The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-01-14
oHIT CHAT ON FASHION.

what more moderate, took place, to the
perfectly plain gored, or, as 1t was CALI
ed, Princesss skirt. We well remember
the excitement the first two or three
created in the salons, and the contrast
with the bell,shaped garments generally
worn. .-.rE %
The PrinCeSSe dress was, however,
found too restricted, and little round
aprons, called "Freemasons," were in
troduced, which were the beginning of
the present upper skirt, with its round
tablier aud not ungraceful pdnier.
The change from short apron and a
straigbt-cut gored skirt to a short up
per skirt, and peit:coat with some
fullness in, does not seem so very great
but it is very apparent when the skirts
and pdniers and sashes, and all the frilIs
and furbelows thereunto beloDging,-are
multiplied by the number of ladies who
wear them. IT,, ..
The high, rich colors, too. have much
to do with the warmth of effect pro
duced by this seasons style of dress.
Bright blues, browns, and Scoth plaids,
with good deal of scarlet in it, are
relieved little by mixture of black
or gray, but the prevailing tone is high,
full, aud striking.
Garnet and dark green cloths and
costumes are also in vogue, and produce
a fine effect, trimmed with velvet and
! fringe of the same shade. The suit
generally consists of O round skirt,
trimmed with two fiat plated flounces,
each headed with two rows of velvet,
an upper skirt forming an apron and
side paniers, and mantle fitted to the
waist at the back. Mantle and upper
skirt are trimmed with velvet and
fringe, and there is double square bow
mantle is fastened at the back.
The bodices for rather dressy toilets
are generally made open in front, either
in a square shape or ehale with reUers.
The chemisettes worn with such bodices
are cut in the same shape; they are
trimmed with wide strip of insertion,
edged round the bottom with deep
border of Valenciennes lace, and round
the top with very narrow border of
the same. This arrangement leaving
the throat partly bare, necklace or
large cross OF locket is worn round the
neck.
Street toilets are very costly. 1t is
not uncommon to see black Lyons vel
vet suits worn with rich tunics of
bright blue or dead black satin, the
sash of satin with heavily fringed ends.
Fur is very fasbionably used for trim
ming cloth and velvet. The new French
circular is the newest form Of wrap.
% oh
sort of double circular-or, rather, q
close-cut rotonde, not very long, with
cape only quarter of yard less in
depth. The material is always Scotch
plaid, the "Viotoria" OF scarlet" and
the cape, or second circular, is trimmed
with q handsome wooden fringe, con-
tanning the colors. There is no hood,
but the heavy Scotch cord aud tassels
are thrown back.
Narrow black or white Astrachau COL
lar and fringed mufflook very well with
these gay little oloaks.
The "Roman" cloak has no sleeves:
sleeves can he inserted, but only at the
sacrifice Of its distinctive character. 1t
is drawn in at tho back, but falls losely
from the shoulders, aud Is altogether
one of the most graceful garments ever
imported. The finest model is made in
black velvet, richly trimmed with lace.
Burnooses and short double capes of
black cashmere and cloth are ornament
ed with rows of very wide black silk
braid, initiating stripes of close crochet,
and edged on either side with a narrow
gold band the upper cape is slit open
in the middle of the back up to the
neck; it falls over the arms, which are
passed through openings in the under
cape. This is very new model.
Shoulder seams are placed On the |
shoulder, not at the back of it, as was
formerly the case. The shoulders do |
not extend over the arm, but are short
enough to make the arm hole in its ap
propriate place. There is no attempt
to make tho back look narrow by plac-
ing the side am behind the arm in
stead of under it.
The waist is of natural length, neither
immoderately short nor long, but ter
inmates at the natural taper, just above
the hips; nor is it compressed by tight
lacing.
Easy fitting corsets, with but few
whalebones, are worn to support the |
figure, but not to make it smaller.
Many ladies prefer to have the dress
skirt separate from the waist and at
tached to belt. In this case to pre-.
vent the two portions of the dress from
parting, it is well to extend the bodice |
over the hips in loose, easy basque, to
be thrust under the skirt of the dress, or
else attach eyes to a belt round the
waist and hoop, at regular opposite dis.
tances upon the belt Of the skirt, so
that the skirt can be hooked on to the |
waist without trouble. The whalebones |
do not extend over the hips, but stop at
the naTrowest taper of the corsage.
Shoulder seams are no longer corded. |
A cord is not required around the neck, |
if standing band is used. If the dress
is cut away low at the throat, according |
to the summer fashion, it is corded |
without band.
Arm-holes are always corded, and |
should be ample enough for comfort. |
Many dressmakers object to cording the
bodice at the belt, as the cord is apt to
draw; we use, instead, q bias facing, |
stitched on to give it sufficient strength. |
The inner seam of the sleeve should fall |
over the center of the arm.
" uCu Oho oiCONO 10 bOiuB oC"Ou III
the arm-hole, the sleeve should be held |
above, in order that its slight fullness
may be gradually gathered into the
arm. hole; the sleeve will then stand out
properly around the arm. hole.
The materials for winter wear show |
simple and pretty styles in warm, rich |
colors. Girls dresses are shorter than |
they have been worn of late, and are
made with gored skirts and plain high
bodices, with coat sleeves very close at
the wrist. or else Gabrielle shaped, fas-
tened behind, the skirts narrow and
reaching only to the knee. These are
for everyday wear.
For more elaborate dresses the bodice
is universally ofthe low peasant shape,
worn over white muslin high bodice.
Delsines and high serges are selected
for the intermedia ate season; merinos,
heavy plaids, and French poplins for
colder weather. The skirts are sim ply
trimmed with scautily gathered frills,