The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-05 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Feserreey is a spring month, but the only things
that seem to realise the fact are the venturous green
shoots that come peeping out of th6s ground, or at the
end of long brown stems, hardy pioneers of the world
of greenery that will flood the land two months
hence. But even as Nature prepares her fresh and
verdant garmenture for the coming days of brightness
so must those who wish to "go beautifully" as well
as seasonably bethink them in time of textures and
trimmings. Even now the sunshine reveals secrets of
unsuspected shabbiness and makes the startled pro-
prietor of a garment hitherto regarded as unimpeach-
able hie to the tailor or dressmaker, if, like Roderigo,
he or she can " pat money in the purse." Spring is
surely coming, and the new colours and new materials
are all ready for her. The only difficulty lies in
choice. We are promised a wildfurore for heliotrope.
Many of its tints are beautiful, but they should all be
carefully avoided by the pallid or the sallow. A bride
who was recently married in a gown of this colour,
and whose complexion was naturally sallow, 'coked
more as if she had come to her own funeral than like
the chief actor in a wedding ceremony. The prox-
imity of a mass of pinkish mauve rendered her abso-
lutely ghastly. When there is any yellow in the
coloaring, bright mauve brings it out and accentuates
it. Later on, pure white will probably enjoy an un-
precedented triumph. It was popular during the hot
months of last season, but its popularity is expected
to be intensified during the summer of 1887. At Easter
we shall surely see an outbreak of the bright
green tints of the budding leaves, of the yellow of
ciaffodils, the softer tone of the primrose, and the
glorious gold of the laburnutn. Red haat for some
time been steadily decreasing in public favour. Where
once it dominated the whole costume, it is now cir-
cumscribed to a few sparse touches. Bonnets and
hats of unmitigated bright cardinal are often seen,
but they are invariably accompanied by a very sombre
toilet, giving the effect of a brilliant tulip on a dar-
kened stem. The effect is hardly artistic, but it is
frequently becoming. The red veil is one of those
articles of attire which lend themselves most readily
to abuse. Drawn over a fair face, and ending invi-
sibly on a bonnet of the same tint with the veil itself,
the result is good—often excellent. But with ladies
of the elderly dairymaid type, nose ruddy, cheeks a
trifle less so, hair flattened, and features to match, the
red veil becomes a conspirator who not only betrays
but laughs at those who have trusted him. There is
a sort of spotted red veil which, leader such circum-
stances, is an aggravated evil. IC is odd that so few
persons can really see themselves, despite any number
of looking glasses.

THERE is one colour which is still likely to maintain
a supremacy that has been steadily increasing during
the last decade. That colour is brown. For general
usefulness, no other can approach it; and its beauty
is on a par with its utility. This unusual combination
is sufficiently unusual to account for any amount of
popularity; and it is still further oupplemented by the
quality of variety. The number of tones and tints
assembled under the generic name of brown is almost
endless. From the rich shadowy darkness of seal-
brown, up through tones of cigar, chocolate, cafe-au-
lait, to almost yellow, there are many gradations.
Then we have a similar number in forest browns, with
their subJe touch of green throughout, and most
beantiful where the brown is darkest. Besides these,
there are nut browns, red or russet browns, verging
on terracotta, but never touching it; and several
others which would need much space in the enumera-
tion. In affinity with brown are the paler tints,
known variously as stone colour, bege, twine colour,
putty colour, butter colour, old gold, and by many
other names. These are always safe tints to choose,
so far as fashion is concerned. Regarded from the
point of view of the becoming, it is another matter.
Should the complexion be inclined to vie with the
tint of stone, twine, putty, butter, or nabob gold, then
the whole category should at once and for ever be
banished from the wardrobe as impossible. But
everyone must have remarked the warm affec-
tion displayea by a straw-coloured woman for
straw-coloured garments. The owner of hair
of a hempen hue will always, if she can, choose a
bonnet to match. This is a sort of perversity common
enough; and it is matched by the depravity with
which a peony-faced individual invariably selects a
beetroot bonnet for the environment of her visage.
Greys are almost safer than pale browns. They will
be seen in profusion before long. Here is a good
model of a spring dress made in grey. The skirt is
velvet, warm and thick, with a view to east winds.
The tint is that now known as the new mouse-colour,
a very soft tone of grey with a tint of bronze and the
faintest thought of green in it. It is not the pale grey
known formerly as" frightened mouse." It might rather
be called" high-art" or resthetio mouse. The front of
this is uncovered save for a series of small bird-like little
bows in mixed velvet and satin ribbon placed down
the front. Over the sides fall straight folds of grey
woollen material, half a tone paler than the velvet.
At the back the folds fall straight, being gathered at
the top in redingote fashion. The bodice is filled
in front from waist to neck with perpendicular folds
of silver-grey satin, and the back and sides are of the
grey velvet. The sides are not precisely loose. They
fall into the figure. But they are sufficiently so to
give an airy kind of grace to the gown.
• s

WE may expect to see stripes again invade the
dre;sing world. Small soft notches and suits of silky-
looking wool form the staple of the fashionable stripe.
In Paris, mid-season drosses are almost invariably
either striped or checked. The wardrobe of the true
Parisienne is always supplied with a walking costume
of on' of these ecossaisses, in some sympathetic woollen
material. They are well adapted for travelling dress,
and are useful on damp and chilly days in our
changeable summer. Some of the tartans would be
incomprehensible o a Highlander, but then it must
be patent to the cultivated among the clans that many
of their Gaelic tartans are absolute tortures to the
educated eye, with their crude, raw greens, pickled
cabbage reds, and most uncompromising of" royal*
blues that set the teeth on edge.
• •

DRESS exhibitions will probably become very fre-
quent after awhile. One was held last autumn in
connection with the Louis velveteen. Another is pro-
jected for next May, at which gold and silver medals
and other prizes are to be given for the best dresses
made on the scientific I,system. The competition is to
be open to amateurs as well as professional dress-
makers. One of the sections deals with "the best
scientific-dressed doll," whisk emzbt to be a novelty.
These competitions are adapted to raiselbe standard
of dressinginaking and to banish the " rule-of-thumb"
sort of creed that has so long held good. It is a
fallacy to suppose that the same linen bodice pattern
will do for all sizes and shapes of Women, if it is only
let out sufficiently or pinned in enough. This belief
has wrought much woe and brought many e: woman
"near her temper," to use the expressive Hibernian
phrase. Nor is a mouthful of pins a sufficient
guarantee of capacity. A certificate is preferable,
besides being a less uneasy sight. The whole world
will soon be certificated. The plan has answered with
the humble shoeblack, and it will probably filter
gradually up through society until, on some happy
day, we shall have our certificated legislators. Some
twenty years ago a certificated governess was un-
known in England, and it is only within the last few
years that we begin to hear of certificated
aras,•makers. The sceptical may • ponder upon
this small beginning, and add to the list the Certifi-
cated 'orps of Commissionaires. It will soon be im-
possible to find an uncertificated dressmaker, and the
gain to humanity feminine will be great indeed. The
present prevalent want of skill leads not only to want
of grace an discomfort, but it is conducive to the
development of certain maladies. A dress that is
unduly tight across the chest has been known to pro-
du e the most terrible of human diseases, cancer ; or
if not actually to produce it, to localise and develop
when it might have lain dormant for many a long
year, perhaps for ever. It is a fact that there is
hardly a single trade in which a human being can
engage in which ignorance may not cause them to
seriously, perhaps fatally, injure a fellow-creature.
The tailor and dressmaker who have studied anatomy,
and can practically apply their knowledge of physio-
logy, are those to who -; we may look for comfortable
and well-fitting gowns, light enough for ease,- while
they are warm enough to suit the exigencies of a
changeable climate. Tailor-made dresses are much
lighter aud less trimmed this year than last. They
are now made of English homespuns and beiges
made of wool so soft that the weight Is reduced to a
minimum, whsle the warmth is as great as that of
thick and heavy material.

WITH the first days of our cold calendar spring
come the new spring bonnets, long "before the
swallow dares." They are bright R ith blossoms on
the dark v4vet or straw or embroidered fabric. We
are fissured that the excessive height of last year's
head gear is not to be repeated. This is well. Among
other curious effects of this undue elevation of the
bonnet trimming is one that the observant must fre-
quently have noted. An otherwise graceful and pretty
poise of the he'd slightly to one side is terribly bur-
lesqued by the fourteen or fifteen inches of trimming
that have, perforce, to follow this inclination. The
extreme end of the feathers, flowers, or ribbons is by
the merest turn of the head to the right or left con-
veyed to a line quite outside that of the wearer. If
continued to the ground it would be 'some inches
beyond. This is the kind of thing that can only be
characterised as grotesiue. Lower trimmings are
more graceful, more artistic, and less trying to the
face. More particularly when the forehead is almost
completely bidden under an exaggerated fringe does the
face stiffer from these high trimmings. The nose and
mouth appear by some mistake to have got into the
place which ought to be occupied by the middle of
the chest. When will the eyes of Englishwomen be
opened to the absurdities of their own attire?

SPECTATOR: What a perilous position that painter is
in. I think I would lose my senses at such a dizzy
height. I could not stay there.—Friend: Quite true.
I don't know the painter, but it requires a man with a
clear head to stand on that scaffold.
THE bar-berry a kernel of coffee. No sensible man
will adru're a woman's waste. Distance lends enchant-
ment. Who would like to borrow? If good bread is
to be made women must be bred to make it. It often
happens that the coat of a swell bears a buttonaire,
while that of a tramp has nary a button. The world
moves, tut it would seem to be the opinion of some
enthusiaits that the morneniuna oouij. not be preserved
if it wen n)t for the crank.