Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-02
THE EVENING STAR.
. December 2, 1879,
WINTER FASHIONS.
All Abou. n...tal and Reception
Drcsses-The Queen Anne style
Opern Dressing and Bridal

| presses
FROM Our otcn Correspondent
NEW YORK, November 20. 1879.
| 1t is the fashion to always speak Of the devel-
| Opments Of every season as the most remarka-
BILE for elegance of any that have been known
in the history OF the world. We are nothing
nowadays If not ecstattc, and our enthusiasm
is excited about equally over a new application
OF glass beads to dress trimmings and fine in
taglio-the glass beads being understood, and,
therefore, getting the best of 1t, If there Is an
advantage on either side.
Bridal trousseaus are certainly notwithstand-
Ing all the effusion over them, much less elabo-
rate than they were fifty years ago, even among
to seek.
Fashions change so rapidly, and rich modern
fabIleS are spoiled so trretrevably by being laid
aside that complete present outfit is all that
the WealtnfeSt parents care to provide troS-
seau sent from London seventy-tiv years ago for
the daughter OF landed proprietor in this coun-
,ry. who was about to marry clergyman, and
who had fortune of one hundred thousand dol
lars in her own right. contained one dozen
dltsSes Of the richest silver and satin brocade,
each one able to stand Alone" and several of
them beautiful enough to carry off the palm by
saSlght seventy years afterwards.
Fortunes OF. millions could not stand such ey-
penditureS now, for it would have to be repeated
too often, but the knowledge OF this certainly
operates in the minds OF those who are not ne
ceSSaIily influenced by peCuniary considerations.
The number OF weddings which have taken
place this autumn has certainly been remark
able, and among them have been majority of
cat Home" weddings. This is a return TO a very
delightful custom and much more fitting and
appropriate one than the grand parade before
crowd OF uninterested spectators in church.
The ceremony has been almost uniformly ac-
cOrding to the English style, the groom being
accompanied by one best man, who acts as prin-
cipal usher, and the bride by two or more brides
maids. The richest bridal dresses have been of
a combination of white satin or white satin de
Lyon and silver brocade, the most original of
brocade with vest and panels Of plain satin,
hand painted, or very delcately embroidered
brocade cut in long plain PrinCeSSe style, with
deep square Insertion Of finely plated satin at
the neck reaching to the throat The only finish
to these last costumes consists OF very thick
Shell ruching OF lace laid upon the soft ruching
of the satin ana used as finish around the bot
tom OF the skirt and the same around the throat
except that the foundation is made lighter and
an interior plating of lace crepe liSSe added.
The grace OF this dress upon Sight, rather tall
figure is not to be described and when the front
is enriched, as 1t usually is, by quantities Of fine
embroidery OF pearls or white jet upon lace, its
elegance also is beyond all comparison with
more elaborate designs and combinations.
One of the prettieSt tOiletteS worn by bride
was a combination OF satin and damaSSee. The
latter so skillfully arranged that the shirred
drapery looked as If covered with an embroidery
of seed pearl. \ plastron, consisting OF net
work OF pearls, formed the front of the bodice
and also the sleeves, which reached just below
the elbow and were in admirable keeping with
something to the exquisite pattern OF the figured
fabric. 1t should be remarked that fringes OF
pearls surrounded the plastron and gave depth
to the front OF the bodice. They also form part
of the finish of the sleeve, the remainder con-
sisting of double rufiies Of real Mechlin lace.
A great desideratum for brides Is decoration
of natural orange blossoms. Here. at the east,
it is with great difficulty that they can be pro-
cured, and New York and Boston are frequently
searched in vain for enough to form the bridal
bouquet Sometimes few are mixed with
white -hudS the hair and the
as well as the massive bunch which the bride
carries. But ii they are unattainablein large or
composed of all white rose buds. or white rose
buds mixed with the delicate spears of nly-of-
| the-valley.
| The bridal dresses worn this season were
| those OF the mother, and in the second case Of
| the great grandmother of the bride, used with
| out alteration or adaptation" very good evil
| dence Of the latitude and longitude now per-
mitted in dress. If there is an old lace vail in
| the family, this also is unearthed and consid-
| cred a mark Of distinction, but otherwise the
| regulation veil of white tulle IS worn unhemmed
and laid aside Immediately after the ceremony
| and congratulations are over, to be turned sub
sequentIy into neck scarfs, ties and bonnet
strings, so that it is thoroughly utilized.
| There is nothing arbitrary about the use OF
| jes~ery. Some brides wear white foyer orna-
ments to match the natural flowers which they
| carry. But pearls and diamonds are generally
| seen, good taste utterly condemning any dis
| play OF jewels upon such an occasion. Brides
| maids are secondary but quite important, as a
| art Of the general ensemble 1t is always IN
| deTstood that their costumes should be
unfortunate to that OF the bride, no matter how
| well they can afford to outshine her. The
| prettiest and most becoming dresses worn by
| bridesmaids have been fine white barege
trimmed with quantities OF delicately painted
| lace and white satin ribbon.
| But the creamy white OF the material renders
it necessary for all to be dressed alike, as white
| muslin upon one and white teTege upon another,
would have an injurious effect upon both.
Very charming bridesmaids dresses are ar
ranged with draped skirts OF organdy muslin
| trimmed with BJitOn lace and white satin rib
| bon, a cuiraSS bodice high at the throat COM
| plotting the toilette.
RECEPTION DRESSES.
| Bridal receptions afford a fine opportunity for
| the study OF novelty In reception toilets, as
especially in the fall, whatever Is new comes out
on such occasions. The predominant impress
sion is uniform of claret, wine color, and those
shades which have the rich, warm hues Of the
| plum and grape in theF depth; the bronzes and
| dark browns are also In favor, and In the ma
oity of these dresses there is great simplicity OF
| style, the effort being made not so much towards
elaboration Of design as display OF the richness
| or peculiar character of the fabric. The pure
Persian and India StuffS in real OF imitation are
those used for combination but there is also a
decided temperance Of plain velvet, in combl-
nation with wool, and also as the material for
composed of quaint-looking brocade or figured
velvet, and this reappearS in puff upon the
sleeve, In a long strip upon the back, or perhaps
in a series of plated cores upon the train. A
Anne of Austria style of dress. This seems to
| pressage a return to short, full skirts, and
modes of the early part of the present century.
| Trains are impossible with this style of dress,
the back part OF the skirt being composed OF
three straight full breadths The front of the
dress is gored slightly and Is perfectly plain,
and is always composed as Is the stomacher or
plaston of a different fabric from the rest
| OF the dress The bodice Is half high
and finished with sort Of a standing ru1
or wings OF lace, and the elegance OF the
| toilette is greatly enhanced by using the gold
or silver silk-embroidered or beaded lace to
| match, or at least harmonic with the front OF
the dress, which may be Of gold or silver bro
cade, or simply enriched with hand or bead en-
broidery. The correct sleeve Is gathered OF
| plated into the armhole, and also gathered into
| a band, which holds it just below the elbow
and is bordered with a ruffle, second ruthe
sometimes appearing over the elbow ITSELF But
| this style is rarely seen in thick fabrics like
those of which the dress itself Is composed, the
| preference being given to embroidered or bead
ed lace. or strips of such lace combined with
strips Of satin or brocade. Plain silk or faile
has almost disappeared from the list of fashion
| able fabrics. 1t Is still used in evening colors
| and in black, but in dark cloth Shades satin OF
velvet, with their combinations, seem to have
| superseded it entirely, and plain silk dress
| now-a-d days is hardly diStinguiShable except as
| one that has probably been in use for long
time. Among the handsomest dresses worn al
| recent weddings was deep red carnatfOn bro
| cade made high and without sleeves, with q