Stevens County tribune., 1879-03-13
MARCH FASHIONS.

The success of American ideas in
dress and fashion, as in other practical
details of modern life, is due to the fact
that out of mass of fashions the best
features have been taken and combined
with what experience has shown to be
the best methods of uniting the modern
exigencies in regard to clothing. Street
dresses must follow certain we'll defined
rules in order not to be conspicuous or
attract undue attention. The short
woman can wear her skirts demi-trained
and untrimmed. The plump woman can
display her figure to advantage in. a
princess dress, and the medium, slender
figure indulge in delicate stripes and
fabrics, speckled or dotted by figure.
The large woman, tall in proportion,
should never wear anything but solid
fabrics-black or neutral in tint, and
unbroken by line or dash-but she may
revel in trimmed skirts, provided they
are draped low, and by adding few
loops of crimson or gold satin ribbon to
| the folds at the back, where they merge
into the train, will shorten her perspec-
tive and sufficiently reduce her line of
| length to make it harmonize with the
| line of beauty.
All the soft materials in cotton, wool
or silk-and the two first have been so
greatly improved that they are now
equal in appearance. and more sympa-
thetic to the touch than the last-adapt
themselves to the graceful designs Of the
present dav, designs which ladies ought
to prize and cling to as long as possible,
for they will not be fully appreciated un-
til they permit them to be superseded by
something far less desirable, and whose
stealthy approaches my be seen in the
efforts to revive the panier, the short
apron and the grotesque conceits of Paris
during the first consulate.
SPRING WALKING COSTUMES.
The street dress must be dark, short
and unobtrusive to make it suitable for
walking in different kinds of weather and
in crowded thoroughfare. The present
styles of dress adapt themselves to every
requirement of in and outdoor life, and
the best styles can therefore be relied
upon for a certain degree of permanence,
The ''Mathilde'' walking skirt, for ex.
ample is more fashionable to-day than
when first issued and will be good for a
year to come. The "Griselda" walking
skirt Is another excellent design for walk
ing dresses, and either of these may be
, used for spring costumes with entire
certainty that they will not be likely al
; present to lose their popularity. With
these skirts, which require but moder
, ate amount of material, and are exactly
J adapted to the all wool materials, or the
r pretty mixed fabrics of silk an6
;. wool, may be employed the ''Clementine'
or "Pamela" basques, the "Melanie" o.
the "Balsamo" The 'Melanie" is pretty
: and youthful, very stylish for combi
= nation of silk and wool and velvet.
q The "princess" walking costume is
still excellent model, and forms charm
r ing design for spring dresses for stree
r wear, in conjunction with long JACKIE
4 or fichu draped and knotted at the back
e Ladies who wish it can revive for hous
o wear the French waist, with its belt ant
:" simple skirt, trimmed with two or thre
narrow fiounces, and cut 50 as to Gle
,e the ground. This is really pretty dres
in delicate striped or checked gingham
for the medium sized slender woman, an
v. very convenient for wear with aprons {
81 silk or muslin.
Charming spring suits are in prepar.
s, tion in gray and fawn shades and sma
De designs which quite cover the surfac
" They are made short with draped poll
naise or deep, close basque and trimme
n. skirt, the 1ounces being kilt plated
en- triple box-plaited and spaced betwee
d. The sleeves are demi- long and filled
st. with fine plaitings of crepe iisse, and Il
in garniture consists of a combination
lr- blue and wine colored ribbons, arrang,
er with more or less profusion. Nothil
can be more picturesque to street &C
gn tune than the straight mantalet, knott
,h. in front, to complete dress which is
of one solid color OF of two shades of Il
same color with hat to match. T
i'm fashionable shade of the season for the
wv complete costumes is no longer the ps
D.: mastic, but deeper shade, verging
coffee color, and fawn is also consider
ed. very distinguished.
IN UIsTERs.
These useful outdoor garments "
me hold their own for travelling and .ridl
cloaks, and are being made in lars
up variety of materials than when first int
lil- duced. In addition to the improv