The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-05-21
Spring Styles in Dress.

Spring Styles in Dress.
Most of the dresses shown combine
nj least two materials, and some of them
three or four. These different fabrics
are designed with special reference to
this combination and the harmony be-
tween the plain. changeable and sfip-
ured goods is perfect. Surah satin 1s
used with handsome brocaded prena-
dimes and silks, and also with soft
wooden goods like cashmere, barege.
etc., and bright striped or figured
silk is sometimes added as trimming.
A great deal of French lace is used to
ornament grenadines and is put on in
full ruches, or the spaces where the
drapery parts are filed with lace ruflles.
Spanish lace is also much used. Great
quantities of jet are seen on black silk
and grenadine toilettes. as are elaborate
steel fringes and passementeries. Heavy
cords, finished with tassels. balls or
spikes, encrusted with steel or Jet,
catch up the drapery or cross the front
of some dresses.
For travelling or serviceable spring
suits, the light wool saitings are used,
and even in these costumes touches of
bright color are permissible. One OF
the prettiest suits was made of cheviot
in different shades of brown, with
threads of dark red running through the
pattern, and this red also appeared in
the trimming-lining the plaitings and
piping the bands. The basque of this
suit was double -breasted and did not go
below the waist just in front, but was
finished by belt put in at the darts.
From the darts it was cut long and
curved away toward the back, forming
long skirt on the hips and IN the
back. The skirt was box-plaited, and
had full short drapery arranged upon
1t. Sometimes deep striped vest is
set in to fill the space below the belt
and between the skirts of the basque.
Very pretty half mourning suits are
made of wooden goods in small black
and white checks, with black silk used
In the drapery and for the vest, collar,
etc. These small checks also appear in
soft silks with striped borders, which
are used for trimming. Some of the
street costumes have tiny capes
Just covering the shoulders in the
back. sewed in with the sleeve in
front, and made to fit ON top of the
shoulders by shirring instead of q seam.
Others have the deep round Russian
collar. Vests are seen on many dresses,
but they are very narrow, and laid in |
tine knife plaits or crossed at intervals |
by rows OF shirring. One basque shown |
had silk rings sewed on each side of the |
vest and was to be laced across it with |
silk lacing.
Shirring runs riot this season, but it |
is trimming which must be used |
moderately or it gives a stiff, heavy |
effect. Some Of the costumes have the |
entire front of the skirt covered with it,
broken only at intervals by very full |
ruffles or narrow tabs falling between.
The outside of coat sleeves is shirred |
near the back seam, and wide founces,
instead of being plated. are held in
place by little groups of shirring.
Coat sleeves continue to be the favor
lite shape, but are occasionally varied by /
having two or three puffs let in. An
other fancy is to set a puff of silk in
with the top of the sleeve, that will
stand up above the shoulder. The tea
gowns and other negligee toilettes have
large flowing sleeves.
With the exception of few of the
dinner and evening toilettes, all the
dresses shown are made with short
skirts. The drapery is often shirred
high in front to show the deep box or
side-plaited skirt. Again, it falls in a
long shawl point on one side, and is
looped high on the other. A heavy
gros grain skirt is trimmed with three
tiny knife-plaitin0s across the front