Sharp County record., 1881-04-14
STYLES Of Making Mourning Dresses.

STYLES OF Making Mourning Dresses.
Mourning dresses are made in simple
and severe styles, yet with reference 10
the designs that prevail for coiored
dresses. The heavy English fashions
that were formerly adopted have been
superseded by lighter French styles, ana
the custom now is to wear the simple
nun-like dress of deep mourning for
shorter period than was formerly DONE
especially in large families, andby those
who put on black for even the most dis
tant relatives. The simply shaped cor
sage, very high at the throat, with close
" fitted sleeves, is imperative, and the
full round skirts without oversklrts but
with hanging sasheS, front drapery and
revers are very appropriate for mourn
inc attire. But the double folds OF Grape
formerly seen on such dress skirts and
the black Grape collars and cuffs OF the
waist, are now abolished. The folds
have given place to bands, or single
LAYER of Grape, cut always on the bias,
vet giving the appearance OF beng
Straight, because this makes the crlnkIes
of the Grape perpendicular; the heavy
collars are no longer kept in the shops,
being only made to order for those who
will not relinquish them. In their stead
are huted or pleated frills OF English
Grape, or Of crepe lisse, or Of the more
dressv Brussels net. In many instances
this black trimming for the neck is not
used at all after the funeral, as it is un-
wholesome. White lisse pleatings or
crimped frills and sheer organdy collars
and cuffs with wide hens are then
adopted and worn until linen is put on.
One of the simple styles for making
skirts of black wool dresses, such as
Henrietta cloth or serge, has the back
very full indeed, and without even the
narrowest pleating at the foot In front
are two bands of Grape set on narrow
cores of the wool goods and Tapped at
the waist in front, spreading open
obiquely toward the foot, where they
disappear under Grape pleatings. In
other dresses the bands pass straight
down the front without quite touching,
are turned squarely at the foot and
passed back like a border to meet the
full breadths of the back. When Grape
is not used, the front breadths of wool
are sometimes laid in pleats their whole
length, three deep pleats being turned
toward the front to meet three coming
from the opposite side; these are stitched
in rows at the end. and made to fall
over narrow pleating at the foot. On
each side there is sewed in with the
belt a sash end, quite long, three
eighths or it may be half yard wide,
narrowly hemmed on each side, and
gathered into Grape tassel at the foot.
In all these skirts the back must be
very full, straight, and without any
trimming at the bottom, unless rows OF
stitching are used. For those who like
more trimming, the back breadths are
formed of two side-pleatings, the upper
one sewed in with the belt, and the
other attached to the foundation skirt
half way between the belt and the foot.
The front and side breadths are covered
by a long square -cOrnered apron, edged
by band of Grape that trims it up each
side and across the bottom; this apron
discloses very narrow pleating of Grape
edginc the front of the skirt. Some
slender Young ladies have full round
skirt without any drapery in front and
merely wide band fcrape at the foot,
with perhaps tiny balayeuse pleating
below it. A short basque sloped open
in front from the waist line and as
simply shaped as a habit waist in the
back. is made of the dress goods for
skirts like those just described, or else
it is entirely covered with Grape. A
round waist with soft wool sash instead
of belt is worn with such dresses in
the house. The double breasted round
basques open below the waist behind
are used for the black cloth dresses that
many ladies now wear in complimentary
mourning; these may be simply stitched
on the edges, but often have a wide
band of fur for collar, cuffs and pockets,
while the skirt has still wider border
of fur at the foot and straight down the
middle of the front The black pressed
flannel dresses worn in the morning at
home and for shopping have three or
four deep tucks in the full skirt and the
waist is made in the shooting-jacket
style, with two broad box pleats in the
double breasted front, one pleat down
the back, a Byron collar and wide
belt of the material two rows of small
black ivory buttons with eyes in the
center pass down the front between the
box nleats-G -Ginghanas7 1aareas essae nd Z!
simple white muslin dresses will be
made in the same manner for summer
wear. Fine tucks in the ruffles and the
revers work, like rows Of hem-stitching,
are the only trimming used on white
muslin dresses when worn BY ladies in
mourning. -HarPer'S Bazar.
Street row: First Gamin--"Pll fill
IL. Al Il n