The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-02
THE FREAKS OF FASHION
/ The Fantastic Stockings Of the Fashicn-
! nbIes-The Latest Extravagances OF the

The Fantastic Stockings OF the Fashion
nbIes-The Latest Extravagances OF the
Day.
1t is said that the ingenuity OF the
manufacturers of hosiery has been taxed
beyond precedent to satisfy the demands
of fashion for the coming season. Inc
first importations have reached our
shores, and the heads of the hosiery de-
partments in the leading dry goods
houses say that the eccentric and costly
wonders that they are showing to the
few fashion reporters who are not per-
mitted the indulgence of vacation dur
inc the heated term is nothing To what
is on the way from Paris. Whether
American women will really wear these
fantastic embroidered clicked, and
striped stockings is to be tested.
s'Will ladies wear these things?" we
inquired, when we first saw them at
Lord &-Taylor's. -
The polite salesman smiled and ele-
waited his eyebrows.
ave presume they will, madam, or
we would not bring them"
At Stewards they assert positively
that ladies of position and character do
purchase them. At another leading
house we were told that they were eager
" sought for by that class of ladies who
have money TO throw away. The fact
that they are to be found in every lead
ing dry goods store is proof that there
is a demand for them and that some
body wears them.
The silk hose come in fancy boxes,
four pairs in box, from $40 to sou a
box. The four pairs are all of different
colors, and each pair is embroidered
or clicked in a different design. The
artists and designers skill is seen on
every pair. Some are pure, others
pearl and others cream white; some
pale-b1ue, rose color, mauve, drab,
brown, in all shades; red, from scar
let to deep crimson; and gray, from the
darkest London smoke to the palest lead
color. Exquisite combinations in
strongly-contrasted colors appear in
embroidery on the sides, running half
way up the leg, or TO the swell of the
calf above the ankle, and sometimes
covering the whole instep. Sometimes
the embroidery is of the same color as
the stockings, long lines running be-
tween open lace-like clocks, terminating
in fioriform points half way between the
knee and ankle. The instep of a pair
of white silk hose is sprinkled over with
tiny rosebuds and leaves in natural
coiors, the pure green and red. An
other pair has beehive on the instep,
with bees swarming, in lines that ter
inmate in points below the garter; an
other pair is striped lengthwise in alter
nate inch bands of blue and rose color,
each stripe ending in 4 steeple, or van
dyke, at the same point, defined on 4
solid ground of drab or lead color.
The tops of the vandykes are ornament
ed with embroidery in flowers. Again
another pair is scarlet, with gold colol
| or bright blue embroidered clocking or
the sides. Some are striped horizon.
tally in narrow bands of blue and rose
color, or rose and lead color, interSect-
ed by lengthwise lines of embroidery
and open clocking. Others again are
of plain solid colors-blue, apple green,
rose color, scarlet and crimson, purple
brown and gray, in all shades, but llni
or woven in ribs to form lengthwis'
| lines.
All of this hosiery is long enough t.
garter far above the knee. They say
| that in Paris choice and fastidious wo
men are having the tops of their fine
hose trimmed with NalencienneS, Clum
and Duchesse lace. 1t is put on ful
enough to admit of being iluted. Tx
quisite carriers, with gold and silye.
buckles, and some even jeweled, ar
shown to 90 with this costly hosiery
The carriers are also trimmed will
roSetteS of real lace.
At Arnold 81 Constable's are shown
in addition to this fine silk hosiery, wha
are termed lace-fnished Balbri@gal
hose. They are indeed As fine as though
woven of lace thread. But the thrca'
is really of unbleached Sea Island cot
| ton. fine and smooth rs flax can b.
spun. These exquisite productions o
the stocking weaver'S skill are ais,
clicked in silk embroidery and opel
lace stripes, each pair with diileren
design. They cost only from so +
800 dozen. When on the foot the.
fit like an additional cpidermis or scar
skin. Every delicate muscle, tendon
and vein shows through the lilmy tissue
and the nails are seen rs distinctly a
though uncovered .-Nc,c York SIN.