The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-21
lHarper's Bazar.l
New York Fashions.

nal combinations of familiar fabrics strike the
observer at glance. In the choicest col
lections of dresses the short costume still pre-
dominates, and its general outlines remain the
same. The skirt is narrow and bouffant, but is
shown in simpler styles than many already
quoted. One or two deep pleatings almost
form the skirts of Parisian dress for general
wear, and above this is draped round apron
over-skirt fastened permanently, or else a
baby sash" OF ombre satin Surah. There are
shirred basques but this feature is net so PROM
inent as at the earlier openings, and the same
is true OF the shirred and puffed sleeves. In-
deed, the best French modstes, while they
introduce novelties, are at the same time
conservative, and are not willing to relinqush
good style for the sake of new things. For
this reason basques with vests are seen on
young ladies' costumes, and the princesse poll
onaise is sent out by Worth. Nor does Worth
lay aside brocades or failles or polka-dot,ed
stutfs, because stripes are the latest caprice,
but he chooses these in new shades of cinna-
mon, chaudron, or of brick red, and in dark
green, which he trims with black, while he
dots and brocades are on soft twilled silks that
eAO ehO NOAJ iCWCot VI Oiu tnlnSS.
A simple toilette by Worth of polka-dotted
Surah in dark cinnamon shades has princesse
polonaise and kilt-pleated skirt, with one of
the new Mother Hubbard capes. This little
cape reaches to the elbows and is shirred in
rows around the neck; it is then open on zach
arm from the shoulders down. and there are
clusters OF loops of satin ribbon in the opening.
single seam down the middle of the back
shapes the cape, and its edges are merely
faced with satin, or else the fabric is doubled.
The polonaise is of the simplest shape, with
two large box pleats behind and the slight
draping that makes it bouffant is done under
these pleats. The deep flounce of narrow
pleats is cut bias, and sewed SO high on the
foundation skirt that its heading is concealed
BY the polonaise. All such skirts-and there
are many this season-are finished near The
edge by one or two narrow side pleatings that
are not seen except when the deep pleating il
lifted; they are not meant for show, bat merely
to support the principal fiounce and to finish
properly the foot Of the dress. Very small but
tons are on such dresses; these may be tiat
moulds covered with satin, or else bullet
shaped and OF crocheted silk.
A revival OF moires Is announced and these
are shown in the combination dresses, while
light shades OF watered silks are imported for
fulldress toilettes. The tendenc, in these is
toward stripes those with wide red stripes
and satin stripes alternating are shown but
the patterns known as moires antiques are not
seen. AS a trimming, or in combination with
the fine cashmeres that dressmakers use so
much this Spring, the watered silk is very Of
fective A tasteful dress of clear grav casb-
mere is combined with gray watered silk, aud
has for its only touches of color the merest
glimpses of red Surah used as facipos. The
new Surplice front is seen on this BASQUE made
with fullness gathered from the pointed throat,
passing into the armholes, and there soft folds
OF cashmere are continued low on the bust,
where they disappear under wide pointed Cir
die or peasant waist of the gray moire silk
This peasant waist, laced in the middle is con-
tined to the front, while the back is that of an
ordin ry basque OF the cashmere, trimmed
along the edge with wide moire sash that is
tied in bow with ends. The red Surah is
seen as lining of the frill that is gathered
down the surplice neck, on the edges Of the
peasant front and on the moire cuffs. The skirt
is an intricate combination of the two fabrics,
with one side forming double panel of moire,
on which are two rows of yellow ivory buttons
inlaid with gold in Japanese design, no two of
which are alike; on the opposite side are two
points OF the cashmere, with soft poufs behind,
and the hounces are of gathered cashmere,
with border of moire two inches deep that Is
faced with red Surah.
For travelling dresses for young ladies' sam
mer tours are tucked polonaises of coachinen's
drab French bunting, and also drab fiannels
imported from England, with tucked jackets
and soutache braiding. Ten or twelve tucks
each half-inch wide, are down the front and
back forms OF these polonsises, the sleeves are
also tucked lengthwise ON their front forms.
and the polonaise is so draped that its edges
and sides are left straight enough to be tucked
In clusters and draped in peplum points. When
polonaises are used, the skirts, instead of eing
killed, are puffed!around, usually in two very
deep yet scant puffs formed by three or four
rows OF shirring, and the foot is tucked and
falls outward for hounce. These puffed
skirts are not confined to simple wool fabrics
but are seen on handsome satins, grenadines
and Surahs and make one of the stylish features
OF the season that is most easily carried out
Sometimes the putting stops with the side gore,
but in dresses elaborately draped in the back,
the entire skirt is puffed: For instance,
dress OF pale drab sahn has full puffs all around
with deep hOunce of embroidered, cream
tinted batiste at the foot, and entire breadths
OF the satin arranged in sash draperies behind.
The white lace trimmings are in great profu-
sion on dresses OF batiste, nuns yelling, and
other summer fabrics. Heavy qualities of
Languedoc lace and of point d'esprit are used
alike ON sprigged muslins and the sheerest
wool dresses.
Very small bustles, such as modistes always
bring back from Paris, are again imported;
but these are not used If the draping of the
dress makes the back sufficiently bouffant
without; at least all appearance of wearing a
bustle'' is avoided, because the fulness lis not
excessive, as in the days of the Grecian bend,
and is more graceful when produced by soft
outside draperies.
Black chenille is introduced in mantles,
sometimes forming the entire garment, some-
times being merely used for the side pieces
falling over the arms, while the front and back
are OF black satin Surah. Small round capes
are entirely of chenille, and there are larger
MT in xytutfa Choto
novelty is the use of black brocaded grenadine
for mantles over lining of brick red satin.
This makes very elegant wrap, especially
when the figure of the grenadine is wrought
with Jet beads. The trimmings are full pleat-
ings of Spanish lace with chains of Jet beads
pendant among the pleats. When the velvet
or plush figured grenadire es are employed, steel
trimmings are sometimes mixed with the
Spanish lace pleatings. Young ladies make
for themselves pretty shoulder capes of net,
gathered lace, with high standing lace frills
about the throat These are not confined to
black lace, but are also made up in white lace
for the house, and will be used with summer
toilettes in the daytime.
The most tasteful wraps for dust cloaks in
town and for travelling are of drab pongee
made like the very long Mother Hubbard
cloaks with deep shirring at the neck at the
waist line, and on the full bishop sleeves
Some of these have striped Surah in .tade TINS
LOT trimming, out tney are most often very
slightly faced with red, or with olive green
satin Surah.
Soft null dresses in some delicate tint, such
as lavender, lemon-color, pale rose, or blue are
made up with many yards of gathered Breton
lace for trimmings. These usually have a
basque lined all through with thin white or
else with the colored null, and are completed
by an elaborately trimmed skirt. Two draped
scarfs make the pretty drapery for the front,
while nearer the foot are large squares of the
null edged with lace, and between there are
open spaces, in which is set rosette of the
null aud lace. Sometimes the entire basque is
shirred lengthwise, aud so are the front and
sides of the skirt. The sleeves are shirred in
clusters aronnd the arm, if the wearer has "a
long thin arm, but in lengthwise rows to the
elbow for plunp arm; they are finished at
the elbow by fiat lace cuff turned upward on
a smooth lining of the colored null. Long
loop9d bows of satin ribbon and oRbre sashes
are used for these dresses. For ladies in
mourning are chalk white lawns, trimmed
with gathered ruffies that are edged with foot
ing, and ornamented with black gros grain
ribbon bows. The waists and polonaises made
with narrow tucks are also liked for mourning
The material is tucked in half-inch tucks be-
fore the basque is cut out and the sleeves are
also tucked. Other dresses have the yoke
made OF alternate strips of footing and Of doub-
led lawn, like an inch-wide box pleat. The
remainder OF the waist is gathered to this, and
belted. double ruffie of the lawn edged with
| footing trims the neck and edges the yoke.
Gathered ruffies with four or five tucks are al