with dark red or blue threads in
It.

THE same authority gives the following list of
dresses made for elegantea who are starting for spas,
country houses, and various holiday resorts, which
will give a good idea of what is actually in vogue.
Mme. de Vezien —Costume of ecru batiste, ern-
broidered with small corn flowers in chenille; ecru
lace hat, with corn flowers ; spotted white veil.
Countess de Turenne—Cambric, printed with large
flowers ; gathered blouse bodice ; small Directoire
bonnet, with flowers above and below the brim.
Mme. de Clercy—White muslin, draped with bunches
of apple blossom, leaves, and fruit of natural
size ; lace bonnet and parasol. Baroness d'Etche.
goyen—Black dress, skirt with three Chantilly flounces,
bodice to match, gathered at the throat and waist ; lace
epaulettes and sleeves, long Suede gloves drawn over
them, small black lace bonnet; narrow pink ribbon
crossed on the chignon, and tied as strings, the loops
being fastened down with pearl-headed pins ; lace
parasol over pink silk. The Countess de St. Gilles—
Brown linen costume, studded with forget-me-nots;
gathered bodice, with waistband ; bonnet of forget-
me•nots, with a tuft of roses at the side. Countess
des Garets—A beautiful toilette in cream linen,
embroidered with silk in an openwork design, and
lined with pale yellowish pink silk; straw bat, turned
up at the side, and lined with black streaked with
geld, a large plume round the crown; white lace
parasol lined with pink.

A PARTS journal remarks that plaids are pre-
eminently the fashion, and the preparation of seaside
clothes increases the demand for them. Not only
woollen materials, but linens and cambrics, as well as
silks and satins, and even braids to be used as trim-
ming, are stamped with the pattern of the Scottish
clans. This is said in a general way with respect to
plaids as now worn; but we would especially draw
attention to checks and squares hi black and white
that are to be seen upon so many persons. It is a
freak of fashion that causes fashionable ladies to
assume the plaid of the Scottish shepherd, and thus
assimilate themselves in style to certain unfashionable
persons who have retained a lifelong partiality for
black and white checks. It is true that the squares as
seen on ladies' dresses in the Paris streets are often so
magnified as to bear little likeness to the original
wrap of the Caledor iin shepherd. These black and
white cnsturn-a aro f 0 the most part effective and
bn( ming ; but, if the Eqilares happen to be too large,
they have the effect of shortening and widening the
figure. This is especially the case if the dress is
trimmed with horizontal rows of black velvet. There
must be something fascinating in this mode of trim-
ming, as it appeals to the tastes of so many persons.
Ladies, old and young alike, adopt it con amore. The
horizontal bands of velvet may suit certain styles of
dress, but they are unsuitable to plaid costumes, and,
in general effect, are not unsuggestive of the bands of
iron round a tub.

IN out•cf-door costumes, simplicity continues to pre-
vail in the arrangement of the skirt draperies. lite
kilted jupe with simple tunic or tablier h as general
now as it was a few months ago. When paniers are
worn they are short and as bouffants as possible, show-
ing us, together with the large flowered materials, that
the " Pompadour " period continues to prevail.

IN regard to colours a London contemporary notes
that yellow only appears parenthetically on the gowns,
and then in its palest shades. There is primrose- in
the figuring of blue satins, sulphur and maize among
the dull greens and bright fawns of the woollens, and
a little golden yellow in the plaids of the zephyr and
the blurred lines of the Limousine cloths. The passing
fancy for grey does not exclude fawn from the field ;
the latter, indeed, increases in vogue as thin materials
take the place of cashmere and serge cloth, and
lace grows more seasonable than braiding in silver.
Fawn is the prevailing hue in many of the new
canvass plaids, and large fawn spots, shaded into
spheres or moons in their third quarter, era strewn
over whitey-brown or flax-blue muslins and mousseline-
de-laines. Blue holds its own against all competitors,
especially as a foundation for sateens and veilings,
and strawberry red and scarlet promise to be in great
request for country and seaside gowns. Green seems
reserved for woollens alone, except so tar Rd it is neces-
sary to complete the floral and landscape &signs of
muslin and sateen. Mauve and violet are met with
in silk, and pale lilac in muslin and zephyr cloth, in
which materials pink of the softer fleshy hue finds
favour.

THE slight changes tnat occur in the region of
millinery strike the notes of the season. More white
and yellow straws are to be seen and fewer coloured
ones. Large hats are being made with white lace tulle
and net, and trimmed with clusters of fruit and
flowers. These crown young and pretty faces with a
charming " Watteau "-like effect In noticing the
prevailing styles of millinery, the Qucen says :—Lace
bonnets are now sometimes trimmed with real pines
and cones; they are genuine pine., with the perfume
preserved, and are treated so that decay is arrested.
They are arranged as a wreath round the crowns of
small white lace bonnets, mounted on gilt frames, and
occasionally ox-eyed daisies and her e chestnut flowers
mingle with them. The eflt.ct of the dark green
pines on the white lace is cool and pleasing.
The lace is fastened on with large pins of
hammered gilt. For black bonnets there is a new and
and very fine llama lace, which has small meshes and
hand-run figures. It is arranged in gathered rows
over tulle laid on gold wire., and gold beads strung on
wire edge the brim. The aigrette at the side is sur-
rounded ether with rich velvet and satin tulips, or
with large rhododendrons. The newest straw bonnets
have narrow rolled coronets covered with velvet, and
their crown is split up through the centre and edged
with velvet studded with small straw buttons. A
large velvet bow is fastened on the crown, and the
strings are ottoman ribbon an inch wide. Slate-grey
fir hats wilt be worn f r travaling, tither the
" Brigand "or the " Quaker" f irm, s ith gauze veil
to match, and a grey bird at the side.

THERE is a very easy child's hood to be made oat of
coloured print. One yard wid make two hoods, if
carefully cut. Each is cut in a half square, with th
corner rounded, measuring 301 n. long and 17in. deep.
There are two drawstrings, one running along the
length at a distance of 2in. from the edge, and the
other in a half circle at 3in. from the e.-Ige hut sn. in
the centre, opposite the corner. This is owing to the
drawstring being in a half circle, and the corner
pointed, or rather rounded. The first drawstring
gathers the hood round the c' lid's face, the second
round the nape of its neck, and so forming the shape.
A how of the print or a ruche of lace round the front
can be added for additional ornament. A false hem
of 2in. deep will probably have to be mode in one
hood. In pale pink, grey, and blue print, these hoods
are most pretty. Little aprons and capes can be made
to match.