The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-12 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

As yet, says the Queen, the weather has been
against much display of light colours and summer
materials, although both appeared in great force last
week, when the balconies in Grosvenor-place were full
of gay folk at the numerous Derby teas; and later
on, when the Queen's birthday parade attracted a
brilliant gathering of royalty, beauty, rank, and
fashion. The numerous fancy bazaars and afternoon
entertainments have been more productive of novelty
in costume than the evening gatherings. Balls have
as yet been few and far between, receptions are in
their infancy, and dinners not so numerous as usual.
Even the last Court dresses were in several cases
selected with an eye to future dayrather than nightwear.
The costumes seen within the precincts of the ex-
hibition are very handsome; so they are in the salons
of Burlington House, and at the many amateur and
charity entertainments, got up to raise money and
pass away the hours of the afternoon.

THE light fabrics worn by young girls are unusually
pretty this season, canvas, in new and varied form,
taking the precedence. In the eveniug white is
general, but yellow follows closely in popular favour,
and delicate shades of pink, blue, grey, and mauve are
much affected and prove becoming. Heliotrope is a
colour of the season, but not in the shade formerly
designated as such, but in most delicate tints of peach,
mauve, and dark violet.

AMONG the little adjuncts to fashionable dress, the
lace boas may be mentioned as being popular for
morning wear, and also for smarter afternoon wraps.
Over pretty zephyrs, or with foulard, lace, canvas, or
velvet, they look equally well. With the high
bonnets (many of them without strings), the large,
picturesque hats now coming into vogue, and the
turned-up hair, something full round the throat is
required to take the place of the becoming winter fur
boas, and so these dainty lace ones have been intro-
duced and warmly taken up. They consist of a very
full, plaited ruche round the throat, composed of two
lengths of edging lace joined together in the middle;
and ends depending in front, varying in length, but
all reaching to the knees, and terminating with bows
of ribbon. These ends are generally composed of a
close cascade of lace, laid on to a narrow band of
black net, although some of them are ruched, the
same as round the throat. A bow of ribbon fastens
them at the throat, and sometimes the ends are long,.
falling loosely over the lace cascade, and finished of
with another bow at the waist, generally to one side.
As a rule, however, the boas hang down loose and
long. A few in cream lace have been seen at fetes
and weddings (the bridesmaids at a recent wedding
wearing them, fastened with an ostrich tip, and spra s
of real maidenhair fern), and in grey and brown lace,
matching the costume. Yac lace, although in vogue
on mantles of all kinds, and also on canvas dresses,
is not used for these boas, as it is too thick.

I IT is much the fashion to tie ribbon on the parasol
handles, in two sets of loops or bows, one high up the
stick, and the other low on the handle, connected by
two loose straps of ribbon. The ribbon need not ne-
cessarily match the parasol. A few fanciful followers
of fashion are using the long-handle.l eyeglasses that
Parisian elegantes affect, attached to their wrists by a
chain or loop of ribbon. Fancy-headed pins are more
varied than ever, one kind being used for keeping the
bonnet on the head, and another for running through
the coils of hair. Coral-headed pins are becoming
popular. Those seen on Chinese and Japanese
women's coiffures are also patronised. Single or odd
buttons are used as a single stud in the centre of the
waistcoats of women's gowns. Waistcoats are ex-
tremely popular this season. Some of them are finely
tucked like a man's shirt, with one or three
studs; others are either drawn across in folds or made
quite plain. Striped flannel drawn r,lantwise is in-
serted into many bodices, especially blue and white in
dark blue gowns, black and white into black ones, or
red and white into white flannel tennis or boating
costumes. Some waistcoats have the upper part full,
rising from out of a deep-pointed band, made plain.
In full dress this is sometimes arranged in lace, the
point being marked and edged with a gem bracelet
sewn on, or a twist of pearls. White uaistcoats for
morning gowns are general, and they will be even
more so by-and-by when the seaside and yatching cos-
fumes begin to attract attraction. At present they
are nearly always sent home by dressmakers and
tailors with black or grey half-mourning gowns, to fit
into the bodice and alternate with the one matching
the fabric. Neat little ties usually accompany theat.
Grey is a most favourite colour, in every shade from
light to dark, and it is often braided with black. The
skirt is not usually braided, but the cuffs and front of
bodice are ornamented in military style or in some
fanciful device.
• •

DARK blue is to be much braided with white for
seaside wear, the outer jacket having straight kose
open fronts, but close-fitting backs. A white sailor
shirt with the large collar will be worn with the dark
skirt, and beneath the jacket, when a bodice is too
hot and tight. The cheap printed Madras muslins
are useful for quiet home dinner wear, and look well,
with the addition of a little lace at throat and wrists.
They are in good designs and colours, such as navy
blue, pale blue, and buff stripes, brown or deep cream,
and resemble in texture a soft India muslin. They
are to be had at less than fourpence a yard, at most
of the large shops, so that, if they can be made up
at home, nothing cheaper or cooler can be adopted
for the summer evenings. They require to be made
up tolerably full, as they are somewhat limp, and,
in some eyes, flimsy. A length of thin Indian silk,
now obtainable at a low price, could form a fichu,
or a lace-edged kerchief of white muslin could do
duty for one.

BONNETS seem to be growing steadily in height, and
some of those lately imported from Paris are so
wonderful in appearance that few English wo xten
would dare to wear them till perhaps Ascot and
Goodwood afford a fair field for eccentric display.
Expectation is always on tiptoe as to something quite
new and out of the common at these gatherings, and
there are always found some people who never dis-
appoint. For young girls, the net bonnets, made on
light foundations, with net strings, a wreath of
beaded butterflies or a smart ribbon or feather
aigrette, are suitable, and also becoming. They are
made principally in black, but also in all colours to
match particular costumes, and often manufactured
by the deft bands of the wearers. Black ones with
what are called "magpie bows," i.e., black and white
loops arranged together, and strings of the two
ribbons in narrow width, are much worn for slight
mourning. Lace hats are coming in, and very soft-
looking and pretty they are. The shapes are many
and varied, chosen to suit tbe face of the wearer, but
the newest are those taken in idea from Bartolozzi's
engravings. At many shops are now sold penny hats
of thin woven chip, which are lined with coloured
sateen covered or trimmed with muslin, and worn as
garden hats. White yachting caps with peaks are to
be worn by children and young girls for boating, and
also fishermen's caps made of two colours, with the end
turned over to one side, and fixed by a fancy brooch.
The cap is made in two pieces joined, so that one
side of it and the under part of the overlapping end
is of one shade and the rest of the other.

A SPECIALITY of the season are the bouquets com-
posed of leaves; delicate streaked and tinted leaves,
beautifully put together, posy form, and tied with a
bow and long streamers of velvet or ribbon, contrast-
ing or harmonising well with them. At the last
drawing-room these bouquets were quite a feature.
In some a few feathered or jewelled butterflies,
mounted on quivering wire, are inserted, and allowed
to flutter above and beyond the foliage. Other
bouquets are composed of ferns. However, flowers,
with their sweetness and colour, will never be out of
favour, and as many of these as the leaf ones are to
be seen in ballrooms. One epaulet of real ficrlvers
is worn sometimes on the left arm, and a flat little
bouquet, in buttonhole style, is often fastened to the
side of a fan. A new shaped fan has recently made
its appearance, but it is more quaint than pretty. It
is half octagonal, with a design round the edge. One
seen lately was in black gauze, with a row of bats in
neutral tint, the outspread wings forming the edge.
Gauze fans have taken the place of all others, and the
pale pink ones, on pale pink tinted ivory, are novel
and lovely. *
•

JUST at present, white and mauve lilac, and
branches of laburnum, and copper beech are filling
the tall vases and large white china swans in fashionable
drawing-rooms, while on dinner tables, roses, particu-
larly yellow ones, or azaleas, in exquisite tints, are
the favourite real flowers of the day. Leaf decoration
is being attended to by florists, and many tables at
recent large dinners have been ornamented entirely
with exotic leaves. Cut crystal boats, on low stands,
mounted on ruby plush, are novel and bright in ap-
pearance. Only delicate blooms, fern or leaves are
put into them. Gardenias, stephanotis, and tea rose
buds are most worn as buttonholes.