The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-06-18
FOR THE FAIR SEX.


Fashions OF the nay.
The many decided changes which
have appeared In the fashions this sea-
son are chiefly In the fabrics There
is little change in the making up OF
dresses. We still have skirts perfectly
clinging In form aad draped behind,
short or trained for the evening; the
combination costume in it's various
forms, newest of which Is the coat
bodice different from the skirt, and the
severely plain cloth walking dress In
two or three pieces. f
Undoubtedly the surtout is the lead
ing fashion among novelties This is a
plain straight polonaise, with the skirt
open always in front nearly TO the waist,
generally at the back also, and fire.
quently on the sides as well. The ma
terials OF which il is made are various,
cloth, velvet, camel's hair, brocade or
damasse, while the novelty goods in
Oriental mixtures are useful surtouts
for wear with any skirt. The best are
tailor-made, and fit like q gentleman's
frock-coat and are finished In the same
manner. Handsome surtouts are lined
throughout with colorcd silk, red OF
old gold being the shades usually &C.
lected. The beauty OF the garment de-
pends'almost entirely upon its perfect
fit, and great care should be taken, both
In cutting IL out and sewing, to have the
threads run straight and to avoid
stretching the seams. When q tailor
cuts any garment he lays the cloth
smoothly upon long table, for which
q piano top Is a very good substitute,
and marks it out with chalk. Then it
is cut and basted with the greatest ex-
actness and stitched as carefully, and
this is the secret of the perfect set
which characterizes first-class tailor
work. Many dressmakers positively
refuse to 6t garments for others to sew.
"You make the dress yourself" said
such a one, land you sew 1t crooked;
then you blame me-"
Much also depends on the manner In
which dress is put on. The inside belt,
which keeps the back in place and re-
ieves the seams of strain, is also of vital
importance. The best dressmakers add
to this second inside belt, set in under
the arms, and about three inches wide,
furnished with hooks and eyes set close
together. Sleeves are made very tight,
and the wearer OF n fashionable bodice
Is expected to put on her bonnet before
she dons her dress waist. 1t would be
impossible to bend the arm in these
sleeves were it not that slight fullness
is allowed on the under part just at the
elbow. Sleeves for ball dresses arc
tiny puff. For afternoon wear they are
elbow long, while the favorite length
for all occasions is three-quarters, long
wristed gloves being worn with them
on the street.
The long wasted, tight fitting jacket,
with deep basque, is very favorite
model for spring dresses. 1t is fire,
quently made Of different material
from tina skirt-velvet, brOcaded silk,
cade or any fancy material; the skirt
may be plain or striped. 1t is well to
trim the skirt with bias bands or flut-
ings, panels or scarf-draperics Of the
same fabric rs the bodice.
There has never been time when l.
was so easy to remodel old dresses to
good advantage. The variety of new
fabrics is infinite, and something may
be found to combine with everything.
The novelty goods-by which we mean
all the army Of broche and figured
goods-furnish trimming for all ma
terials and shades These are used in
small or large quantities; whole sur
touts arc simply as vests, pipings, col
lar and cuffs. Last years buntings are re-
made, with bands of the novelty goods
for trimmings, and old silk or cashmere
dresses are turned into the skirt, SUR
tout Of novelty goods being worn with
them. Striped silks, which are slightly
passe, are combined with satins to
match tho peryading tint in the silk. A
pretty model has coat basque of satin,
the front of the skirt of shirred silk,
with side cores of satin, while the back
bresdths are of silk and the foot trim
ming is q silk plated founce, headed
with satin. Another. where more silk
was available, had tho bodice Of silk.
with long revers collar and cuffs of
satin. Long narrow panels of satin were
set on each side OF the front breadth and
a vandyked band o! satin headed box
plated flounce of silk on the SKIRT
Some of the new washing materials,
so-called, are very handsome. Such are
the Scotch zephyr cloths, figured
mummy cloths, the Grape finished Yeddo
goods and the oil calicoes, which last
are made UP in combination with fine
woolcns.