The Portland daily press., 1873-12-03
Fashion Gossip.
WRAPPERS.

.
The morning dress proper is almost nom
existent. What was once deemed as essen
tial to every sufficient wardrobe as a cloak or
hat, has become so needless that mere apol-
ogy for chamber wrapper serves the purpose.
Before the advent of the walking dress we
used to sit in elegant stare at the breakfast
table in soft, trailing robes of cashmere and
fine with cords and tassels and elaborate dec
OratiOns. In tho Sc days few remembered that
health demanded morning walk and with
those who did, the tax of the change of cos
tune generally prevented the required stroll
Nov, almost every woman finds pretext tor
brief ''outiDg'' after breakfast, and so comes
TO the meal in sensible short skirt, involving
no change till dinner time.
Brides still cling to the morning dress, how
ever, and their fancy for it rarely Outasts
their first delicately tinted robe.
A large importing house in town, making
specially of trousseaux, has several new de-
signs of lnatutinal toilettes. The simplest and
most tasteful is pearl gray cashmere, of the
finest quality, trimmed with two-inch bias
bands of sky blue silk. The dress is cut Ga
briele in front with Watteau back. Three
bands of silk, half their width apart, follow
the sweeping train till they reach the side,
near the front, when they are curved upward
and interlaced across the tabiier The three
bands of one side are thus carried over to the
side breadth of the other, and are terminated
by bewitching bunch COWS OF ribbon he same
shade. The Vatican plait is caught down in
the middle OF the back with another bow hav-
ing several long, streaming ends. The sleeves
are close to the elbow, with wide, full founces
below. The lounces are lined with the blue,
and narrow bands of tho blue are laced across
the ruffie on the outside. A high fraise of The
gray, lined with the silk-wired inside to hold
it stiff-stands upright in the necK, and
reaches half way to the belt in front, closing
with ribbon bow and three short ends.
Beautifully wrought muslin RIFLES are used
for undersleeves and neck, lace being inappro-
pirate and linen too severe.
There has been change in the shape, or
rather in the cutting OF walking-skirts. They
are narrower than they have been, and fit
smoother over the front and sides. The
form of gored. front breadth. two side cores
and straight back is preserved, only instead of
two there is but one ungored BREADTH The
front is cut very broad at the top-more than
halt as wide as the bottom. The breadth
next the front is also mu h wider at the top
than heret fore, making the goring slope very
gradual, while the second gore is much mar
rover at the belt than before-not more than
four inches-and as it wild, ms to nineteen
inches at the bottom, the slant is, of course,
sharp and very effective, The straight breadth
ed skirt is desirable, two straight breadths,
two-tLirds as wide as this, may be used. Ii.
the gathering of the skirt the front and sides
should be laid smoothly in the belt-without
plaits-so far as possible, and the remainder
gathered in coarse stitches, and slipped as far
back as can be. This has to be registered TO
the size OF the waist; since, with very small
one, tho back seams of the first gore will meet
behind, and the whole of the second gore
have to be gathered; but with large waist
both the gored breadths as well as the front
can be smoothly sewed to the belt.
The fancy for teing skirts back with tapes
sill holds, except that three sets instead of
one are used. This explains the extreme
character of the present fashionable darkness.
With skirt secured against all possibility Of
wrinkle, or fold, or crease, nothing further
can be desired. That all flowing outlines and
graceful drapery are thus done away with no
BODY seems to care. To lock scant without |
being so is the possessing thought. One |
thing, however, can be said in favor of these |
new Gowns: They are easily managed in the
streef and their their tendency is to 81 ort-
nessZa virtue we are too prone to forget in
our out door dresses.
NECK KERCHIEFs.
lace kerchef folded Quaker-fashion over |
tbe shoulders, and passing under the waist of |
low dresses, IS among Tue 'aVoiue ncVeitles,
The prettiest neck looks prettier under a film
Of lace. and its beneticen' effect on an ugly |
NJ neck is past computing. There s dash of
coouetry in these delicate kerchiefs, that is in
no wise displeasing to the average feminine
mind and they are destined to a very active
existence.
CHANGES IN CLoAKS.
There are few novelties in English walk
ing Jackets which the fuller opening of the
season has developed. In so simple garment |
much change is impossible; but as chroncler
Of innovations we must overlook none In
place of the broad, silk facings, deemed the
'.only thing' last season are very narrow
bindings (so narrow as to look almost like
cords) OF heavy gros grain silk, Then IN the
side seams behind are long pocket weits caught
lown bv buttons in the most approved man
1ish fashion, Sometimes, indeed, where the
is long enough to admit it, the welts