The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-23 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS. ,

TAR more weddings I see in winter and cold days
of early spring (says a writer in the Lady's World),
the more I am convinced that a reform is wanted in
bridal dress. It is impossible, from the perishable
nature of the veil and flowers, to wear a warm wrap
over a wedding dress. The poor bride has, there.
fore, to endure a cold drive in a dress almlst too
ethereal for an English summer day. The church is
heated and lighted, and the guests are warm and com-
fortable, having even discarded their wraps; the poor
heroine of the hour, however, is in a far worse case.
When she first alights from the carringe she is white
with cold; half way up the aisle the sudden transition
to warmth takes effect, but very uncomfortably, making
her face blush rosy red. This rush of blood to the
face is attended by all sorts of disagreeableness—one
of which is a bad headache, calculated to make a
bride look back on her marriage hour as one far from
pleasant. Sorely it would be more sensible for a
bride to dress, like another woman, seasonably.

Zia idea of being married in white is so pretty
that it would be a pity to dispense with this order of
fashion; but as we are no longer tied to silks, satins,
and brocades, why be wedded in them? I can
imagine no more distinguished dress for a winter
bride than one of white serge trimmed with white fox
far, white velvet with swansdown, or white cloth with
bordering of white grebe. Not long ago bridesmaids
were also condemned to unseasonably thin frocks in
winter; now I see them more often in cloth and
serge, and very thick silk dresses trimmed with fur,
and carrying muffs in lieu of bouquets. A set of
bridal attendants, of whose dresses everyone was loud
in praise, wore white cloth tailor-made frocks, with
dog-skin collars and cuffs and beaver borderings.

Wm' the commencement of the London season
one expects (remarks Mrs. Leach, in her Practical
Family Dressmaker) to see many novelties in the way
of costumes, mevtles, and millinery.. In the models
of both dresses and mantles already shown the
novelty consists rather in the richness of materials
and design than any great change in style. Jackets
seem to be still the favourite outdoor garment for
young girls, and very smart they look. There are a
few new shapes. The same material as the costume
is often employed; others are made of black or
coloured cloth, ornamented with pretty braid sets the
colour of the cloth. This military style of trimming
is very popular, and certainly becoming for most
figures. Another style of jacket suitable for two
materials represents a coat front buttoned over a vest.
Plain and plaid plush or velvet is employed for this
purpose, and looks very effective. A fashionable long
jlcket which closely resembles the old Newmarket, is
becoming to good figures. Plain and fancy cloths are
used for these coats, also plain velvets in bronze,
grey, and brown shades. The only trimmings em-
ployed are sleeve ornaments and collar of beadwork
matching the velvet.

TnE more elegant mantles are of small size, but
composed of the most costly velvets, silks, &c. The
most noticeable feature of nearly all the mantles is
the immense quantity of beadwork and embraidery on
the coloured mantles and the equally heavy trimmings
of jet on the black mantles.

VERY elpgant and at the same time useful little
mantles are of plain silk, trimmed with bretelles of
jet and frillings of fine lace. With many of the new
toilettes the mantle is of the same shade; for in-
stance, n walking dress of navy blue silk is completed
with a dainty little mantle of velvet the same shade,
trimmed with a rich chenille fringe and narrow floral
trimming in beads of the same colour. So great its
the fancy for everything brilliant in the way of trim-
mings that woollen materials beaded in various designs
are sold in convenient lengths for this purpose.
Braided and embroidered materials in the same way
for use as panels, vests, are also supplied.

THERE promises to be a great demand for silk this
season, and a variety of lovely shades are shown in a
number of leading colours. Although dresses entirely
of silk will be worn, there is still the fancy for com-
bining silk with softly draping fabrics. Thus the silk
will be more frequently used as a petticoat, either
plain or pleated, according to fancy, while draperies,
both short and long, are gracefully disposed over the
skirt. _

-
SO3lll very pretty new shades appear, such as green,
very pale or deep blue—or Jubilee blue, as it is called
—dark red, and a good range of greys, from light to
dark; heliotrope and a pretty shade of old pink are
extremely pretty, but somewhat trying colours to
wear. Neverthelr es, there is every likelihood of both
being popular for a time. There are two shades in
these last-named colours, the darkest, of course, re-
served for street wear.

EMBROIDERED dresses are to be one of the leading
novelties of the season. This is always a pretty and
much-admired fashion, so we may expect some elegant
styles, both for woollen and washing costumes.
Nothing is so serviceable for general wear as a tweed
or serge costume. There are now so many pretty and
inexpensive materials for this purpose that one's
morning or walking dresses need never be unsightly.
Braiding is still the favourite trimming for serge,
though many are made in what is called the tailor
style. Tweeds or habit cloths in stripes or checks
answer admirably for this.

WITII the lighter and more fanciful makes on
woollen materials the trimmings consist of ruching
of the same. These form an effective bordering to
tho short and dressy little mantles that accompany
these useful spring costumes.
* * *

IT is early yet to speak of washing materials; but,
earl i as it is, very pretty washing goods are shown.
Zephyrs, percales, satinettes, and fine lawns, in plain
colours, or flowered, are in the most dainty colour-
ing. Lace and embroideries will be plentifully used
as a trimmine. Useful cottons in darker shades show
both striped and checked patterns to combine with
plain colours. For these washing dresser; the yolk
bodice will be much favoured, both for ladies and
children. Embroidered yokes, plain colours contrast-
ing with the rest of the dress, stripes, spots, and
checks, are all arranged in this style with very good
effect.

BonicEs for walking dresses are made with short
round basques similar to jackets; revers, which form
the trimming, give such a coat-like appearance that
they may very well be worn without an extra garment
when weather permits. The redingote polonaise is
also suitable for this purpose, with simply the addition
of a smart little shoulder cape. The bodices of
dresses intended for borne wear are more dressy in
appearance, silk or velvet being introduced as plain or
full vests, with sleeves puffed from the shoulder to
the elbow, providing the figure is slight enough to
adopt the extra width which this style gives to the
wearer. The basques of these bodices are still cut
quite short and pointed, or with points only in front,
and a redingo:e drapery at the back. •

THE parasols of this season are (says the Queen)
assuming many novel features both as regards their
form, their decorations and their handles. They are
presented in octagons, hexagons, pentagons, squares,
and te.angles. These forms are also doubled, trebled,
and quadrupled, and then laid one over the other
sometimes in one, but oftener in a variety of materials.
The result is shown upon the edge in numerous angles
or vandykes, in which canvas, silk, and lace frequently
alternate, upon the same parasol. Conflicting hues
and shaded effects are obtained by the same moans.
Triangles naturally produce larger lines, and fewer
points than do those figures which have more nume-
rous sides, and where transparency is desired they
readily present it. Three tones of colour can display
an angle in each, and some coverings of this form show
a blending of lace, such as ficelle, covered by cream,
and the latter by white, while the nine angles of the
border show three points of each shade. Some of the
double triangles have the inner one of bright silk, and
the outer of Swiss appliqué or lace; point d'esprit,
lace, and grenadine, effect complete transparency upon
others. Pentagons undergo similar treatment, and
with octagons and hexagons describe at the edge star-
like points or deep vandykes, which are usually bor-
dered with lace. Other parasols having both five and
six sides are also covered with silk, and veiled with
lace, that assumes a round shape through which their
many sided forms are discernible in colour, while the
perfectly even edge is due to lace.
• S •

IN four-sided parasols, one square is often covered
in bright silk, and its duplicate in lace, so that four
of its angles are due to one texture and four to
the other. Some of the double squares show the
outer one in an even surface, while that which is
undernqatb, is in flutings, and vice versa. The ma-
terials chiefly used are striped and checked satin,
fancy gauzes, both embroidered and beaded, pongee
silk, Swiss and Madras muslin, embroidered nets, and
embroidered laces. White cream, biscuit, grey, and
navy colourings predominate, while checks, stripes,
fancy borders, reversible Palmyras, as well as new
effects in shots, greys, tabacs, and gold are all ap-
parent.

CHANTILLY, Lyons, and guipure laces are being used
as flouncings at the edge of the shade. Many of the
borders are finished with a card of silk, instead of
lace; but where this is the case, the covering surface
is usually supplied in puffings or tucks of silk. One
feature of the season is the new way of showing the
S l'c surface in even tucks, which are arranged into
V points at each rib. Check boards in satin and
gauze are the coverings of a few, and these have a
tiny beaded flower worked into each square. Some of
the grenadines have arabesques, and wreaths of
blossoms effected in beads, and cut bugles, either in
steel silver, or jet.
* * *

VARIETY is also obtained by stripines of ottoman
alternating with others of reversed bayadere. There
are likewise paracols in bright tones of buttercup and
heliotrope veiled with black crêpe lime, laid on in
n trrow frillinge.
PROFESSOR to classical student: You ask if Atlas
B ipported the world, what supported Atlas? The
question, dear sir, has often been asked, but never,
as far as lam aware, satisfactorily answered. I have
always been of the opinion that Atlas must have
married a rich wife, and got his support from her
• folier,