The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-20
IMPROVED FIG-LEAyEs.
Fashion at Last Understanding Hard
Times--Every thing 1henp and Lovely.

Fashion at Last Understanding Hard
Times-Every thing cheap ana Lovely.
Among the choice and pretty Co.'S
tunes we have been led to admire dur
Ing the past week. are those of bunting.
Doesn't that seem a funny name for
articles of dress? Almost too warlike
for the beauties they really are.
One, In a delicate cream tint, was
made-a skirt fully trimmed with finely
crimped ruffles. Scarves in deep folds,
and prettily embroidered in running
y across the front, simulated an over
dress, and the ends at the back con-
cealed careless loops and irregular ends
Of pale. blue ribbon. The basque, pret-
tily shaped, was finished with band OF
blue embroidery, and edged with
ruffle OF the bunting. The embroid-
cry also simulated q square or
plastron front, and finished the cuffs on
the sleeves. Bows Of pale blue ribbon
ornamented the whole costume pro-
fusely. This dainty affair-appropri.
It's said, bunting shifts salt air and
spray only to be more beautifuD D-gives
us a pretty variety In low-priced mate
rial for dress, the price being but $3S,
whereas, in grenadine or organdie, $50
or $75 would be termed cheap.
Then there are other colors-dark and
light blue. One in dark blue. with trim
ming of gray, aud bands Of Breton en-
broidery Of blue upon gray, was noted
as peculiarly stylish, and would make
q lovely driving or church costume,
where dust must be taken, into con-
sideration. This was offered at $48.
Hair-striped silk costumes are to be
found, really nicely made, this season.
The skirts are lined throughout, and are
prettily trimmed with f1ounces, puffs
and crimped ruffies Of the silk, made
either polonaise and skirt, or the three
pieces--skirt, overskirt and basque.
They are sold for 1888. How many eyes
do we see open wide as they exclaim,
"At that price, who need go without a
silk?" And the conundrum is so easily
answered-nobody. These are days Of
low prices. And we also ask, who can
not be we'll dressed?
Among the many queries constantly
received are those from young ladies re-
garding their June graduating dresses.
There are many young misses In
school who think themselves miserable,
and unable to graduate properly, unless
in the most expensive silk. To our
mind, this is wrong and should be
frowned down by. teacher, mother.
fashion and writer. Why should a
young lady not yet in society be
primped up in a dowager's silk Z Do
not do it, girls. The age for dowager's
dressing will come all too speedily, and
then you will sigh for the days that you
turned your backs upon long before you
ought.
A pretty graduating dress can be
made Of sheer organdie. The princesge
is favorite shape, and of course, il in
that style, Is mounted upon firm
lining. The dress is prettily trimmed
with ruching of the organdie, made
Of several thicknesses, each edge sepa-
rately pinked, then through the centre
a pinked ruehing Of white silk. The
founee should be much deeper In the
centre cent? OF n, back. ,,,on narrowing to the
cores of the skirt. Then the front
prettily trimmed with pinked ruchse
OF the organdie, the centre of
each ornamented with vines lof scar
let geranium, or pink daisies, or fine
blue mysotis, as the class may elect.
It is a pretty conceit for class to dress
in unison, even to flowers in the hair.
The waist should be cut square, but not
too low, and this nearly filled with a
ruching of tulle, while a necklace Of
flowers, the same as used on the skirt,
is clasped about the neck, the centre
lOIm0u 4ui.o SoP " A1A cao
plastron neck. Elbow sleeves, with
q fiounce falling over the top of
the long kids, and a vine around the
arm, just above the elbow, would COM
plete charming costume, quite mex
pensive, and one that no poor-in.pocket
classmate could cast envious eyes upon.
And whoever saw school where there
was not some struggling child OF genius
working for an education against the
fearful odds Of poverty?
Very many who find the Breton en-
broidefy too expensive are having strips
Of material stamped and embroidered
by machine.
The new damask linen, known as
Servian, bids fair to hold an extended
place in fashion. They are trimmed
with linen galloon, with Hamburg en-
broidery, and ornamented with rows Of
pearl sequins.
The latest and most popular of founce
| is four inches wide, arranged in small
box -pleats laid close together. And
gathered founces seem to have again
, made claim to a permanency In fashion.
| A new design on an imported costume
| is hounce cut straightwise Of the silk
and edged top and bottom with very
narrow crimped ruffle Of the silk. This
was laid in wide box-pleats, and be-