The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-16
Fashion Notes for the Ladies.
Spring stylss, Spring Suits. and New
Things Generally.

SkAs Ssye1Ds cprAuS SuEtSs anu n ew
Things Generally.
IT.. 90 ais>g. - rsrEE
It seems hardly In accordance with the fit.
ness of things that spring styles and new
goods shouBr come In during the Lenten
fast, when many of the leaders In fnshiona.
BILE society Fkre. r1ortifying the fesh-escbew.
ing the popps and vanties of the world
and abstatnfbg from balls, parties, and the
like. It fscbmpradye yeiy easy to deny ones
self at table hut. few women can resist the
attractions Of new clothes, and the most rigid
sdintess in the, calendar, unless Sue were old
and ugly, might be tempted by the pretty
novelties promised for early spring. l
The sober hues and delieate shades which
have held.sHay for several seasons, will still
I be the faYorite oolors. All the grays and
water.tints, BLUSH, greenish, or with tinge
Of slate.color; the quaint and beautiful
saees, cafe au latt-darker or lighter as the
coffee or milk predominates tbere are said
to be TWENTY-FIVE shades of this color alone) !;
Napoleon blue and the black, which has be-
come so popular as to be almost street uni
form, will be the fashionable coiors. =
pagss-sK1RTs AND TRIMMINGS. 2' !
| Dress-skirts are worn clingiDg closely to
the figure in front and very 'bouffante be-
hind. The front side. gore is sloped to barely
aeSgs1h psssal.t set-tuto the
belt without a particle of fullness- gathers
being massed behind. Most suits have the
front trimmed en- tablier, and new fancy is
to trim the front side-gores from belt to toe
with either upturned folds overlapping each
other or with shirred puffs, and this. trim
ming forms the dividing-lfne between the
| back and front breadths of the skirt.
| A npW skirt. ;ot ko
| be popular, is shirred flounce, either bias
or straight, half yard deep, with q narrow
hem at top and onean inch wide on the lower
edge. The glthering begins little below
the upper edge OF the flounce, and consists
of half dozen putfS an inch wide, formed
by means OF drawing strings run in casings
stitched in the fOunce. Another mode of
putting places the drawing-strings two
inches apart, and makes three puffs instead
of six.
| The trimming may be made more elabo-
rate by placing cluster of the tiny over
tapping folds, known as knife-blade pleats,
on the bottom of the founce. A shrred
band, two inches wide, with rut1e on either
edge, is the appropriate trimming for the
overskirt to match, and for the front breadth
of the lower skirt, if 1t is desired to trim the
dress en- td6lter. ,..... .a
These shirred puffs will be much worn on
grenadines, and ladies who possess suits
trimmed with narrow ffounces may remodel
them by ripping the flounces, stitching them
together at the edges and gathering them
into lengthwise puffs. Silk flounces are still
scolloped and bound by hand, and suits Of
two shades will, if possible, be more popular
than ever. -
| A wedding order recently filled by one OF
| 10 Far North Tarn-
linian bride embraced among other dresses a
gray silk trimmed with sage. The lower
skirt was ornamcnted with wide box-pleated
founce, which extended entirely around it.
In front was a succession Of narrow f1ounces,
pointed and bound with the contrasting
color, and finished at the side breadths by a
bias band piped in like manner. The apron
oyerskirt was vandyked aud bound in the
same way, and the basque finished BY a large
cord on the lower edge had for necE-trim-
mings at the back a boX.pleated fraise, and
/ in front lappels turned back, displaying the
sage silk, which also formed the lining OF
| the fraise. ..'@s. ..r. aa s.'..- = J.
| The weddipg-dress was ofwhite' silk, with
long train, untrimmed, and on the front
were puff1ngs of tulle. Two corsages-one
La low-necked corset waist, fitting smoothly
over the. hips, and worn with q tulle berthe.
for the evening ceremony-the other high
basque,' with outer fraiSe Of silk and inner
one OF tulle. for the reception next day, COM
pleted the dress. if'.'..' =.
/, A bridesmaids toilette for the sister Of the
bride was OF white merino, trimmed with
|: i:founces Of the same, and bands OF White
satin stitched on either edge.
| At the same establishment we were shown
spring suit, designed for one Of our Rich
mond bellies, of two shades of sage silk,
which is almost too elaborate for description.
| The dress material is Of the darker, the TRIM
ming Of the lightar shade Of sase-green.
| Around the lower skirt extend two wide,
scant founces the bottom one of the lighter
sage. flushed on the lower edge by an
tincb.wide band, and headed by two-inch
putting of the darker color. The second
hounce is dark, vandykcd and bound with
| light silk, and above it Is wide fold OF the
| lighter shade. The front breadth is trimmed
to the waist by clusters formed each OF
dark band yandyked with the lighter shade,
and headed by two overlapping folds OF the
same silk which binds the vandykes. The
overskirt is edged at bottom with similar
cluster, and consists of three full breadths,
the side ones slightly gored and set in at the
front side seams, the junction being orna-
mented by self-fringed bows OF the Lighter
shade. ..ars.s a<a .-., ..'.
The fautail basque has vest and sleeves
Of tie trimming shade with fraise boX-pleat-
cd behind and selcpleated in front. The
sleeve trimming is triple cuff each outlet
fornicr part of the group being bound
| with tie contrasting color, and fastened to
/ the sleeve by button aud rimulated button
| hole. Small crochet buttons Of the lighter
sase-green are used on the suit. - -
| Pulled sleeves will divide favor with coat
sleeves this spring, and many of the latter
4 have Duff set in at the armhole. =
| Polonases will still be worn on the street
| as an outdoor wrapping. The buttons used
| on them are much Smaller than last season,
! am, although many are double-breasted very
few, except IN wash-goods, will be loose or
| half-fttinS. ,-..-,.,.. ..t.,.s ...rs.
HOW TO MAKE SKIRTS CLING CLOSELY.
| New York modistes produce the clnglng
set of the skirt so much sought after by ULTRA
| fashionables by means of drawing-strlng
| run in q casing on the wrong side OF the
lower skirt halt yard below tbe waist and
| extending across the three back breadths.
.When this is drawn up it holds the skirt in
a bouffante puff at the back, giving the train
4 graceful sweep and keeping the front
breadths straight and smooth.
a couple Of tapes, sewedon the belt under
meath and buttoning to the shirred.tape cover
below, shorten the dress for the street. Wide
flaps, gored to tue waist, and forming reuers,
set in the seams of the front cores and con-
nected by wide sash of the dress materia J.
tied with hanging ends under the pun: