The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-06 00:00:00

GOSSIP 011 DRESS.

"To be forewarned is to be forearmed," says the
Queen, and it eaves women trouble to know in advance
what the forthcoming fashions are likely to be.
There are one or two colours which are new, though
they may not appear so at the first glance, but com-
pare them with any that have preceded them, and
the difference is at once apparent. For example,
Eucalyptus—a light and tender sea-green; it is soft.
and becoming to the skin; and Tyrol, a biege with a
tone of terra-cotta in it. The tan shades are lighter,
especially when applied to gloves. This is rather bad
news for those who are economically inclined, for
they soil more quickly than the brown tint of tan.
The fashionable shade is rather a combination of tan
and fawn.

THE first new bonnets will be almost all black ones,
but as the season advances there will be three tones
of brownish biege, all with a decided golden tinge,
and these will supersede the greys of last year. The
coarse make of straw is to find more favour than any
other, but the variety is great,

IT is only at the wholesale houses as yet that it is
possible to see the spring goods. In hats and bonnets,
there are fine, coarse, and many fancy straws of a full
yellow tone. The shapes are small and mostly of the
Princess style, but there is a greater depth from the
crown to the brim, to admit of the mass of trimming
now placed upon them, giving the appearance of
great height, with which the straw shape has hut
little to do. Some of the new bonnets have the straw
folded into box-plaits, to form the crown, which
shows how soft and supple the material is. In
coloured split straws a new shade has come out, a
green more vivid than mousse, with the brown tinge
of sedgy grass interblended. There is an immense
choice of crowns, from the horseshoe, the hansom
cab, the wedge, to the crescent, where the straw does
not start from a centre, but is carried from ear to ear.
All the new bonnets are cut up at the back, and, as
often as not have a curved strip of straw laid on, or a
couple of pieces like a butterfly bow. Leghorn and
Tuscan are both to be worn; but the Marie Stuart
shape has superseded the Olivia in a great measure.
The term Marie Stuart applies to any front that is
bent over Cm face, and many of the straw coronets
turning upwards from the brim are thus bent, as well
as those that turn down. Chip is to be worn, and
the fine "pedal" straw, so called because it is that
portion which is found at the root, and is conse-
quently tougher. Some of the crowns are moulded
into melon shapes, just as one large and pretty hat,
under the name of "Cherry Ripe,' has the brim
formed in front in large goffers.

MOST of the hats are high in the crown; others
have a line of open-work straw round the upper part
of the crown. The chief immediate novelty is a tur-
ban brim, from the centre of which rises the pointed
crown associated in the mind with the representation
or Mother Hubbard at fancy balls. The new sailor
hats have the brim turning up behind, and most of
the shapes do the same this season, leaving plenty of
room for the hair. Many have the brims cloven ac
the back or sides; sometimes tbey are turned up at
the side or back in a distinct piece like a battlement.
The Spanish shape is shortened be?aind, and the Leg-
horn hats have been brought out with fancy edges.
Mixtures of colours in straws and good coarse Englih
straw are largely used for hats. Some of the crowns
at the top are oval, not round. The Henry 11. shape
will be worn this spring; it is to becoming to give
up. The Gainsborough is perhaps the newest, for the
name is now applied to a high crown witli wide brim,
and the varieties therein are many.

PLAIN edged ribbons are quite out'of date, and
manufacturers have been busy i-aventing varieties in
the picot edge. The old-fashioned pearl comes fir 4
in favour; but after that there are many novelties in
the way of fringes and continuous loops at the side,
which look as if a trimming hail been sewn on to the
edge. Twill ribbons are to be the fashion as well m
satin, faille, gauze, and canvas, the last often forming
half the width, with silk or satin. There arc many
triumph 4 of weaving in the new ribbons. In the way
of trimming for bonnets and hats a great deal of faney
gauze h. to be used, tufted all over with floss or ch -
nille balls, sometimes in contra3t to the ground, mine-
timea matching it.
• •

TnErrn is one item with which the shops will-rill be
flooded in a few weeks--viz, the rosary beads, to he
had now of every tint, and they take the colouring
well, especially the carved ones. They are to s ppeur
in every sort of trimming for dresses and millinery.
They will edge bonnets and bAlkin delicate pink and
blue shades, as well as brown. The wood element
will monopolise most of the dress and mantle button
trade, and play a far more important part than it
has ever done before in women's dress; but it is realiy
brought out now in a form that is attractive to the
aye and artistio taste. Pearls, also, are to be bought
in all colours, and where ever the wooden bead is not;
employed, the coloured pearl will be.

AMONG ornaments for millinery, is a combination of
filigree gilt work and coloured wood, and no shape is
repeated so often in different guises as a hunting
whip with the thong wound about the handle, made
of brown, pink, or blue-coloured wood, set in a filigree
mounting. Bunches of oats and currants in a mixture
of colours are to keep the bows and rosettes of ribbon
in their proper places, and for the same purpose there
are elaborate gilt halberds, open fans, and arrows
covered with pearls not a pin's point between each
bead.

BONNETS will haTe either no strings, or short ones
studded with fancy pins, some with flat coin heads.
some with small bullet heads. Jet has been tortured
into every conceivable shape, and pierced so that
trimmings may be formed with it, a useful element in
millinery. Notwithstanding the efforts of the League
for the preservation of little birds, the market is
flooded with all kinds, to be used on ballgowns, hats,
and bonnets.

I JUDGING by what the best houses are doing, and the
• best-dressed women are wearing, there is no chance of
so great a misfortune happening as the return of the
' crinoline—indeed, though the skirts are a good deal
• fuller, they have not even steels, but stand out by the
perfection, of their cut and drapery, the mattress at
the waist when properly arranged, being in itself
enough. Even steels in the backs of gowns are being
gradually banished. The leading Wa in skirts is one
dress over another, either an upper one opening over
' a lower in front, or draped over a lower one. •
Low bodices are worn now exclusively at balls, and
much more at dinners than they used to be. The
newest colourings in dinner gowns are delicate coral,
and salmon, terra-cotta, beige, and lime blossom;
these are all richly embroidered and beaded. The
newest feature this coming spring will be robings and
panels of tapestry beading, in which the colours melt
into each other. Brides are wearing distinct trains to
their wedding gowns, and many dinner gowns are
made thus for the spring, but instead of being
fastened to the back they are secured round the hips,
aa though a cloak, half slipping off, had been care-
lessly pinned together in front. Tea gowns have for
a long time been much worn at all but positive dinner
parties, and now they are made with short sleeves;
but to be really a tea gown, they must not have a
cl)se fitting bodice.