The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-11-06 00:00:00

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

WV IT a quantity of new materials, says the accom-
plished fashion writer in the Ladies' Gazeth of Fashion
for November, we have to write about this month,
and what charming combinations of fancy materials!
It is, indeed, a difficult matter for anyone to make a
choice from so many, each one seeming to surpass the
other. Plain materials are very popular, especially
for the tunic of a dress, and great favour is given to
gowns with skirts of fancy materials, with bodice and
draperies plain. Several very pretty models are well
worth describing. One has a skirt of black satin,
striped with tiny poppy-coloured threads; over thil
is a tunic of black cashmere, simply draped, and
rounded like a small panier on the left, and falling in
a panel on the right. The waist is gathered in by a
baud of grog grain ribbon, fastened with a buckle. At
the top, in the front, is a piece opening "en chale
over a guimpe of white plaited mousseline; below this
piece the bodice is gathered, and the folds kept in
their place by the waistband. Another pretty style
has a skirt of grey velvet, almost hidden under the
draperies of the tunic of the same shade of sicilienne;
on the left side only is the skirt left un-
covered, and shows a large panel trimmed in a novel
fashion; galons of mohair the same shade as the
velvet are placed up the side like a ladder, the same
trimming is seen on the bodice as a plastron. The
new woollen materials are remarkably light in
texture, and will be a favourite material
for all day-gowns. Many are striped, some
with velvet, satin, or plu-1 ; others have a
raised boucle pattern of spots and stars. The
stripes differ in this way from those worn last season,
for many are as much as three or four inches in
width; others are eected by a union of long threads
of silk, and quite a novel effect is given by cords as
stripes, giving the impression of lines of braid stitched
on to the foundation. Other novelties are cloths
called" Pean de Suede," woollens with velvet plaids on
the surface; Zibeline, a soft cloth like angola ; and a
kind of loose serge, called sackcloth, to be had in such
colours as navy blue, gre— - and modore. Many of the
heather mixtures are LI d with loose silk or wool in
a bright colour; and c ks in. two colours, are made
up with plush in the Tker colour for the skirt.
Nearly all the new 4 s and velvets display a
brilliant combinati iruring, such as blue and
red, green and rs 'ground. The Velours
du Nord is brought iason with bars inter-
woven of distinct colour, tufts of darker tones
than the ground. The co. on of colours is most
auccessfui ; a cross bar of , frise in tabac will be
seen on a foundation of ele faille. The checks
are all taken from plaids. U.luese rich fabrics are in-
tended to be used for the entire skirt, over which is
draped cashmere or plain faille. A new material, a
kind of Chinese silk, called " sunshing," is to be had
in many artiztic shades, and is very much used for tea-
gowns and tea-jackets; it is a thin silk which
drapes well, mid is very pretty and serviceable. Many
of the woollens are very elaborately embroidered, and
will be made up with the skirt, edged with a deep
embroidered border, and the bodice embroidered in a
point, back and front.

Fun is to be worn as a trimming for costumes. A
very elegant model has a skirt of heliotrope brocaded
silk, edged with a beautiful band of skunk. The tunic
is polonaise shaped, in heliotrope cloth, draped to
show all the left side of the skirt. One band of fur
trims the pouf, which falls as a straight panel on the
left side. The front of the bodice crosses from right to
left, and is edged with a band of fur; two plaits,
starting from the shoulder, fasten it at the waist.
Another pretty toilette is made of a cloth with a red
foundation, with tiny stripes of brown, put so close
together as to give the idea of a brown costume
rather than red. The under skirt is of red taffetas,
trimmed with two flounces of the same stuff. The
overskirt is full and plain; the tunic falls straight in
front, is slightly draped near the hips; on the right it
falls like a second skirt; on the left it is opened right
to the top, with buttonholes on the tablier, and large
buttons on the other part. The buttons and button-
holes are not fastened, and the panel remains open. The
bodice is very striking; it is made with a tight " gilt t,"
buttoned straight down the front, without sleeves, in
red silk ; above this is a plastron of brown, or any
other colour, according to the taste of the wearer.
Above this, again, as a bodice, is a pretty jacket, tight-
fitting at the back, and straight in front, trimmed
with a hood, descending to a point at the waist, and
showing a lining of red silk. This jacket may easily
be worh over any other costume. Charming home
dresses may be made from a coarse woollen material,
striped with large black and white stripes. A straight
skirt, very full, especially at the back, is made with
no tunic, a tight-fitting jacket, with postilion bodice,
opening in front over a chernisette plastron of coloured
foulard. High upright collar and cuffs of the same
material as the chimisette.

THERE 15 so much diversity now in the trimming of
bodices. A bodice that is not trimmed with a plas.
tron is seldom seen. The bodice may be plain, with
short b asques, forming at the back a flat postilion, or
tabs, but in front there is invariably a trimming of
• kind. --)rettv of fancy woollen stuff
Jose of a vest; in the
opening is a full chemiset, of cream foulard, trim-
med at the top and at the waist with an upright
collar of foulard the same shade as the dress. A gown
of grey mohair looks very coquettish, made with a
skirt entirely plaited; the tunic is made like a polo.
naise, a bodice opening "a chale" over a plain plas-
tron of striped satin; small black collar; drapery
of satin below the sleeves, under a black cuff.
Black woollen materials are greatly in vogue;
they always look very distingue, are useful, and wear
well; they are also very becoming to the figure and
complexion. Several models of black gowns are prettily
made up with materials of all kinds and colours.
Here is one with a skirt of stamped velvet of black
and gold, on a black satin foundation. The skirt is
quite plain, the tunic is of black merino, caught up on
the left like the panel of a redingote, under appliques
of black and gold. Striped silk materials, forming
galons, are very elegant and pretty, and are used in
many different ways. Sometimes the skirt is made of
this material, and sometimes of silk, and the tunic of
woollen still, with large revers of the stripe of which
we have just spoken. These toilets are made in all
shades, grey, brown, black, and are all exceedingly
elegant looking.

VERY pretty costumes are made with skirts striped
in two colours, and polonaises of Bengaline. The
polonaise will be the favourite style for this winter,
and for young ladies especially it is particularly suited.
A pretty dress is of blue-grey cloth for the polonaise,
with vest and skirt of Persian striped wool, alternating
with braid stripes. The polonaise is long and open in
front, with revers on one side, while the other has a
novel kind of double drapery. A plastron of yellow
silk surah is gathered at the neck with dull red
revers, and below it is a vest like the stripes of the
skirt, finishing in points in front. The back of the
polonaise is plain at the top, and then falls in straight
full folds.

PROMENADE gown of navy-blue faille and plaid surab.
The underskirt in of faille; overskirt of plaid Borah
and faille. The front and sides are of plaid; they
fall in large fold. Tablier of plaid the right side is
caught up on the hip, the left side falls straight. The
back is of plain faille, covered with a long pouf of
faille and surah ; the faille falls in large folds, the
surah is draped in a pouf. Pointed bodice of plaid
surah, trimmed in front and at the back with four
crossway bands of plain faille arranged as" bretelles."
In front the four bands join below the waist, forming
a W; at the back they form four pointed tabs.
Pointed pieces of velvet are let in between the bands,
back and fvont. Sleeves with plaid surah, with velvet
cuffs; upright collar of velvet; Bolero hat.

VISITING gowns in dark-blue woollen material, and
a woollen material striped with orange and blue.
Plain striped skirt and plonaise of the plain; the
polonaise opens on the lett.side ; it consists of a bodice
and second skirt caught up below the bodice, which is
plain, and fastens down the middle. A width of the
plain material is draped in front, and forms a tablier
this is joined to half a width of the same material,
which falls in folds like a full skirt, and enlarges the
tablier on the right side. At the back the tunic is
draped in a pouf, caught up below the back. A plaited
quille, trimmed with three bows, trims the left side of
the pouf. Sleeves with a drapery of ribbon, finished
off with a bow._ Upright collar.

* *
AFTERNOON dress in dark green woollen material,
trimmed with velvet. Skirt of the woollen material,
plaited on the right side; on the left the skirt is full, and
falls in its own folds. Pointed tablier in front, plaited,
draped right to left, and trimmed on the right with
a revers of velvet. A bouillonne of the woollen ma-
terial trims the right hip; the back of the tunic is
draped in a pouf, and caught up from left to right.
Bodice finished off below the waist by' a band of
velvet; it is trimmed down the front with two bands of
velvet. Upright collar of the woollen material. Cuffs
of velvet. Felt hat, trimmed with feathers, velvet,
and ribbons.

BoNNrrs show a tendency to be lower than they
were, and less pointed in front, but milliners are
showing many eccentricities in the way of coverings
for the head; for instance, a most remarkable and
hardly becoming hat has a brim close fitting to the
head, made of jet embroidery, dotted with large beads.
The crown goes up to a point, and is made of velvet,
rising up far above the top of the head. Lace, ribbons, and
feathers are all used as trimmings. This particular
model has a bunch of lace, festooned with a string of
jet beads; no strings. Strings are very little worn
now, but for those who still prefer them there are
charming fancy ribbons edged with velvet or plush.
A bonnet of red surah is trimmed with an aigrette of
feathers and gros grain ribbon with a picot edge.
The crown of the bonnet is made of plaited am:lth ;
the plaiting is fulled up high in front, and has an
aigrette of feathers and a bow of ribbons on the right
side. The brim is plain at the aides, but forms three
large upright plaits in front; ribbon strings. The
newest fashion for trimming the brims is with
graduated balls of feathers, matching the feathers on
the bonnet. Ostrich plumes are the most stylish
trimmings for bonnets you could have: stiff wings,
intermingled with osprey, standing up stiffly in the
front of hats or bonnets will also be much worn.
The crowns of bonnets are sometimes gathered in the
centre and trimmed in front with bows of narrow


ribbon with a picot edge, the loops standing upright.
Jet is very much used on bonnets of mousse shades.

Hats are nesrly all high, but not to an exaggerated
extent. Round hats have larger brims and lower
crowns; the crowns are no longer made so very
conical, but are of a much more elegant shape.
Flowers are not to be worn at all this winter; jet and
beaded trimmings are to take their place. Combs,
crescents, diadems, pins of all kinds, buckles, &c.
Many fancy birds and beautiful feathers, chenille
ornaments all make handsome trimmings. Round
hats to wear with the fur-trimmed gowns are made
with a band of fur round the crown. The toque and
bolero are the favourite shapes in small hats.