The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-22 00:00:00

THE STOTIRBRIDGE OBSERVER.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

A PARIS journal says that everything is now allow-
able in costume, provided it sits beeomingly, grace-
fully, or fantastically upon the wearer. Such a state
of things affords pleasing variety, and helps to give
picturesqueness and contrast to many a seaside
picture on the beach and in the casino. A lady may
wear a corsage, plain or full, gathered or pleated,
and in form of jaquette or blouse, as the style of her
figure may determine. The waist may be short or long,
and encircled with a sash of black velvet k la Crispin,
or with a flying scarf of coloured gauze or silk, or with
plain band and buckle, or with pointed Swiss belt.
Such details are now regulated by taste only, each
style being equally correct. All the same, you cannot
but notice a general tendency to shorten the waist,
which promises or threatens that at no distant period
the short waists of our great grandmothers may be
upon us again. In other respects, there is little in
dress to point to the Directory period. At present
we prefer Watteau to classic garments, and cannot
dispense suddenly with paniers and furbelows. A
pleasing present feature is that the back drapery of
the dress is allowed to fall into graceful and moderate
folds, being no longer forced into the exaggerated
pouf of a short time ago,

THE reason why ladies are wearing what they like,
and are, in many cases, laws unto themselves in dress,
may be partly due to the fact that fashionable persons
are, for the most, at places which admit of much
licence in matters of the toilet, and where costumes
reign triumphant which would be out of character in
the streets of Paris or in Paris drawing•rooms. It is
the moment, also, for renewing dresses which have
done service during the earlier stages of the season,
and in this remodelling process the fancy Is often
drawn upon, and combinations of styles effected. The
present fashion of wearing a corsage of different colour
and material from the jape lends itself agreeably to the
plan of making an old dress new. So does the present
profusion of lace used as trimmings, which often covers
the front of the jupe, forms paniers, and blends with
the back drapery. The dark velvet bodice, worn with
a dress of another colour is as adaptable for evening as
it is suitable for out-of•door costume. We have seen
one presenting the eombination of ruby velvet and
flesh•pink taffetas, trimmed with dcru lace. The jape
was of silk, and bordered with an immense ruche of
pink satin and tulle, while the front was covered with
alternate late flounces and pink ruchings. The paniers
of lace, starting from the front, were short and
bouffants, and blended with the folds of the black
drapery. The corsage was of ruby velvet with pointed
basque and cut well off the hips. Loops of ruby
velvet were to be seen upon the jupe. A dress, after
this pattern, might be repeated in light blue silk and
sapphire velvet. Less white linen lace is worn at the
neck and wrists just now, and there is a tendency
to dispense with it altogether when this is practicable.
But faultless must be the toilet in every respect, and
blooming the complexion, to gracefully admit of this
dispensatkn. Where this severity of style is adopted,
a high military collar of black or coloured velvet, or a
ruche of black lace, surmounts the corsage, or a band
of black beads encirsles the throat.

LIB same writer says that plush will entirely give
place to velvet which is to be much worn during the
winter. In fact, from all accounts, it is to be the
most fashionable material for dresses, mantles, hats,
and bonnets. Judging from the signs of the times,
which we may see by looking around, this is not diffi.
cult to believe. Dressmakers are already showing
us what they can do in the direction of velvet by in.
troducing it largely into the autumn dresses. With
mousseline de laine of a lighter shade, it forms a charm.
ing combination. In the way of ornamentation it is all
important. Costumes are trimmed with rosettes, bows,
loops, and bands of velvet, and applications in velvet
cover many evening dresses of gauze, grenadine,
crape, and voile. Brocheis and brocades are to be
presented with even more magnificence than those of
last year. Their flowers and patterns are to simulate
the hues of nature, and are to be wrought upon
grounds shot with various reflections. In this branch
of design it seems that nearly every existing thing is
to to shown in relief, from flowers and fruits, birds,
and fish, to arabesues, and characters resembling
Egyptian hieroglyphics. And this on every variety
of material, from silks, satins, and velvets to cloth
and woollen fabrics.

A LONDON contemporary, in an article on "Paris
Fashions," says the admixture of blue or green with
various shades of red is in great favour. Indeed,
scarlet, crimson, and golden yellow are the only very
bright hues likely to be tolerated for dress materials
out-of-doors, and these generally in restricted quanti-
ties. The views of milliners are wider; they admit bits
of yellow; white, pale pink, and vivid green among the
plumage and the ribbon trimmings of their autumnal
hats and bonnets, although the felt or velvet foundation
is rarely other than neutral, or one of the deep rich
colours which constitute the basis of the fashion-
able palette—namely, navy and a dtik shade of
electric blue, sombre green, bronze, seal brown, claret,
and purple. Dark blue and a deep shade of terra-cotta
are mixed in twill—twilled woollen with a satin gloss
upon it, as bright in aprearance as if it were woven of
the produce of the silkworm—twilled satin, with a
sort of chin 4 flower upon it, a rosebud, for instance.
This same pattern is also produced in poppy colour
and bright brown. Shot faille—claret and terra-cotta,
pink, bronze-brown, and pale blue, myrtle green and
scarlet, and the darkest shade of terra-cotta and
salmon have spheres of one of the colours shaded with
the other sprinkled over it.

SOME dressmakers have determined to do grand
things with beads by way of supplementing the sim-
plicity of plain materials. A black velvet dress
with a deep fall of jet trimming (very fine bugles
worked on net) sewn to the skirt, and surmounted
by a full tunic and pointed bodice, makes a
very handsome dinner-gown, whether the waterfall
draperies of velvet at the back be prolonged or Lot
into a train, semi-attached, for convenience and
variety. In the same way clAret velvet may be com-
bined with garnet beads. Plain velvet has not been
worn for so long that it comes in again as a plea-
sant novelty. For visiting costumes it will be trimmed
with bands of fur, the upper portion of the gown,
polonalse, or rddingote serving the double purpose of
bodice and coat. The fashionable tints of dove. colour
and steel-grey silk are worked for tabliere with steel
and silvered beads. Grey velvet and grey Ottoman
are both very beautiful materials, and novel. Grey
Irish poplin is sometimes chosen in lieu of the latter,
and grey velveteen comes in as a convenient and long-
enduring material for useful country and town walk-
ing dresses, it requires but small amount of trimming;
cords and brandebourg, rendering the jacket into mill.
tary form, suffice.

IN an article on "London Fashions," the Queen re-
marks :—A few days of storm and wind have entirely
changed the appearance of the principal West-end
shops, for where, until lately, all was bright and
gay, the more sombre hues of autumn are now
freely displayed. This rapid transformation is
particularly noticeable at the fashionable milliners;
hats and bonnets are mostly of wintry-looking
colours and materials, and the light straws of
summer are replaced by felt and velvet-covered
shapes in the various dark tints appropriate for
autumn weather. The Henri 11. hat is still the
reigning favourite, and this is usually of felt, with
velvet trimmings. In contrast, however, to simplicity,
as exemplified in the make of the newest gowns for
walking, travelling, or morning wear, our head gear
is ridiculously over-loaded with feathers and plumage
of all kinds, while, in some instances, complete orni-
thological specimens are seen surrounded by huge
clusters of fluffy feathers. The effect produced borders
closely on the grotesque, and, in addition, these over-
trimmed hats are, in every way, unsuitable for ordi-
nary street wear.

GREY is decidedly popular, and many hats, both of
felt and velvet, are of this colour, and of the new
shade of crimson, called " bceuf sanglant." A pretty
hat of the former tint has the brim slightly turned up
all round ; folds of velvet of a lighter shade, and
lightly gathered, and are laid on the brim around the
crown, and strings of cut-3teel beads are twisted in
the velvet folds. A single grey ostrich feather curled
over the crown is fastened in front with a cut steel
buckle. A covered high-crowned shape, in blood•red
velvet, is trimmed with three rows of the darkest
claret•ooloured chenille cord. The brim is also edged
with this cord, and in front is arranged a cluster of
silk pompons, mingled with strands of gold thread,
behind which is a full aigreas of long pointed ends of
corded ribbon, artistically shaded from 'deepest claret
to the palest pink.

CHENILLE is extensively used as the foundation of
bonnet crowns, which are of plaited basket work,
mixed with gold or isilver braids. Exquisitely shaded
leaves and flowers of chenide sometimes form the
crown of these bonnets, the front being of gathered
velvet edged with gold or iridescent beads. For
instance, a Princess binnet, the crown composed of
miniature palm leaves of shaded chenille; the front
has folds of dark green velvet edged with dull gold
beads, narrow strings of dark green and gold satin. A
pretty bonnet, of somewhat similar shape, of moss.
green straw, is turned up at the back, and lined
with close set rows of gold braid. The front is
ornamented with clusters of loops of narrow
dark brown velvet, edged with chain stitch
of gold thread ; at the left side is placed a
small bouquet of yellow marguerites, the narrow
velvet strings are crossed over the crown ; the
combination of moss-green and brown velvet looks
well, and is very uncommon. Other bonnets are in
the " Kate Greenaway" style, but modified in form
and size. These are lined with gold braid, and are
trimmed with gathered terry velvet, aigrettes, and
plumes of feathers. A bonnet of sapphire blue
velvet is lined with apricot satin, and ornamented with
stiff feathers of similar hue. These are placed towards
the back of the bonnet, and curve slightly over the
crown ; they are fastened with a large buckle of sap-
phire beads.

UNDER the heading "Paris by the Sea" a cot,
respondent of the Queen writes :—Hats with high
crowns and straight brims, piled up with wings of
many colours, are extensively seen, with red-spotted
gauze tied over the face as a fall, and will be all the
autumn and during the early winter. They are already
made in felt. Occasionally, too, may be seen felt hats
of the Tyrolean shape, with a dent across the crown, a
shape we all remember some years ago. Small sailor
hats, with only a narrow ribbon round, tipped down
over the nose, are frequently worn. Sometimes they
are trimmed with gauze, and have one long end that
goes round the throat, and is looped through at the
back, where it hangs down. Panama bathing hats,
which may be bought for half a franc, look stylish for
young people and children, trimmed with white muslin
and one or two white wings. If preferred, the brim
can be bound or lined up with black velvet; and
Instead of all white wings, a red one can be introduced.
All wear their hair on the top of their heads, so the
hats, instead of having an elaatic, are fastened on with
long ornamental pins.

A HAPPY WAY OP PUTTING IT I—Lady : Thank
you for escorting me home. I'm so sorry I have
brought YOU out of your way.—Gentleman: Oh,
don't mention it, Madam ; nothing would have given
me greater pleasure than to hays seen you further 1—
Jui4'.