The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-05 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

TULLE is to have rivals for e vening dresses, end
much crepe de Chine, areophane, and lisses are being
wsed. Areophane is certainly a soft and charming
fabric, both for dresses and millinery. Crepe lisse
is dressed softer than it ever has been. "Lisa Florm-
tine " it is now often called, and is quite different
from mousseline de sole, which it rivals in favour.
Crêpe de Chine has a larger ringe of cclouring than it
has ever had—blue, slates, greys, four tones of beige,
pink, and cream. Some of these are embroidered in
stripes of self tones, with tambour. The same sort of
embroidery is applied to lisse, and both are used as
pentes. Striped tulle is another novelty. This has
interwoven lines like a crepo, produced by a curious
trick of weaving, the machine being stopped at a
regular intervals, and so allowed to accumulate the
stripe. It is made in some twenty shade:.
* *

Wren regard to artificial flowers in Paris, nothing
would seem to be worn but the blooms that are in
season, and the nearer they approach to the na4ural
flower the better; lilac,lwallflowers, irises, daffodils,
and all varieties of wild and field flowers. A new
form of aigrette has a visible tip introduced among
the flues. The crowns of bennets are now often
arched, heart-shaped, and sunk. Many bonnets are
entirely made of beads strung on wire, and quite trans-
parent. Detached pieces, like wings, are also applied
to each side with a fulling of tulle or silk between.
Squares of beading for appliquéing on to bonnets are
also to be had ready for use with bead horseshoes and
many other varieties of beadwork. Velvet is likely
to be worn well on into the summer. Velvet flowers
show to the best advantage on this glittering jet, such
as pear and apple blossoms, narcissus, buttercup, step-
hanotis, verbena, marguerites, heath, orchids,
marigold, thistledown, kingcups, hyacinths, and wild
roses.

Ctrs are once more worn with tea-gowns, and for
these marabout aigrettes are prepared; they are soft
and of delicate colouring. The msthetic craze in
dress would seem now to be a thing of the past, and
it is difficult to obtain even the tones of colour which
this section of society patronised; we have seen only
ole or two such dresses. a green plush, far example,
with two large puffs to the sleeve; a turndown collar
of lace of an ecru shade, and a scarf of soft yellow
silk, to be loosely tied about the neck if greater
warmth is needed.

Tun bodice of gowns for w(yring when positive low
ones are not needed, are cut in somewhat novel
fashion. They are semi-high with short sleeves
(mere drapings of lace), fastened up high on the point
of the shoulder. There is another make of sleeve for
those who have thin arms, viz., skin-tight sleeves
made of some sort of gauze, over which the lone
gloves are drawn. With these the bodices are half
high, and no tuckers are seen. A pretty white silk
skirt had a bodice thus made of crepe, covered with
tufts of chenille and silvar. This was fulled on back
and front, forming a drapery over the shoulders. A
red bodice had folds of red tulle on the neck, and
many muslin and lace fichus are worn just sufficiently
large to convert a low into a half-high dress. Bou-
quets of flowers are no longer placed on the side of
the bodice, but in front, where they require to be
arranged to the Bore, so that they do not destroy
the lines. -Ribbon and feather aigrettes are begin-
ning to be worn on one side of the head, mostly the
loft side, the looped bows being just as high and
upstanding as on the bonnets, and in Paris small
wreaths, pointed in the centre of the front, are
coming in.

A worm or two as to material. As the season
progresses, or!-mtal Striped gauzes will be worn, and
border Louncing on many materials—quite a return
to old days this. Plush stripes of a contrasting
is to be had at low prices, is being made up into some
light and most pretty costumes for summer fitc wear.
Those young ladies who have surmounted the difficul-
ties of dressmaking might have a good-looking dress
for some few shilling, in all the most delicate colour-
ings. Canvas is sure to be quite the fashion, but the
newest kinds have chenille tlgures all over them.

IT is difficult to, say whether Englishwomen will
adopt the bonnets which are brought over from Paris.
They are small and altogether different from anything
we have hitherto worn. o.7er the face they are ex-
tremely high and very narrow, forming an arch above
the forehead, and they are cut up at a point at the
back. Peach is the tone most in favour, sometimes
intermixed with &vivid apple-green; a bunch of bows
five or six inches high, or flowers, ornament the
centre of the front. Notwit'astanding these importa-
tions, some of the best-dressed women, the Princess
of Wales includtd, order the close flat shapes, but
slightly altered from what they have worn for a year
or two.

TE.t gowns are boing generally put on for home
dinners. Some made in Pompadour brocade, the
designs painted, have soft full fronts of pink or blue
silk, bordered with bows of the same tone. The chief
novelty in the make is the yokes of Pompadour silk
on the shoulders with double revers in front, and
Watteau plaits at the back; ribbon girdles are placed
on many of them. Lace fronts are still worn, a deep
flounce of lace all round; the sleeves come to the
elbow. Printed crêpe is sometimes utilised for the
front drapery instead et lace, but this has to be lined
with satin. When there are no Watteau plaits, the
back fulness is gathered in vislble plaits outside the
back of the bodice. The ecru open-work embroidery
is also largely used upon them, and looks specially
well with cerise. For dressing-gowns and breakfast
gowns, some pretty striped blue woollen fabrics have
been made up with red collars and cuffs. Peach
coloured nun's veiling makes pretty gowns of this
sort, also brown and pink. They all have silk
collars and cuff', mostly gathered, and revers at the
back of the waist on the skirt, with large knots of
ribbon wherever they can be introduced, made of the
pearl-edged ribbon. The lace jabots and ruffles on
neck and sleeves are most important looking.