Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-01-20
Black SILK Costumes.


sprightlier changes of our transatlantic
guides; and our tleet-footed followers of
new fashions outrun the boldest innoya-
| tons sent us from Europe; if possible we
eXaggerate; we then tire and turn with a
feeling OF satisfaction to a really perma-
nent and lasting fashion, whose long tried
responsibility Is never at fault, although
oVershadowed by passing and ephemeral
fancies. For those persons who wish to
dress economically it may always be con-
sidered a safe rule to trust to black silk,
and to shun the new shades and colOrs,
which last only for one season, and then
have to be thrown aside if one wishes to
appear in the fashion. Black silk can be
| made up TO serve all kinds Of uses, and
we give few hints for the trimming of
walking costumes, house dresses or dinner
dresses.
For walking dresses the skirts should
not exceed three yards in width around
the bottom two cores, one on each side
of a gOred front breadth, and one or two
back breadths, according to the width Of
the silk, will be ample. Overdresses are
long and are caught tightly back; in
stead of putting in one or two plaits
near the waist it is now usual to
gather or plat the whole depth Of tie
overSkirt, so as to drape the front equal
ly; and not as formerly is this fullness
caught together under the sash or back
breadth, but it is sewn in with the side
cores Of the dress, and thus makes one
skirt to be put on instead of two. To
trim the underdress, box-plaited, double
boX-plaited, or knife plated founces
of different widths are used at the option
OF the Wearer. It should be remembered
hTry. 10 I,o1y.
that for knife plating three times the
width of the skirt is the guide for trim
ming, and for box-plaiting twice the
width. In those grades of silks which
are known as taffetas it will be best TO
line wide founces with thin foundation
lining, but knife plating should never on
any account be lined.
A favorite style of overdress is now
made so as to give diagonal line to both
trimming and overdress. Sometimes this
| Overdress consists of two tablier fronts,
trimmed with rich gimp and fringe, and
set in with the seams of the UnQerskirt;
from the right side, where they are
| draped, they cross the front or the dress
! diagOnally, and the left side is left to
| drOop almost to the bottom of the dress
| When the dress is drawn up on the right
side, q large pocket is placed, held by
cord and fancy tassels and richly Orna-
mented with gimp and fringe. With this
| OverdresS a succession of small founces
alternately gathered and knife-plaited,
are used on the front of the overSkirt;
while the back has a wide-gathered
| founce, or, if 1t is a trained skirt, a mar
row one running all around the train.
For outdoor costumes a favorite trim
ming is heavy fringe; with deep crochet
headings it is always rich and elegant
| Feather trimmings, and particularly cock
feathers, are used and these or fur finish
| the short paletOt or dOlman, which is
made for street wear, if the costume is not
worn with a colOred WOODEN garment or
a fur-lined one. 1t is so general now for
| suits to be worn with the outside garment
of some entirely different material that
provision is not made for jacket to COM
| plete the suit, and street outer garments
Of silk, lined and trimmed with fur, are
used indisCriminately with all kinds of
! suits, whether of silk or wooden mate
rial.
Black silks trimmed with velvet de-
| mand both silk and trimming Of the very
best description. Shiny tatfetas are not
admissible, and satin finished or rich
heavy silks lend themselves best to the
tints of velvet, which itself to be hand
| some should border on the blue Of the
true Lyons velvet In very rich costumes
the blending of silk with the new impor-
tations in velvet brocade is a marked in
novatlon. For these the basque bodice
and front are made of the velvet, while
the train and t1ounces are made of silk
Or for costumes, the velvet brocade is
used tor the heading Of f1ounces, set on
| in wide bands, and for vest fronts and
sleeves to silk cuirasses. In using any Of
the new materials for cuirass waists,
whether in checked velvet or commoner
| goods, it must be remembered that checks
broaden the figure, while stripes or plain
material give it the slim, long wasted
look which is now so much in vogue.