Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-25
BUTTONS.
Steel and Peafl.

When enthusiastic Protestants are singing
tne gloTies OF Queen Bess they seldom remem-
DER 10 praise her as the sovereign In whose
time buttons were first manufactured In large
quantities. There were buttons In merry Eng
land before the time OF her majesty OF profane
memory, as the statue Of Queen Philippa bears
witness; but they were only ornamental and
garments were laced. Or fastened by brooches
at Canterbury BY rows OF - studs t sand and
% make . ba5tonhoiess and T that great naa
button, had not yet been discovered. But even
after the use Of the button became general. IT
was as, made 5y the Ieedie and was but a poor
buttons were sold at a guinea apiece. and were
regarded as rather wonderful and when big
yellow norm buttons were the only wear for
andergarments good Queen Charlotte and her
numerous daug hters old not have the privilege
OF choosing between q dozen different de-
Signs or pearl buttons when planning Their
opportunity of introducing gilt buttons for
coats AID cloaks, and they wore them, and
gooo klpg George wore them also, and her e
ara theIe even In the United States an old gen
lleman survives who deSOrateS his coat With
tht m tor the memory OF old times, and occa-
sionally the young girls take freak 10 set
tntm on Jaunty jackets or dark dresses. Tn s
season Inc FANCY is less for gilt buttons than
foT those 10 blue or In bright steel, but it SIN
Tor metallic buttons that fashion cries
an OF the patterns especially made for til
on the oversk1rt. and the smaller on the Jacket
ano the dress waist. Occasionally one sees a
poIenai1 Te OF princess wrapper finished with
but this Is not common, the usual STYLES being
sensible and good. Pearl. botfsAark and light,
1s Lomlnaay out OF favor, put 1t is so much
more appropriate for thin fabrics than heavy
metallic button that several Lew patterns
are shown this season. There Is an exceed
Igly pretty design In which white pearl
81 soa 1 WIN tniIty-tWo points darkens gradually
Shof1e of fboo
ala another, It's counterpart, has the border
light and the center dark. Another pearl but
Ton Is star. sprinkled with dots and faceted
me araoesques In gilt. The pearl buttons
painted with pansies, forget me-nots and roses
these p Eh nsea i9r horgandy musns BY
and u.'nre things, with an air OF Infinite
soberness. Plain pccssri In small sizes is much
used on nuns yelling dresses u WHITE aud In
soft colors.
way extravaganza, but is simple disk, the oval
and square and hexaassun being absent from the
sample cards: Ine ornamentation Is snr.netfmes
~ nigh relief In the shape r. ~ lower groups
horses heads, elephants. dogs heads, owls
neads, small landscapes or interlaced wrought
bands, and the surface is either concave or con-
vex. Another style is composed OF small faceted
balls set close together In cup shape, and still
another OF hiigIee with pearl center. The
coloIs most in favor are very dark blue and pur-
PIE; but DToWD, the mixture called cashmere
and Dlend1ngs OF steel and gold. steel and blue
metal, steel and red metal, are common, and
there is no color among the dress goods that
cannot De matched In the buttons.
The prices are not high, and there are some
effective combinations in steel and gilt
which, having been brought forward little
too sooD, are now called, contemptuously
"last seasons" and sold for thirty-eight
cents dozen; but the most expensive styles
come about S2.25 dozen, which price is by
no means dear, compared with those OF other
seasons. The landscape buttons, In coppery
tints, just fitted for brown mixed goods, are
but seventy-hve cents, and there are several
others at equally low rates. The crochet but
tons are rather small. and when not embroid-
cred In jet are very cheap. They are used
almost altogether On black surah, except when
1t is desirable to make the fastenings OF the
dress repeat the glitter OF jet trimmings. Some
tight sleeve, and possibly With next season the
old style OF setting row from shoulder to wrist
Will again be aGOpted.- Boston transcript.