The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-01-15 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Tun season of winter festivities is now in full swing,
and even the ladies of Norway, who are described by
a simple-minded writer as being in the habit of dress-
ing with a view to protecting themselves from the
weather, must acknowledge that in a ball-room or even
at the dinner table soft and pretty tints are by no
means out of place. It is for hostesses to remember
that ball dresses and dinner gowns are not constructed
to protect their wearers against the weather. Rooms
therefore should be comfortably warmed in good
time. A recent party, full of pleasant possibilities,
was an absolute failure owing to the frigid condition
of the atmosphere. Good fires, well guarded from
Contact with diaphanous or ignitible materials, are
indispensable in town or country. To neglect them
in town is an error. To do so in the country is a
crime. In the former case the guests can silently
steal away, seeking heat and comfort at another ball
or in their own houses; whereas in the latter, a
twelve-mile drive often separates them from the
cheery glow of their own fireside.

GIVEN warm rooms, free from the insidious dangers

of draughts, the toilettes may be airily light, as b'efits
the occasion. White is, if possible, in greater favour
than ever this season.!4:Not only do girls wear it,
but married women, who are still on the pleasant side
of 50, affect it largely. White was once considered too
"trying" for any but the youngest to wear, but that
was in the days when white meant a thin, bluish tint
that only a Cleopatra among women could wear with
impunity. Now it may mean a soft shade of ivory, or
gradations of crea m-colour melting imperceptibly
into the deeper tint that may almost be called
lemon-colour. No one need fear to wear white,
if only it be not white. The paradox is easily
explained, for all these warm tints are now
summed up under the generic name. White
tulle, net and gauze for girls, silk, satin, broch6 and
velvet for matrons, are all well-established in favour.
The tulle dresses are almost invariably made with
straight folds at the back, and it is a common fault
with these that they are unduly distended, giving
the wearers a most unconscionable circumference.
The effect is not only inartistic, hut often absolutely
grotesque, especially when the dress is white or in
very light shades of colour, these naturally adding to
the appearance of enormous size. It is occasionally
urged in favour of these inverted bell skirts that thep
make the waist look small by contrast. This they
undoubtedly do; but in doing it they destroy all
symmetry and impart to a good figure an insignifi-
cence that is almost cruel. These bunchy
skirts, too crush very readily. A long drive in a
carriage shared by other bunchy skirts is a trial
adapted to test the temper. In the first place the
wearers have to sit sideways. To flatten those folds
at the back is not to be thought of. In the secoad
place, the masses of net or tulle foam up to the very
roof of the brougham; and, again, the dresses ale
apt to crush each other. Happy is the girl who
has wisely selected a less crushable material. Broche
silks come under this latter category. They wear
well, and can always be converted into home dinner
dresses, or used for lining mantles when one's friends
begin to regard them as historic.
• •

A BUOCADE in a lovely shade of pale green was seen
at a recent dance. The mode of making was of the
simplest. The skirt opened up on the whole of the
left side, showing a lattice work composed of the
(artificial) brown stems of the Gloire de Dijon rose.
Leaves in the natural shade of reddish brown
brightening into a pale grey-green peeped out from
this lattice work, together with scores of the very
smallest and youngest baby-buds, just sufficiently
opened to show the tiniest dot of yellow. The rest
of the shirt was plain, with brown velvet ribbons
holding back the folds from the front. A few
roses, half - blown, on the shoulders, had the
air of inadequately acting as the represen-
tative of absent sleeves, while others nestled
in the hair, which was dressed very high, and slightly
powdered. Another dress, also in broche silk, was in
a tone of bright, dark red. Over this was draped net
of the same tint, or which were freely scattered small
moons in chenille of a lighter shade. A poppy-red
satin dress has recently made its mark in a London
ball-room. It is draped with poppy-red tulle in a
style which may be called the modified Greek. The
folds were statuesque. but at the same time there was
nothing that could be called singular about the dress.
A pretty gown was composed of bluish-pink silk,
which was covered entirely with black gauze dotted
over with pompons of chenille of about the size of a
shilling. The pink shone plainly through with a sub-
dued but effective sheen. The only point where it
came to the surface was in a wide soft sash of pink
surah, which tied at the side and fell thence in two long
ends, held by an enormous bow of pink ribbons,
these, in their turn, dividing into minor cascades of
loops and ends. A similar, but smaller, drapery of
surah crossed the bodice diagonally from the left hip
to the right shoulder, ending there under another
knot of pink ribbons. The short, puffed sleeves were
met by long gloves of Suede kid. A sensible, as well
as beautiful evening dress was composed of a coffee-
coloured lace skirt mounted in ,4athers at the waist,
and falling straight to the feet over a pleating of
Chartreuse green surah. Oval this was draped a
long tunic of the green surah, a breadth of which
appeared to be carried down to the centre of the front
from the right hip, and there folded over and turned
back to the right hip. These folds would perhaps be
clumsy in any fabric thicker than Borah, which adapts
itself readily to draperies, lying with slavish submis-
sion in positions where, to use an expressive if un-
grammatical Americanism, fabrics of more substance
refuse to stay put."

ENGLISHWOMEN (says the Queen) are beginning to
realise that fine embroidery is almost as much
property as lace. Among a goodly show of the best
kinds of embroidery one gown was made with. a
trained back of dark blue, the front sky-blne satin,
on which had been worked a good conventional design
in brown, gold, and green beads, with shells and facets
of iridescent pearl; it was a triumph of colouring and
pleasing combinations. On a white satin, a rich
design had been worked in fine pearls, silver braid set
upright, and a thick silver cord, while across the
front, from one pattern to another, large peails were
looped. There was a panel trimming on the skirt, a
vest for the bodice, and the silver gave great effect. A
silk grenadine of a pearl-white shade had been covered
all over with silk embroidery in the fine open work
designs, which we have hitherto associated with the
softest muslin. A white net was covered with a
large pattern in bullion gold, while a white poplin had
another large well covering design in a delicate bluish.
green, with a dash of eau de Nil; this was a beauti-
ful piece of work, in the interstices of the pattern the
fillings in were all silver. A light pink tone of satin
was worked in tambour stitch with silver and close-
set spangles of pink mother-of-pearl. The firm have
a number of useful stylish gowns, as well as these
more elaborate materials. Black piece net had been
employed for the entire drapery of a useful dinner
dress, diamonds of jet were let down one side, and
large loops of black satin with jet at the edge. A
cream Merveilleux showed similar trimmings in
pearls down one side, the front draped with
Siciiienne embroidered all over in silk. There
were mantles to suit all ages and all purses.
One well-covering shape for a middle-aged woman
was made of black matelass6 beaded with chenille and
balls; it had cape-like sleeves, and fitted the figure at
the back, giving a great appearance of warmth, and
large square embroidered pockets on the outside.
Young girls and young married women are wearing
short and long plush cloaks, but the preference is
given to long ones when the weather is cold, and to
hright cardinal as far as colour is concerned. The
best shape reaches to the hem of the dress, is gathered
at the waist, and has sling sleeves. Some of the shot
plush mantles, made short, with either feather or fur
trimming, and large lozenge-shaped bead motifs, are
new and well worn, and for those with slender purses
there are many cloth mantles, made long and well
fitting, with silk sashes and trimmings.