Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-01
NEW TORE FASHIONS
CSf0rs. Fabrics and Suits for Spring
BOnneIs. Ornaments. dc.
[FR0N OR OWN CORRESPONDENT
NEW YORK. February :

NEW NOhk, feDfuafN
SHORT WALKING DRESSES
lfladies generally do not for this spring, at
least adopt a convenient walking dress. il will
not be the fault OF those who Try 10 make fash
ion. Last year, short walking dresses were
sent over from Paris. and strong effort made
TO revive them i'm this country But the al
tempt proved practical failure. Ladies did
not purchase the short imported costumes.
and nine out of every ten of those that were
ordered were directed 10 be made with the
usual demi-uain.
Perseverance is, however. doing something
to overcome the difficulty. All the en- roVdGe
ordered recently are made short, with Killed
sHlrts, and double SILK pipings, and ornamen-
tai buttons; and there is prospect that the
short dress, or at least dress that viii clear
the ground, will be largely adopted for street
traVellng and Serviceable wear. Ii is 10 be
deV0utly hoped that a majority of the lntelli-
gent women i'm this country will see the inn
portance OF this endeavOr and second il by as
rapid an adoption as possible of the short cos
tune.
The long skirt for day wear is every way
hlndrance and an obstacle. 1t is not neat or
decent, or cleanly. Ii occupies the hands when
they are required for other uses Ii is a per
living.
Abroad, a short dress becomes necessity
for travellers, as sightseeing cannot he accom-
plished without the use of the hands as well
as the eyes, and all the faculties being required
for the business in hand, ii is simply impossi-
-
! OIL dress. There is no one thing that would
| do so much to emancipate women as the adop-
| ton OF short, simple skirts, and if we can get
| dress oil this kind for a few years only the
| opportunity should be seized with avdity, and
me innovation looked upon as boon and
| For costumes to be Worn on board ship. dark
| ladies' cloth, prune. myrtle green, OF brown.
| Is the favOrlte material. 4 new style of max
! ing them consists of PrinceSse shape, which
! reaches TO The knee in front and forms a
! basque bodice at the back. Under this a Killed
! skirt is mounted at the pack upon deep
YOKE, While the 'front.' 1orniS a plating which
and forms part of the dress. a folded sash
| surmountS this plating in front, and may
either terminate at the sides or cross the back,
the knotted ends falling al the back, or side.
as preferred. To this dress a Jacket is added,
which may be lined with flannel if needed for
warmth, or with some lighter fabric, such as
| Italian silk or twilled foulard.
American camers hair and the new mixed
| SergeS are also used for the new mixed COS
tunes: The prettiest way of making up these
| materials which have seen consists of a skirt
Kilt plated at the bottom and all the way
| around, the top being attached to a deep yoke
| which is shaped to the hips and lined with
dark SlleSla. Underneath. the kilt plating is
kept i'm place by two rows of dark cotton tape
attached so as TO faSten every plait securely
The edge of the material is simply turned
| up, and held by what are known a. milliner'S
| SutcheS. 1he upper part of the dress consists
| OF a vest and Jacket, OF rather a waiStcOat
| for 1t is cut deep and buttOned all the way
down. The lower part of the jacket is cut
| away from the front 10 show the vest and is
| III many respects suggestive of the short morn
ing. OF What is known as the business" coat
| of gentlemen. There is no trimming upon
! this suit, with the exception of the pipngs
| which match the vest. II is simple, stylish and
| convenient-juSt what is needed Tor 4 travel
! ing dress abroad or at home.
| SPRING MATERIALS.
| 1he new spring materials have made their
| appearance in great variety and are very
pretty; sensible and economical. There is no
tHng IN fs hgn IN IN color, large in pattern, or m>y
| there are the mixed SergeS in shades of brown.
| or wood color, dark grey, biSmuth and choc0
late; There are also the soft camels hair
| cloths which have largely taken the place OF
| caShmereS for outdoor costumes, and a new
summer bourette. which though all wool is
light of texture. prettily knotted in Indian
| c0lers. and put at very moderate price. only
! nifty cents per yard. There are also many new
prints, i'm mixed shades of fawn grey, brown
and wood color, with borders two and three
| lncheS wide, which serve as 4 fiat trimming
| for the suit. cotton goods being now quite as
| largely used for summer suits as silk or wool
| len fabrics.
Charming new designs in cambrics have
| very dar grounds, covered with a very mill
ute coral or lace-ike pattern, i'm tinted white
These cambrlcS may be made up in the same
! way as the mixed SergeS, or they may be used
to compose the double skirt and square yoke
blouse waist, which promises TO be very
fashionable during the present season
! 1he new linens cannot be said to have made
their appearance, but there are the delicate
linen lawns, which make such lovely summer
morning dresses, and so cool and serviceable
| lOr the wear OF children and young girls: one
| to be obtained in broken little bars upon white
| grounds for twenty-fi cents per yard, and
| the dark, plain unbeached linen for ulsters,
| blouse, aprons and busters, for twenty-five.
| A new style of bunting, very superior to that
| ordinarily used, is shown i'm all the new shades
| OF WoOd-color and brown for fifty cents per
| yard.
The fabric is all wool, and is so beautifully
| finished that it looks like close, heavy grena-
dine and may be strongly recommended for
! dresses, from which much wear is desired and
! expected. The cheviOts, the Madras ging
hams, and all the modern goods for summer
sultlngs, appear in quiet cOlors and broken
checks, made up of fine irregular lines. These
are excellent for country wear. And especial
| ~ suitable Tor the summer dress of young girls
in the country. The improvement in c0ttOns
is as noticeable as the immense advance
winch mas Deen made i'll late years, in WOODEN
| fabrics.
Silk for summer wear is now quite unneces-
sary; excepting to make a display at fash
ionable watering place. The exIHisitely lin
ished cambrlcs and percales the pretty ging-
ham and more substantial cheviotS. the linens
reproducing, all the finest damasked effects,
!Gfnlsn an ABUNDANT opportunity for a Seec-
ton Snfhclent to crafty the most refined taste
1t Is hardly time as yet for the very rich nov
elites in summer fabric to make their appear
ance, and 1t may be that our merchants will
learn lesson from last year and not fill their
shelves with costly StuffS which have to be laid
over and reduced more than half in price One
grenadines in rich figured and flower designs
sold as high as nine dollars per yard and i'm
black that price is still asked for it.
In the cloth shades, however, navy blue
brown and myrtle green the price has been
reduced to four and a-half and five and the
question is whether the profit upon the nov
city in fabrics permits of the reduction of fifty
per cent without loss. III So the inference is
clear that 1t is not wise to purchase novelty
Rain, and what are technically called, sum-
mer silks are lower this season than they have
been for many years Hair striped silks can
be purchased from siXty-five to eighty five
cents per yard, and very good, though not
heavy; plain silks i'm all fashionable shades at
from one dollar to one dollar twenty-five per
yard. These afford a very good opportunity
for the purchase of pretty, lady like, church
and visiting suits at very moderate price
But, then, it must be remembered that the
damasked andIndian silk grenadines willmake
their appearance, and that these styles, good
and useful though they may be, will look old
beside them. Thrifty ladies' with daughters
just about making their appearance i'm society,"
have been looking yainly all winter for a uSe,
full, charming fabric which has Just made its
appearance. 1t is called gasoline" bereee.
or evening berege. 1t is tinted white
woolen fabric, very soft, somewhat diaphonous
and makes up eXquisitely for young girls
VINO go out great deal, and cannot AFFORD a
perpetual reinforcement of party silks. and
muSllnS. 1t is used great deal abroad and