The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-01-26
FASHION NOTES.

change Of fashions within year, the
most casual observer must perceive a
difference between the costumes Of last
winter and of the present The dashing
girl OF the period" styles have passed
away, and we have in their stead more
quiet, refined dressing, suitable for dig
nifed women, yet not too demure for
the most youthful. In lieu Of cos
tunes made up of colors IN violent con-
trast, we now have shades Of one color
pervadiug the suit; the Grecian bend
panier, with its unsightly puff, has
given place to a modest tournure and
graceful drapery; towering chignons of
false hair are supplanted by natural
bra;ds that disclose the contour Of the
head; plump and healthy looking waists
are preferred to waspiSh ones; instead
OF skirts ankle short for promenading
we have more graceful ones just clear
ing the ground, while voluminous
trains are discarded for the more sensi-
ble halftrain; high curved, French
heels are positively outre, and the
jaunty jockey hat, with its defiant
aigrette, is gradually recediDg before the
demure-looking gypsy bonnet. The last
mentioned change we regret somewhat,
but we congratulate our readers on the
tasteful, sensible and lady-like ensem-
BILE that fashionably dressed woman
now presents. There is scarcely a
target left at which critics can aim their
bows OF malice.
Since the beginning Of the European
war. prices of silk have been very fuc
tuating. At the present moment many
low-priced silks are in market, which
were purchased in Europe just at the
breaking out of the war. The most
popular cheap silks are black, with
hair.line stripes Of a single color. Blue,
gold, green. red. purple, brown and
white stripes are shown. These silks,
especially those stri ped and white, will
make stylish and inexpensive dresses.
The fabric is thin but not fiimsy, is all
pure silk, equally well finished on both
sides, and measures half a ward in
width
Among the fancy silks are very pretty
pale tints of solid color for evening
dresses. These are quite good enough
for the foundation Of the dresses which
the young ladies now wear, almost COW
cred with flounces and overdress Of some
white, transparent goods Some very
stylish dresses are made of pale pink,
blue or green silk, hounced up the
front and around the train with white
muslin or grenadine, a white overskirt
nearly covering the train, and the cor
sage half concealed with the Grecian
folds.
Most useful OF all, however, are
the plain black silks; for, above all
other dresses, those of black silk are
most a, propriate for all times and occa-
sions. When selecting black silk, it
should be remembered that demi-
lustrous silks are the choice at present
American black silks, heavy enough to
be called gros. grain, look very much
like poplin, though not so glossy. 1t is
said to wear well and wash.
The striped silks just noted are being
made up into house dresses for after
noon wear. From sixteen to twenty
yards are required for plain demi-
train and postillion basque; from
twenty-five to thirty-fve yards for a
short skirt, trained over-skirt and pos
tillion. A single skirt is all that is ne
cessary for the house. For lady of
medium height the train should be
about fifty-five inches long and gored in
front and sides, full behind, about four
and a half yards wide, and lined
throughout with cambria. 1t is a good
plan to dispense with stiff facing, in
order that the dress may be made suit
able for the street by draping over an
overskirt of Hack silk, or OF silk the
color of the stripe. The edge of the
skirt may be scalloped and bound with
black silk, but it is not necessary to
trim it, as many overskirts are simply
hemmed. 1t is not stylish to trim these
dresses with colors; black only is used
on black. Ruffies Of the material
fripged on the edges or hemmed, black
fringe, guipure lace, or velvet, are the
prettiest trimmings A succession Of
narrow gathered bias founces, overlap
ping each other, is used if it is desired
to make the dress elaborate. The
Nilsson bow worn high in the chate-
laine, and neck-tie of some bright
color to match the bow, with Roman
gold jewelry, light up the dresses suffi-
GENTLY. The gay Mephistopheles scarlet
ties and bow are worn with dresses OF
almost every color, and by all COM
plexions.
For those who prefer wooden dresses,
empress cloths Of the dark fashionable
shades are sold Twelve or fourteen
Yards of this goods make a pretty
dress, trimmed with bias velveteen bands
of the same shade.
With gypsy bonnets, and the Pompa-
dour hats that are turned down over
the face and up in the back, the veil
fashionably worn is yard Of black
dotted net, or Of plain, large meshed
Brussels, hemmed all around with a
string in one end, or else one OF the new
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