Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-12-08

Material for Dresses, Trimpamgs, Iaces, etc.,
General Hints.
MATERIAL FOR DRESSES.

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MATERIAL FOR DRESSES. a.
It was said last year, when plaids
came into fashion, that they would be
worn fol-, one season, and that their sud
den popularity would the more certainly
minister to their downfall. In
fact, however, all kinds of goods this
year bear raore. or less the impress of
this favorite style. But the plaids of
this season differ somewhat from those
of last; they are toned down, and are
mostly on neutral tinted grounds; the
plaid being made by stripes, which arc
either, lighter or darker than the
ground; and through this plaid, inter-
secting stripes of color occur at inter-
vals,i and serve to tighten up the other
wise sombre fabric A dress, just i'm
ported, of camel's hair, is of the shade
known as elephant color; the plaid is of
q lighter shade, and through this runs
the intersecting stripe Of peacock blue.
The underskirt, soverskirt and waist are
all Of the same material, silk being used
as trimming. Piping of peacock blue
silk edge the scant, narrow founces and
the overdress, and form the finish to the
tourists waist. Large silk buttons Of
peacock blue silk, embroidered in floss,
trim the left side of the overdress where
flaps, and is made to look as il it but
toned over on the back. These pIaids
are to be found in all varieties of shade,
and to them may be added the bright
tartan plaids, which are used for indoor
wear, for morning dresses, and also
or children's dresses. For those
who do not like plaids there are nu-
merous other goods equally fashionable
and attractive. Among these is the
striped Algerienne, which comes in
woollen fabric and is now extensively
used in Paris for costumes. It is seen
with dark colored grounds and stripes
of darker shades, with which stripes of
gay colors-red, blue and gold--are
blended. One of these, also an import
ed dress, had groundwork of light
brown, with stripe or darker shade.
The color was dull, deep red, and fine
lines of black were woven in. The
trimming for this dress, which was de-
signed for a young girl, was of black
and deep scarlet ribbon, made into fall
ing bows where the overdress was
Topped and on tho sleeves and at the
waist.
All woollen material verges toward
coarseness of texture, and the coarser
it is the more is it desirable. It seems
as if some of the material in these I'M
ported dresses had been sewn with
Irvine, because nothing else would be
they seem to be very appropriate, and
are welcomed by those who are not
afraid of the weight. Large outside
pockets form marked feature in these
heavy dresses. The long overskirt is
somewhat heavy, and is draped so
closely to the figure that these
pockets are matters of necessity.
They are made in the form of the old
fashioned reticule, only cut in half and
sewn tight to the dress; and if an elias
tic band is run into them they admit
the hand, and yet retain any object put
into them. They are finished with a
bow, and are worn on the right side. In
some of the more elegant costumes this
pocket is fashioned into strange shapes,
one of which, recently seen on a velvet
dress, resembled long cornucopia, or
horn of plenty. The French call them
s'saumonieres, or alms-pockets, and
consider them an indispensable accom-
paniment; they are sometimes attached
by long ribbons or cords, and are then
shaped like small, fiat satchels; but are
always made of the same material as the
dress.
TRIMMINGS.
In addition to fur, feathers, silver
and gold, already noticed as trimming,
is to be noted the recent innovation in
the way of other metal. For instance,
iron is used in trimming, and such COM
binatious as the following are made:
iron on black; steel on gray or blue;
silver on blue or white; and gold with
brown or black. The utmost good
taste is needed in the use of any of
these new and striking fashions.
Ribbons are very largely used for
trimming. For the heavy materials
mentioned they are employed as fiat
trimming, to lay on the edge of over
dresses and cuirasse waists. Of course
they must match the prevailing shade
OF color in the dress; favorite style
with the French dressmakers is to COM
bine two shades. Bows, without ends,
overlapping each other, and forming
what is called cascade of bows, often
serve to catch together the edges of the
overdress where it is cut up on one side.
For the heavy goods another favorite
style of trimming is narrow braids,
which are put on in groups of nine,
eleven, or more rows; the black hraids
in which dull silver is woven are favor
ties. For this, use on the overdress
eleven rows; on the waist or jacket seven
rows; the edge to be finished with d
fringe. or with narrow fur set in be-
meath it.
LACES.
Valenciennes is decidedly the most