The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-07-31
ARTIsTIc DRESSING.
The ReniarkabIe Costumes De
signed BY London Artists for
London Ladies'. i i-a,44i

The ReriarkabIe Costumes'De-
signed BY London Artists Tor
London Ladies'. t.at4
HlrPsfs Rlzf. el -.i'- ri
Artistic dresaing Is nowhere better IN.
derstood'than in the London Of to-day.
By Americans the term is received, 1
think, in It's general sense; bot 1t has .
special significance in England, referring
70 the style Of costumes introduced four or
Eve years ago in the world Of artists, and
thence influencing even the grandest
danes Of fashion. In what II may be
asked, does artistic" dress consist Any.
thing which Is graceful, picturesque,
classical and quaint, regardless Of the
accepted standards Of fishion. II mat.
,ers not what century serves a 3 model,
what nation provides color, texture or
desigu. Art and originality form the
keynotes, and casting aside convention
Atty, the "artistic" dressmaker consults
the form, complexion and genre Of her
customer giving Greek TUNES OF Eliza.
bethAn rutfs TO tall or Willowy figures,
and classical drspery, close outlines and
severe lines TO stout forms.
There are several domineering house.
holds where II Ia considered unpardopa.
bic for . woman to attend any special
affair in other than m "artisic" costume
which will in some degree harmonic
with the medieval, Oriental, or Queen
Anne furnishing and effects" and At one
house recent SConversarionen gave the
impression 70 our unintiAted eyes oil .
fancy.dress ball. A pretty young woman
in pale green cashmere, with tall yellow
flowers, and having scarf drapery from
her shoulders, preceded US up the stairs;
and the hostess wore genuine Maria
Stuart costume, pearls, rutt and all, with
the solitary nineteenth century adjuncts
Of high embroidered mitts. There was 3
young woman in ciel satin, with cloth
of-gold pe.ticoat and flleted hair, who
wore pair Of slippers in which Queen
Anne IL said TO have danced at Bath, and
the dainty little lady stepped about in
them with diligently, the heels were 50
high and the toes 90 anibbed;" but then,
a. friend remarked, they finished her
costume exquisiteiyi
There can perhaps be no better way Of
Illustrating the artistic style Of dress
than by describing few costumes, two OF
which were from designs by Mr.. Walter
Crane, an artist who has done much
toward reyiying splendor Of color, and
the picturesque or classical In design.
One Of these was Greek tunic Of white
cachemire worn over long trained petti.
coat Of white silk. The tunic consists OF
two straight pieces Of nearly equal
length, gathered into wide band, the two
fastened together by shoulder straps
either Of ribbon or similar material;
these, Of course, are TO be worn over q
high plain waist, with sleeves OF any and
every possible design, from the narrow
band TO the classic puff. The waist 4
made BY rather broad band put on the
gathered front breath, the back having a
vide tape or linen band seWed half way
across the inner side, and bu.toning
around underneath, thus leaving one
half the breadth loose, the other fitting
plainly TO the figure. The drapery OF
The loose half breadth must be carefully
mauased. Sometimes point at the hem
is turned up and caught lightly with a
bow; again close fold is made, with n
buckle or arrow, or some fAnciful orna-
ment; but, in any case, from the center Of
the breadth elastic bAnds are placed TO
meet the front breadth on the left aide,
covered with ribbon and bow where
they are seen. This produces the cling
ing effect without too much tension. The
tunic aides are, Of course, left open, and
the front breadth is frequently cnt so a.
TO hang in two points At the aide, where
tassel Is sometimes added. Made OF
white cachemire, and trimmed with gold
or silver braid or variegated ribbons.
these tunics are extremely graceful aud
pretty, but they also commend themselves
70 soft silk fabrics, toulards and the like,
while any Of the woods OF bygone day
Indian, Llama or Persian-produee 8
most picturesque effect.
A medieval costume designed by Wal.
Ter Crane, and worn recently, consisted Of
four pieces short underskirt OF cheap
white alpaca and coarse cachemire, roun.
ded slightly toward the back; on each
aide, breadth pointed pieces Of an EN-
bossed gold and brown velvet, reaching
above the knee, were placed; the second
skirt was OF white satin, made in long
sweeping train, cut open on the velvet
cores, and finished Al the sides with q
cording OF yellow satin; the next garment
was soft low Pompadcur chemisette OF
yellow India silk, which came up on the
shoulders, gathered into rather white
band, and fell in soft folds nearly TO the
knee; tight Ht,ing gypsy, or low Zouave
Waist Of the embossed velvet was worn
over this, laced across in front, with long
aide pieces, cut open on the yellow silk
and similarly laced; the sleeves were Of
velvet, slashed, with pufings Of the yell
low silk visible, and reached nearly 70
the wrist, where they ended in \ frill oil
old Ronitan lace, similar frill being
worn about the neck, gathered in Just
over the shoulder, and lying downward
on the band back and front. With this
costume rich set Of amber beads was
worn in heavy strings about the throat,
and wound in the fair hair OF the wearer.
Blonde-haired women, BY the way, fol.
lowing the artistic school in dress, are all
adopting yellow.