The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-01 00:00:00

(iOSSIP ON DRESS.

Tun fashions to be seen at the various London
Establishments are described by a writer in the Queen
as follows: The new winter mantles are nearly all
trimmed with rich fringes and gimps, which are mar-
vellous mixtures of beadwork and lace, and of lustrous
silk-tipped chenille. Terry brocade, plain velvet, and
plush are all used; and thick woollen stuffs, trimmed
with braid and fur fringe, are made up in many new
styles. There is also a fabric called "terry cash-
no.re." The " Coligny" made of this material is the
',eau ideal of an elderly lady's mantle. The terry is
hero shown in stripes of a bold arabesque design, and
is bordered with chenille fringe mixed with dull silk
in ravelled-out knots. At the sides by the sleeves
(which are ample and square) are large clusters of
chestnuts and leaves made of fine silk cord covered
with beads; and the nuts in relief, with their long
hanging stalks, prove a novel finish. The Eclipse is
a smartly-cut cape with straight-hanging stole ends,
while the rather long back is well curved. On a
ground of black satin are round velvet spots half con-
cealed by some others of terry, whence the name is
so aptly bestowed. At the back is a pointed hood,
and the whole is trimmed with chenille. A long
muntle is also made of this material, plain velvet is
inserted down the centre of the back from the waist
to the edge of the skirt, and again from the neck in
the front. This is also trimmed with chenille fringes
of richest make.

Ten Polish visite is ez‘ceedingly novel in texture
trimming, and style. It is made of woollen (trigo.qne
fuvun6-e), its surface scattered with squares, which
eppear to be raised, and are really worked over with,
Angora wool, frayed out and uncut. It is uncommon,
suggestive of warmth, and the thing for a cold day.
The colour is brown, with a shading of red, and the
visite is trimmed with deep marabout bands, a soft
fringe of feathers below. This trimming describes a
wide curve, like a cape, at the back near the waist,
and this is continued in front on the sleeves, which
are open and straight from the wrists. Instead of
the usual box-plaits there are gathers arranged at the
back. The marabout collar lies square on the shoulders
and has fringes of feathers to match. Another visite,
of rough-surfaced cloth, 3-acl deep fringes of black
Thibet fur, with narrow edgings of the same down
the front. Both these distimgite garments were lined
with satin throughout, and were finished with streamer;
which tied at the neck, where was also a small metal
clasp. The Douairiere is in rich seal-brown plush,
witn a deep looped-up cape at the back. The fronts
fall in long double folds, which extend from the neck
to the edge. Thick-ribbed velours Lyonnaise is a
handsome material, and makes up exceedingly well.
We greatly admired a long mantle with a full-plaited
back and plain fronts. There are side pieces, laid on
quite fiat, and then turned up again to the waist,
where they terminate, fastened far back under rosettes
of dull silk guipure. In addition, the garment is
heavily trimmed with broad bands of black marabout.

Fort young Indies' wear, there are short 'jackets of
black and coloured vigogne, of velvet and plush trimmed
with fur of all kinds, and of rough serge with narrow
gold braid. This last is put on in single rows, with a
wider silk braid placed between. The jackets are
eat with great care in the tailor-made style, and the
shapes are uncommonly good. They have long nar-
row waistcoats, spread out from the throat, and the
sides ' are pointed at the waist. At the back
are two box-plaited tabs, where a novel effect is pro-
ducNl as of buttonholes worked in gold braid. In
brown, deep wine red, or in moss-green and grey, they
are pretty, and will be fashionable, worn with fancy-
striped skirts. There was one called "The Lamb-
kin," with waistcoat of wool to imitate curled
aztrakan ; and the greyish-white front was effectively
shown with the jacket of black habit cloth. This was
cut from the neck, and then met at the chest, and
again fell away to the sides. At the sleeves and the
hack were laid lappels, shaped oat, and fastened with
silver buttons. As the wool can be had in all shades,
it will be much used for jackets, with skirts of velvet
or coloured cloth.

Tun show rooms are stocked with the newest laces
and lingerie, and the aprons, fichus, and bows were in
such variety that they are perplexing to describe. Very
smart are the aprons in ecru batiste, made with square
collars and full waistcoat fronts, which describe a
wide loon at the waist, and are finished with gay satin
Lows. Coloured embroidery is used as a trimming,
red and blue being the favourite mixture. The apron
proper is kilted at one side only; on the plain side is
placed a lace-trimmed pocket, with parti-coloured bow
of ribbon. Silk gauze with small floral sprays—rose-
buds and leaves—is made up in much the same
fashion, with frillings of lace and knots cf pale pink
satin ribbon; and ecru batiste, with lace of the same
tint, is adorned with rich ruby, or olive combined with
pale blue. An apron of bright Turkey red, in a fine
make of batiste, had a curved fichu front, which came
from the shoulders and crossed on the apron itself;
this was caught up below in a shallow festoon and
fastened with navy blue ribbon which appeared mid
the frilliugs of Muresque lace.

A NOVELTY is the Col. /irlarin, or large square collar,
made of fine Swiss work mixed with gold threads,
which compose the patterns of leaves. it is very be
; the point of the collar just rests on the
shoulders, and the lines of the bust are preserved.
Down the front is a gilet of folded piece lace, which
ig gathered in at the waist. In black lace and jet this
shape is especially pretty; and in velvet, the oorners
of the collar embroidered with open work butterflies
and floral sprays in bright gold "uniform" thread,
are most handsome. The blouse front is often of fine
Irish tatting, ecru tinted, and the velvet collar is some-
times replaced by a small stand-up fraise at the
throat Mauresque lace is made up as narrow
straight waistcoPts, with frills down each side and at
the end; the designs are finer, and with much more
detail, than have ever before been produced, imitating
exactly the best examples of genuine old Alencoh. A
lace-covered lamp shade in crimson silk was daintily
fashioned and caught here and there with a number of
small satin bows; and a second of pink was all veiled
with black lace, made in panels, with ruchings of

P RETT vmorning caps are made of the new Llama
ice, which is arranged to fall low on the back of the
head. In front they are ruffled or waved, and have a
rosette at one side, in the centre of which is a small
brooch or pin, of gold, silver, pearl, or cut steel.
Others have squares of embroidered crêpe, mixed
with frillings and p/issis of lace, the crêpe in all pale
..liades, matching the dressing gown or breakfast robe
with which it is worn. For young married women we
noted a graceful little cap of lace, with bows of bright
velvet, notched out. A coiffure for an old lady c)n-
sisted of a fichu cap of cream coloured Spanish silk
blonde and delicate salmon velvet. It had a full
coronet front of miniature fern fronds in velvet,
with purple-pink vetches below, and behind
was a small spreading bow of the velvet,
with two looped-up ends. Of course there are
caps for all dressy occasions, beg° Saxony lace mixed
with olive and blue, cream Swiss work with ruby
velvet, and Mauresque lace, trimmed with red mauve,
and so on. An artistic evening headdress of deep
olive velvet was trimmed with five rows of gold twist,
with 9. knot of the same at one side. It was fashioned
in front with a "serpentine " wave, and on the left
side was a large spray of velvet nusturtiums and
leaves in natural colours, from full orange gold to
deep red. A band of velvet was pierced with small
ailded pins • the heads like a carpenter's hammer.
The upper edge of this band had a frilling of fine
cream wool lace, worked with a pattern in gold. In
front were some straw ostrich tips and a bouquet of
chrysanthemums in all shades of yellow to brown.

Now that winter approaches and evenings are long,
dancing once more is indulged in, and a few hints as t
the materials for ball gowns, &c., will be welcome°
The newest fabric is a beautifully soft make of crope,.
being a p'.casing change to the skirts of tulle, which
have so long been employed for the purpose. The
crêpe can be had in all colours—in pure white or
cream, and in black, and the patterns consists of a spo
a chenille at the edge of a curled tinsel ring. Com-
binations of colour are chosen with taste, and are,
some of them, highly effective, as pale pink with
chenille of bronze-green, the rings of silver or cream,
and the spots of pale blue, with their tinsel surround-
ings of gold. Black and gold on cream or white, and
red and gold on black, are among the many good
combinations, and pale tints of green„blue, and mauve
were all spotted with pleasing contrasts. They are
made up as skirts in deap flounces or folds, with a
tunic short, full, and well draped, and are worn with
a bodice of satin or plush, of the plain, pointed,
close-Fitting style. The colour matches the small
chenille spots on the skirt, and the bodice is fre-
quently outlined with beads, either silver or gold,
like the rings.

ANOTHER material is soutache on gauze, formed of
fine cords of coloured chenille; the pattern of trefoils,
with star-shaped rosettes of a different shade under-
neath. All sorts of pretty mixtures are seen on the
delicate grounds of faint "aerial" tints; and many of
these are p duced with success on gauzes of black,
white, or cream. A black gauze ball gown, worked
with red and yellow chenille, was drawn over black
satin, and trimmed with large crimson rosettes. On
the black satin bodice were folds of black lace, red
rosettes, and small tufts of chenille. A capital make
of bright, soft, figured silk is much used for girls
evening wear, and trimmed either with lace frills or
with flounces and bows, proves a charmingly youthful
toilette. Skirts of fine nun's cloth, tucked to the
waist with insertion in rows placed between, are made
in pure white, or in all tones of cream, shading down
to full bege or brown. The bodices of nearly all even-
ing &resses intended for young ladies' wear (ball
gowns are naturally excepted), are plainly gathered
and round at the waist, with band and long loops of
gay ribbons. Rich ruby red is a popular colour, and
is remarkably effective with all ecru tints, and yellow
lir with sapphire blue.

"Every breath I draw is a pain," said Jones the
other day as he laid on a lounge and howled with
toothache. " That's good news," said his wife, cheer-
fully. " What ? To know that I'm suffering?"
inquired jones savagely. "To know that every
breath you draw is a payin'," answered his wife.
It's the first financial success you've had in some
Lime.'