The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-03-19
FOB THE FAIR SEX.
SprinG Fashions.

Spring Fashions.
The SUCCESS of American ideas in dres
and fashion. as in other practical detail
Of modern life, is due to the fact ths
out of q mass OF fashions the best fes
lures have been taken and combine
with what experience has shown to b
the best methods of uniting the moder
e1igencies in regard to clothing. Stree
dresses must follow certain well-defne
rules in order not to be conspicuous Q
attract undue attention. The sho,
woman can wear her skirts demi.traine
and untrimmed. The plump woman ca
display her figure to advantage in prir
cess dress, and the medium, slender fig
ure indulge in delicate stripes an
fabrics, speckled or dotted by figure
The large woman, tall in proportion
should never wear anything but soli
fabrics-black or neutral in tint, an
unbroken by line or dash-but she ma
revel in trimmed skirts, provided the
are draped low, and by adding fe'
loops of crimson or gold satin ribbol
to the folds at the back, where the
merge into the train, will shorten he
perspective and sufficiently reduce he
line of length to make it harmonize witt
the line of beauty.
All the soft materials in cotton; WOO
or silk-and the two first have been 81
greatly improved that they are nov
eoual in appearance and more sympa
thetic to the touch than the last-adap
themselves to the graceful designs o
the present dsy-designs which ladie
ought to prize and cling to as long o.
possible, for they will not be appreciated
until they permit them to De superseded
by something far less desirable. ant
whose stealthy approaches may be seer
in the efforts to revive the penier, thu
short apron and the grotesque conceit'
of Paris during the first consulate.
SPRING WALKING COSTUMES. - Ths
street dress must be dark, short and
unobtrusive to make it suitable fol
walking in different kinds of weathe,
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 per-
manence. The "Msthilde" walking
skirt, for example, is more fashionable
to day than when first issued, and will
be good for a year to come. The "Gris.
elds" walking skirt is another excellent
design for walking dresses, and either
of these may be used for spring Co.'S
tunes with entire certainty that they
will not be likely at present to lose
their popularity. With these skirts,
which require but moderate amount
of material, and are exactly adapted to
the all-wool materials or the pretty
mixed fabrics of silk and wool, may be
employed the "Clementine" or "Pa-
melia " basques, the Melanie " or the
Balsamo," for a combination OF silk
and wool or wool and velvet.
The "Princess" walking costume is q
still excellent model, and forms a
charming design for spring dresses fol
street wear, in conjunction with q long
jacket or hchu drsped and knotted al
the back. Ladies who wish it can re.
vive for house wear the French waist,
with it's belt and simple skirt, trimmed
with two or three narrow founces, and
cut so as to clear the ground. This il
really pretty dress, in delicate striped
or checked ginghams for medium-sized
slender women, and very convenient TO,
wear with aprons of silk or muslin.
Charming spring suits are IN gray and
fawn shades and small designs which
quite cover the surface. They are
made short with draped polonsise, OF
deep. close basque and trimmed skirt,
the hounces being kilt.plaited or triple
box-plaited and spaced between. The
sleeves are demi-long and filled in with
fine plaitings Of crepe lisse, and the
earniture consists of combination o1
blue and wine.colored ribbons, arranged
with more or less profusiop. Nothing
can be more picturesque to a street
costume than the straight mantelet,
knotted in front, to complete a dress
which is of one solid color or Of two
shades of the same color with hat to
match. The fashionable shade of the
season for these complete costumes is
no longer the pale mastic, but deeper
shade, verging to coffee color; and tawn
is also considered very distinguished.
DREssY WRAPS FOR SPRING. BLACK
mantles will be most used, though light
drab or beige-colored wraps will be con-
sidered more dressy. The shapes are
very similar to those of last season,
fitting at the back with three seams and
clinging sides that drape the arm, and
finished in square Hungarian fashion,
instead of dropping in pointed wings
like dolmans. These are of medium
length, covering the tournure and hips,
and are trimmed with one or with three
braided points down the back. A great
deal of French lace will be used for
trimming fine wool wraps. Goats OF
soft, light cloth will be fashionable,
stitched edges and snowy buttons being
the only trimming. The small fichns OF
embroidered black cashmere worn last
spring are again largely imported.
A novelty in trimmings consists OF
painted buttons for dresses OF black or
white silk, satin or velvet. These are
painted in sets by competent artists,
each button differing from the others.
In this not only skill but attention to
proportion is necessary, as it would be
absurd for tiny bird to be associated
with q large butterfly. Each button
must properly accompany the others,
and q set Of sixty buttons, OF which no
one resembles the other and all alike
are we'll executed, is decided improve.
ment to a dress. Some of these designs
are intended to initiate the fine mosaics.
NEoKERcH1EFs AND CoLIARErTEs. -
There never was time when the neck
was dressed in 30 many charming ways.
A coat bodice, for example, will be
turned back from the front, and the
neck filed in with soft plaitings Of
crepe lisse, in which flowers always nes-
tie. This decoration of flowers has
brought back the fashion of wearing
flowers in the hair, nor are they con-
fined to full dress. Lace bows and
jabots are also decorated with roses, to
which are sometimes added loops of
pearls.
The double neckerchiefs OF silk or
Grape are still used, but are gathered to
tie left side and fastened with a long
spray of roses or carnations. The newer
styles are of soft null, slightly gathered
and bordered with lace. These sur
round q high or square neck and fall in
square tabs in front, or are carried in
the fashion of a fchu to the waist.
There is nothine stiff and conventional
in the arrangement of these accessories;
they must appear graceful, easy and