The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-29 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

AT the Queen's last Drawing-room yellow appears
to have preponderateci among the colours worn. Some
very beautiful combinations with other tints resulted
most artistically. One of the loveliest gowns was of
mingled yellow and grey. The train was composed of
velvet in the latter tint, lined with lemon-coloured
satin and fringea all down one side with a thick gar-
land of laburnum, which hung in the most natural-
looking sprays. Here and there the blossoms
appeared to be fastened upon the train by groups
of lemon-coloured feathers tipped with grey, and
gay plumes tOpped with yellow. With these
were mingledl the most feathery -of yellow.
ospreys, and among the groups of plumes shone
some diamond-like sparkles which seemed to betray
the presence of costly jewels. This beautiful train
was turned back with a group of feathers in the two
colours at one corner, and was worn over a dress of
the richest lemon-coloured satin. For about the
depth of a quarter of a yard the front of the skirt
was trimmed with a remarkably effective embroidery
of grey beads, pearls, and chenille, through the spaces
of which the lemon-colour showed. The bodice was
grey velvet with a small waistcoat of yellow satin,
over which passed small chains of grey pearls. The
bouquet carried with this dress was of unusual
beauty. The centre consisted of yellow roses sur-
rounded by a thick fringe of laburnum. From the
centre of the roses ascended a posy of flowers and buds.
The bouquet was tied with velvet ribbons of grey and
lemon-colour. Another beautiful dress was made with
a court train of velvet in the tint of peach-colour which
our mothers loved, and with reason, for none of the
new mauves excel it, while few of them equal it in its
unsurpassable softness. This train was edged with
thick ruches of tulle in the same tone of colour, and
was lined with yellow satin. The trimming consisted
of bunches of pale yellow feathers, with which were
combined large pansies in yellow and the lighter tints
of mauve, the whole forming a combination which de-
lighted the eye, and one which nature displays in her
choicest pansies, The dress over which this was worn
was made of crêpe de chine in the peach-blossom tint
of the velvet train. The front of the skirt was beau-
tifully embroidered with shaded beads in amethystine
tints. A large bunch of yellow feathers and
shaded pansies was placed at one side. The
bodice was trimmed with beads to match
the skirt. A rather uncommon union of
tints was seen in a dress of pale blue crêpe
de chine and silk to match, with a train of mahogany
brown velvet. The front of the bodice was brightened
with sapphires in the new crystal jewels, set in an
embroidery of pale blue steel. The train depended
from the left shoulder. A bodice and gown of yellow
crepe de chine were worn under a train of very rich
white ottoman, with a centre breadth of brocade, on
which appeared a large design in gold. This train
was edged with a thick fringe of laburnum, and the
skirt was bordered in the same way. The drooping
spirals, if such an apparently anomalous term may be
permitted, of the laburnum blooms form an un-
usually graceful trimming when adapted in this way
as pendent fringes. A very pleasing combination
of colours was seen in a gown of shrimp-piak
satin, covered with lace except where a few folds
were arranged to fall over the lace from the waist.
A bunch of pink feathers mixed with grey ones was
arranged low on the right side, while a second bunch
was placed rather high on the left. The train was
made of grey ottoman, lined with pink satin. The
lace that was turned back over the sides of the train
looked at a short distance like a foam of paler grey.
At irregular intervals--mathematical accuracy being
sadly out of place in the matter of trimmings—
plumes of grey feathers mixed with pink ones were
tied down with knots of grey and pink ribbons. The
shade of grey was almost lead-colour, but its sombre-
ness became quite artistic when relieved with deft
touches of pink, and given the solid value of the pink
lining.

DUCHESSES are not invariably so beautiful as the
imagination inclines to depict such dames of high
degree. One, however, whose loveliness is as ex-
ceptional as it is of a refined type, wore a Court train
which was made of brocade in a new design entitled
the "Jubilee." A group, composed of the rose, the
shamrock, and the thifile, wrought in gold and silver
upon a ground of white satin, is repeated over the
entire extent. Much of the effectiveness of this mag-
nificent brocade is due to the warm tinge given to the
white satin ground by the underlying threads of gold,
which pass beneath the spaces between the
floral groups. In a strong light the effect is
dazzling, the threads of gold and silver spark-
ling like slender jewelled lines. The train is
bordered with some exquisitely fine old Alencon
belonging to the Duchess, tied here and there
with bows of white satin ribbon. The dress over
which this is worn consists of white satin trimmed
with English crape. The difference between this
kind and that known and spelled as French crêpe
lies in the superior size of the small ripples that cha-
racterise this material. That of French manufacture
is very saft and supple. The English crape, though
soft enough to drape well, has sufficient backbone to
sustain itself tin position, though not, perhaps, enough
to "stand alone, as our grandmothers' silks would
appear to have been in the habit of doing. A pretty
girl, with a slender figure, was the centre of a
rosy cloud of pink, formed by her Court dress
of mingled crêpe and tulle, tied here and there
with satin ribbons of the same roseate tinge.
The train, of pink fris6, was well adapted in its
simple character to the girlish wearer, being un-
trimmed save for the puffing. of pink crepe which
bordered it, and gave it a softness of effect that
brought it into harmony with the dress. A young
bride wore, over her wedding dress of white brocade,
a train of white satin trimmed with crêpe, across
which fell slender chains of pearls depending from a
daisy, also in pearls, which formed the departing
points of the chain at either side. Large bows of
very wide ribbon were a prominent feature of this
pretty dress. Another bride of the present season
wore her wedding gown of white satin and lisse,
embroidered in a design of orange-blossoms, under a
satin train trimmed with ruches of white crêpe and
bows of satin ribbon.

A DRESS of white and silver brocade was worn by a
beautiful little lady. A fringe of velvet-petalled pink
tulips, of which softness was a salient characteristic,
edged the skirt; and a similar fringe finished the
train. The latter was composed of wide black and
white stripes. It fell from the shoulders in a Watteau
pleat, and from either side of this pleat at the waist
fell a cascade of piuk and black velvet ribbons.

AN attractive group was formed by three sisters,
one of whom was dressed entirely in white, her train
of rich brocade being worn over a satin petticoat
artistically draped with lace. The second sister was
attired in a pretty dress of sky-blue net, trimmed
with Egyptian lace and knots of sky-blue and
canary coloured velvet ribbon. The train was
striped wide lines of galloon in the two colours, blue
and canary, alternating with equally wide stripes
3f canary satin. The trimming consisted of ruches
of blue net and velvet ribbons resembling those on the
skirt. The third sister's dress was made in a similar
style to this one, only that the blue net was replaced
by white, while the train was white satin lined with
pale pink. Pink feathers and pink velvet ribbons
formed the trimming of both dress and train. The
wife of one of our generals looked very well in a dress
of pale golden yellow, trimmed with yellow roses. The
train was brown velvet, lined with prawn-coloured
satin, and caught with three very handsome brilliant
buckles with a large emerald in the centre of each. A
drapery of prawn-coloured satin partially concealed
the front of the skirt. The train was from the
shoulder, and the bodice was made of gold-coloured
satin trimmed with the prawn satin.