The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-11-23
FOR THE LADIES.
Cloth Costumes.

Cloth is the fashionable wooden fabric
for street costumes this winter. 1t is
worn in all it's varieties, such as the
smooth habit cloth called Amazon or
lady's cloth, the tricot, which is in
small figures like armure, and the
rough.fnished Cbeviots like those worn
by gentlemen. The simple and stylish
cloth suits made by a tailor, are per-
haps most in favor, though there are
many imported costumes Of cloth that
are far more snowy. The tailor-made
suits rely upon their fine fit for their
beauty, as they have no trimmings but
the usual rows of machine stitching,
and som plating on the bottom of
the skirt; later in the winter a border
of fur will be placed around the skirt,
and q separate collar and cuffs of fur
will be added to the coat. For slen-
der ladies the basques Of such dresses
are made double-breasted, with q
single box-plait closely stitched
down each front, and one double
box plat in the back. A slit IS lett
open each side of the back, between the
middle forms and side forms. A wide
stitched belt is strapped on the side
seams; there is slit for a breast pocket,
and side pockets also; the collar is BY.
ron shape, and the cuffs are square. II
the BASQUE is intended for a full figure
the plaits are omitted, AMI 1t is a sim
pie position basque, single or double
breasted, straight around or shorter on
the hips, as best suits the wearer's taste:
The skirt is cut off about the knee and
box plating is added to finish out the
length, or else the skirt is entirely PLAIN,
with several rows of stitching near the
foot. and this is afterward trimmed with
a border of fur. The overskirt is draped
permanently on the lower skirt, being
sewed in the same belt. This may be
the ordinary round apron, or 1t may be
pointed low on one side. The bouhant
appearance given many new dresses IS
not congruous with these suits, and
tailors say with pleasure that bustles can
, not be worn with the costumes they make
as the heavy fabric will weight them
down. For very young ladies the newest
cloth basque is very short, being only
three inches below the waist, and shls
S often o separate piece sewed to a
round waist and curved in the front be-
low the waist line. For the street a
coat of cloth may be added, and warm
" lined. This may be single.breasted,
but is most often double-breasted, and
is OF medium length, with two box
plaits behind. The cloths imported
by tailors are of excellent quality, and
cost usually SIS a yard. Eight yards IS
the average quantity required for a suit.
The n of prices for sucn suits IS
from S75 to S125; with the lowest
priced suits there is 10 extra coat tor
the street. Tailors protest against the
use of braid and frogs on cloth cos
Tunes, but ladies who have their WI
fancies carried out insist upon having
these additions in the way of trimming.
The thick tubular braid about a fourth
of an inch wide is put around the skirt
and overskirt in parallel rows, and the
basque has trefoil trimming OF braid
across the bust, on the cuffs, the cor
ners OF the Byron collar, and on the
middle forms Of the back.
Imported cloth costumes are more
elaborately draped and trimmed than
the stylishlv. severe suits made to or
der. Plush is the trimming most used
upon these, and this is usually OF a
contrasting color, snd the polonaise IS
the favorite overdress for such suits.
A long, simply-shaped polonalse OF
myrtle or bronze-green cloth has
double breasted fronts fastened dlago-
nally by bronze or old silver buttons,
and the collar and cuffs are OF ombre-
striped plush shading from ecru to
green, or else brocaded plush in leaf
pattern is used in dark-red shades, OF
perhaps green shades. The skirt i
then quite plain, with two great box
plaits behind, q cluster OF slde-plalts
down the middle of the front, and 9
wide border at the foot OF the plush
trimming. The leopard-spotted plush
is also liked for trimming dark. brown
tan.colored and ecru plush suits to-
young ladies; these youthful-looklnf
dresses have a little pelerine cape y
the plush, also q muf, and sometime
y a turban. The London suits OF ciotl
have braldlng upon tnem III ues!Sn
, rather too elaborate to suit fastidiou
tastes, and sometimes cloths OF tw'
shades are used in the same costume
the darker shade forming the principa
part of the costume, and stitched bands
3 plaitings, collar, cuffs and pockets, an
/ swering for trimming, are made OF tn
5 lighter shade. Blocks, stripes an
} small checks of Cheviots are chosen b
young ladies for their cloth suits, an
in these the Prussian blue shades ar
very fashionable, also the copper reds
seal brown trimmed with green, or tn
opposite of this green cloth wit
9 brown plush accessories-and hnall
D the mustard and olive shades of Chevic
l with dark garnet plush, or else sapphir
blue or myrtle green.