The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-01 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

FASHION (says the Lady) decrees now that our
toilettes shall either be of mouse-like sob-iety or
military brilliance, for there is no medium between
stone-colours, beiges and browns, and dark blue and
crimson, especially the latter. The show-rooms of
some of the best dressmakers literally blaze with
scarlet and crimson; and, though this sounds more
"loud" than useful, the reds wear particularly well,
brighten up one's appearance in dark weather, and
the economically-minded, when quite tired of them,
can have them dipped black by the dyer, and they
then serve admirably as under-skirts for black lace
dresses.

Bur to return to our "flamingoes." The richer the
silk, the better the colour, and the more plainly can
it be made. Some of it literally stands alone, and is
admirable for skirts. One made of striped crimson
and blue has a polonaise of rich dark blue silk, with
a simulated vest of the stripes, and a cuff of the same
turned back over the coat sleeve. A plain crimson
silk petticoat in a bride's trousseau has two over-
dresses somewhat in polonaise shape—one of blue
with crimson lines, and another of soft cream silk,
with small crimson carnations dotted all over it,
Pretty tunics and jackets of fine blue cloth are also
made to accompany the crimson pett!coats, and are
moA useful for wear at fashionable seaside places.
such as Brighton and Scarborough.
SLEEVES are undergoing corutiderable changes.
The coat sleeve is by no means out of fashion. It is
too useful and, moreover, too becoming for that; but
a good many sleeves are shaped under the arm so as
to be quite plain, and are put in with a small box.
pleat at the shoulder, which expands below the
elbow into something of a bell sleeve, filled up with
a double-pleating of satin, either a shade or two
lighter than the dress or of a contrasting colour.
The best makers use a tight, or moderately tight,
under-sleeve of silk, on the end of which the pleating
is sewn, and the dress material is arranged over it.

1301 IE Parisian houses have gone back to the style
of bodice in which the unfortunate Princess de Lam-
belle looked so lovely, and even to earlier times. The
waists are long, but not prepqmiterously so, and the
fronts of the basques are quite divested of the plain,
awkward appearance that has so often characterised
them.

A GREAT many of the brown and biege woellens
have tiny threads of blue or crimson interwoven,
which make no difference to the general appearance,
and yet give the keppote for any trimmings or other
embellishments that. Wake a variety from the general
sombreness of hue. It is possible that the pretty
greys may soon be slightly at a discount, for everyone
has discovered that they have a trick of fading and
showing traces of wear much sooner than other
colours. Even the plomb shades become greasy.
looking with very little friction, and stout figures
contrive to give a good deal of this friction to a dress
before it has been on many times.

THE new mantles are at present long, literal cover-
alls. A shape called the 'Frances is extremely
stylish, and made of rich black velvet, with a stripe
of raised brocade woven in it. This is trimmed with
rich soft black fur, and the piece round the neck is
particularly large and handsome, and graduated to
the waist. Another handsome long mantle is grey
plush, made with beautiful ornaments of braid passe-
menterie, fur, and skunk tails. A warm cloak, which
is likely to become very popular, is of thick black
cloth, with a double box-pleat at the back, faced in
front with fine black vigogne, and having a well-fitting,
long under-vest. This is entirely edged with a good
silk passementerie, and is the beau ideal of a cloak for
a sensible wo.nan who wishes to be well and suitably
dressed, but has not a close carriage to go about in.
Another beautiful long mantle is grey or black plush,
with a freize stripe, trimmed round the neck and arms
with silver for.

THE new bonnets are particularly becoming, and
many are in combinations of black and white, suitable
either for slight mourning, or for ladies who dress in
these tints because they are in good style, and always
caviare to the multitude. One delicious small black
velvet bonnet is entirely edged with cream feather
trimming, and has a light aigrette. Another, which
is charming when seen, but a little difficult to describe,
is of black velvet, with spotted cream ribbon, plume,
and aigrettP. A tiny muff and bonnet to match are
also of black plush or velvet, trimmed with strings
and ruches of vandyked buttonhole-stitched white
flannelette, most wonderfully fine. The modified
poke shapes are particularly nice.

Now for tha new dresses. One of the newest ma-
terials is watered plush, and a lovely toilet is made of
it, combined with pale grey satin in front, with a very
neatly-pointed jacket bodice, and small open sleeve
filled up with satin. A most useful outdoor costume,
something of the pelisse order, has a grey silk ve.f.
with a kind of raised ash IA- -pattern in a darker
shade or in black, wt-.ich rorms the entire ornamenta-
tion. 1OP.! :..,entral panel of the same in the skirt
p.aauces a complete front of grey. The remainder
of the dress is tine black cloth, edged with fur, and the
coat sleeve comes to the wrist, but has a small open
sleeve over it. The bodice is put on first, and the
skirt is set into a pretty grey band adorned with grey
beads which have a black lining in the middle. When
this is fastened the costume is complete, and is a de-
cided, but welcome, innovation on recent styles and
patterns.

TITS subject of trousseaux is, I fear (remarks a
writer in The Lady), seldom looked upon by girls
about to marry, from a practical point of view. Per-
haps this is through not sufficiently considering what
their own position will be after marriage; and how
often a girl begins with a great display of clothes,
hardly consistent with her husband's position, sup-
posing him to have an income of .£3OO a-year, ani
which she will not consequently be able to keep up.
Judging by my own experience two years ago, I hope
the following ideas may be of some use to the reader.

* *
FIRST, then, although many girls of the present
time are marriad in a travelling dress, I should advise
the ori,hodox wedding dress of white, and a really
good silk one, too, for the bride, after settling in her
new home, will receive dinner invitations as a rule,
and for all occasions of this kind the wedding dress
can consistently be used, also for dances, and being
white, it can more easily be renovated for the second
year's evening gaieties, or even dyed, and made up
with new material as a walking costume, white dye-
ing better than any colour. A less elaborate evening
dress will be necessary, and for this I would choose,
wit/I°u' any hesitation, a black lace ; it is one of the most
useful toilettes possible, and need not coat much in
these days of such good imitation laces. This dress
can be really well varied with different colours.
Next come walking-dresses, two good plain tailor-
made costumes, and a hat that can be worn with
either, and these will be useful in travelling; and one
entire costume, rather more elaborate, with a bonnet
to match. This the bride can wear when leaving
home for her wedding [tour, and keep afterwards for
a walking and visiting costume. If in summer time,
I would add two or three pretty washing dresses and
one or two shady hats that need not cost very much.
I would advise no more dresses, as fashions alter
quickly, and to be well-dressed does not require a
number of costumes, but that each should be in
itself perfect. Underclothes need not be so limited,
but I think Ohe dozen of each suffic'ent ex-
cepting skirt, of which I would only have six, four
well-trimmed washing ones, and two thieker ones;
four flannel petticoats are sufficient. Two good
dressing-gowns, one a really thick wrap, are neces-
sary. Black stockings are the most useful, and I
should have six pairs. Three pairs of boots would be
necessary in our English climate, and I would get
two pairs of shoes for day wear, and one good and
mora showy pair for evening.

I SHOULD have a coat to be worn with the tailor-
made dresses, and a handsome fur cape and muff are
moat useful and more dressy-looking than a jacket.
I would have a well-made ulster and hat to match
for wet weather, and an umbrella with a really good
frame and handle, that will be worth re-covering
when necessary. Tan ankle gloves wear the best; I
should have six pairs, not, however, all the same
colour.

THEN the smaller etceteras of the toilet must be
added, and a pretty wrap for evening wear; also I
would Fay one tea-gown. I feel sure a girl will find
thus that she has all that is necessary to enable her to
look well-dressed, and at the same time quite as large
a wardrobe as she can afford to keep up, supposing
her husband's income does not exceed £3OO a-year.