The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-19 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

IT is too early as yet to mention decidedly what
colours will prevail this season, though there are not.
wanting certain indications by which it may be safely
predicted that the heliotrope of last year will still
hold a forward place, that pure white will contest, as
Summer advances, that place with it, and that the
spring months will be marked by the usual prevalence
of leafy greens, yellows, and silt-tinted greys and
blues—not the crude and garish, and even aggressive,
greens and blues of past years, but the more delicate
half-tints and semi-tones, those nuances in colour to
which the eye has become in these. few last seasons
accustomed. If, however, it is impossible as yet to
write with any degree of certainty about colour, the
question of material is left in less doubt. It is to be
a silk year. This will rejoice the hearts of those old-
fashioned people who pin their faith on a silk gown,
and even now have always one at least in their pos-
session. The tide, as far as silk is concerned, has
tui ned, and the material, which has latterly been con-
sidered suranee, will be reinstated, as the leading Pari-
sian houses are again bringing it into fashion, and this
season this especial fabric is likely to have a run on
it. Prices are advancing, and a variety of new
designs are already well forward in the silk- manu-
facturers' hands. Ribbed silks, bengalines, and fatties
will be covered with minute floral designs which will
be woven into the main portion of the fabric, showing
that preference will be given in the coming fashions to
relief effects. At Lyons 'flowered-over silks and
brocades occupy the looms, large floral patterns being
seen as well as small, though the last are in most
favour, tiny roses, violets, forget-me-note, and pansies
chiefly decorating the silken fabrics. On velvet also
these designs are produced, the effect, with pansies
especially, being excellent. Cashmeres will also have
silket. designs, the minute style of ornamentation
ruling with them as well; roses on white, ivory, and
cream, pansies on heliotrope, forget-me-note on blue,
and minute primroses and yellow jasmine on yellow.
Such goods will not be procurable at present, being
only in course of preparation, or what may be termed in
some cases "thinking out;" but the mention of them
will suggest the material and style of its design which
will shortly be introduced from abroad.
• *

THE fashion of wearing tea gowns has so increased
within the last year or two, that one or more of these
costumes always find a place in a stylish modern
wardrobe. They are made' too, in a much more
elaborate fashion than was formerly the case, when
they presented the appearance merely of an im-
proved-upon dressing-gown, and were simply put on
between the period of changing an afternoon toilette
and dressing for dinner. Now the first French and
English modistes turn their attention to the tea
gown, and vie with each other in producing the
greatest novelties in this direction. The original in-
tention of usefulness and comparative ease is lost
sight of, in many instances the figure being so closely
fitted that the gown can be worn for a small dinner party
by the hostess, or at any informal social gathering,
as there is no evident looseness in the fit to stamp
it as a neglige. ' The Princess robe and the Watteau
sacque are by far the prettiest shapes, but
recently- much betrimmed jackets and Louis
XV. coats, with richly embroidered vests, have
been introdwasd. The materials used vary from
costly brocade, plush, and velvet, to simple cashmere
and nuns' cloth, rich old lace and beautifully fine em-
broidery, beaded passementeries, and handsome fur
being alike used for trimming. As far as economy
goes the tea gown is quite as expensive as any other
style of costume, for when rich brocades are used the
price is very considerable, more particularly if old
lace enters into the composition of the creation. One
of the prettiest recently noiced was of cream brocade
the design outlined in gold thread. It was opened
from throat to feet over a cream-lace petticoat ; gold
and cream wide satin ribbon loops secured it at the
throat, and caught up the brocade on the left side;
the collar—a wide band round the throat—was of
pearl and gold embroidery, similar bands securing the
striped gold and cream gauze sleeves worn beneath
the hanging wide-opened ones of the brocade, which
had a lining of gold satin. The folds of this gown
fell gracefully behind in a semi-train, which was set
in, as a dress-train would be, below the waist, to which
the brocade was closely fitted. Another lovely gown
is in palest yellow bengaline with brown plush
neck and wristbands and collar-shaped revers, the
folds of the material full from the shoulders to the
feet, the revers turning back over them, where they
are narrowed in to widen out again below the waist.
The full front of the gown is of gold embroidered
gauze, as are the full sleeves. A turquoise blue bro-
cade has a flowered silk Vaztron and front, roses on
a very pale rose-pink ground—the ribbons used as
trimmings being pink and blue, the collar and ruffles
old lace, the stockings pale pink, the shoes blue static,
and the fan of flowered silk with blue enamelled
sticks. Attention to these minor details of the toilette
make just the difference in the success of the costume
as a whole,the tendency happily at the present time being
to consider carefully these minutia?. Dresses such as
above described are far removed from the ordinary idea
of the tea gown proper. Naturally there are others of
a less elaborate style. The tea jackets are con-
venient, one example is in dove-grey plush, the
shape that of an Incroyable coat, the black
lace hedging to which falls over the embroidered
silk waistcoat. A black lace skirt is worn with this
coat. A creamy white plush jacket, loose fronted and
semi-fitting at the back, opens over a soft cream silk
plastron, the waist outline being marked by a golden
cord, the rope-like ends of which fall on the front of
the cream lace skirt. The jacket is edged with a
narrow cord of the same colour, and lace ruffles are
added at throat and sleeves,which last are coat-shaped.
This sort of jacket looks well in any colour, pale blue,
pink, or helitrope over white, cream, or black lace
skirt. The buttons are of old silver, gold, jet or tor-
toiseshell, according to the colour of the plush used.
Plush is more fashionable than ever: one sees it em-
ployed for out-of-door wraps, morning, afternoon, and
evening dresses. Velvet plush—as it is called—is,
though expensiva, the most serviceable, especially for
coats and jackets, as it neither marks nor crushes,
the great merit of plush being that it can be worn
at any time; one of the long and per-
fectly plain plush gowns, with full back pleats, now
so fashionable, is not too dressy, if of a dark
colour, to wear in the morning when visiting, and yet
is suitable, with the additions of lace and head orna-
ments, aigrette, and bows of ribbon for dinner wear,
if the party is not one of a very brilliant nature.
Combined with another material, plush is also greatly
worn. One of the freshest looking ball costumes just
sent out is in amber plush, faille, and filmy black
lace, so fine as to resemble a cobweb; the front of the
skirt, which has plush panels (two narrow ones on the
left side with lace between) is fully draped with lace
which passes beneath the panels, is fulled out between
them and then arranged in loose folds which are
caught together low down on the right side by a
cluster of narrow threaded gold tinsel and loops of
faille, a similar ornament adorning the hair, which is
dressed very high on the head, and fastening the lace
draping on the V shaped plush bodice; the back of
the dress is entirely of faille, and the fan of black
lace over yellow satin, with black mounts and yellow
ribbons.

AmoNo the prettiest and most becoming of the
Pdris bonnets is the "Maria Louise ;" it is equally
pretty in blue plush, with bluish white satin loops and
strings, or in brown plush, with pale salmon ribbons;
a dagger-shaped ornamer t is added on the right 'side.
The " Laurence" and the " Mentor " are also new
and pretty shapes. The trimmings with all bonnets
are still massed in front, felt plush and felt remaining
the favourite materials both for bonnets and hats; in
the latter the " Gotte " is a novelty—it is in black
felt, turned up sharply on the left side and trimmed
with black velvet and satin, SuAde-coloured velvet and
feather aigrette ; it is of considerable height, as,
indeed, are all the French hats, unless of the toque
form. Two very pretty examples of this shape for
young girls are the "Bettina," which is in plush, with
feather plumes and feather bordering, and the
" Zairpa, for a child, also in plush, with silver grey
plume?. The utility of plush for children's wear is
now fully recognised with us as with our neighbours,
the most chic little dresses, pelisses, and coats being
made of it, as well as toques and grannie bonnets. A.
remarkably stylish dress for a girl of twelve is in this
material, combined with Sicilienne. It can be made
in any colour.