The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-02
Summer Fashions.

NO one need be anxious as to whether
she is "dressed in the fashion" or not
this summer. Actually there are no ar
bitrary styles. Each lady dresses her.
self and her children according to her
own ideas of what is beautiful, fit and
becoming, regardless of any but general
rules. Of course, if her bonnets are
large, they are neither the Dunstables
nor caleches of forty years ago, but they
may be Gainesboroughs, pokes, gypsies,
coal-scuttles, Mother Hubbard, or
Quaker shapes, and trimmed just as she
chooses; and if they are small bonnets
or hats they may be Fanchons, bebe,
turban, cottage, Normandy, Glengary, or
Scotch caps or bonnets, or they may
wear Derby or sailor, Panama or a
Fayal, Leghorn or porcupine straw at
pleasure, and according to her age and
the occasion. The capote and the en-
pire bonnets are also much worn, with
broad, soft strings tied under the chin
or under the chignon, as taste or fancy
may dictate.
Some very pretty bonnets are made OF
steel lace. This lace, it will be remem-
bered, is not glittering, but possesses a
sufficiently metallic luster to make it
dressy and bright. Such bonnets,
adorned with bright-colored flowers and
feathers and colored ribbon or surah
strings, wide, soft and long, make a
unique style of couture for carriage,
theater and ceremonious visiting wear,
but the effect is too striking for general
use This caprice can not last long, and
ladies' who can afford only two or three
hats or bonnets are not advised to have
one of them of steel lace.
Among the prettiest materials for in
expensive spring and early summer
suits are the checked and hair-lined
cashmeres of light quality, with self
colored cashmeres to match for COM
bining in the suit. More expensive cash
mere nuns veilings and other light wool
fabrics come in dress patterns of twenty
yards-sixteen of plain material, and
four OF Bayadere striped stuff for trim
mings. To be more explicit, when the
four yards of striped stuff are cut up in
to trimming bands, there are five yards
OF narrow striped bands for the waist
and fifteen yards of wide striped bands
for the skirts. Tall ladies make the
stripes up to form horizontal lines or
diagonal trimmings, while the more
enabonp0tnt trim the dress in longitud-
inal or slightly oblique lines. A plate
accompanies each pattern, showing how
the dress is to be made. OF course, the
same effects can be produced in cheaper
goods, either wooden or silk, or in com
binations of the two materials.
Louisine silks are selling for seventy
five cents a yard, mostly in dark plain
colors and black. These Louisnes are
hair-lined in a delicate twilled stripe.
They are exceedingly soft and crusha-
BILE. Some are changeable or shot, be-
ing woven in two shades of color. Other
inexpensive silks are the Tussores,
bright and gay printed India pongees;
Intended for parts of costumes to be
combined with plain or self-colored pom
gees. Checked summer silks and silks
in clasp" or broken check patterns are
also at very low figures this season,
varying from forty-five cents up to sew
enty-tive cents. These make beautiful,
inexpensive costumes for demi-toilet,
and, when trimmed with bright striped
Bayadere or ombre silks, are very dressy
for misses in their teens.
Plain pongees, trimmed with en-
broidered bands, are worn by women of
refined and fastidious tastes. Other
pongees, with small dots or stars in
dark color and black, are scarcely less
in demand. Such dresses are used for
morning robes and travelling costumes
by the wealthy conservative woman
whose tastes have been formed under the
standards of traditional dress usages.
Gloves are a feature in fashion this
summer. No short, absolutely short,
gloves are worn. All gloves and mits
have long wrists. Buttonless gloves are
preferred. The Swedish and Tyrolese
undressed kids are most favored by
fashion, but the extreme heat Of our
summers renders the wearing of Isle
thread or silk gloves and mitts necessi-
ty in the warmest weather. These come
in all the new shades of color, condor
browns being the favorite, through the
tans, grays, ecrus, and creams, and also
in black and white. The wrists are
half long, long, and extra long. The
extra long glove reaches above the ell
bow, the long glove to the elbow, and
the medium IS about the length of a four
or five-button kid. Both the Isle thread
and the silk glove in this style come at
very reasonable prices, say from seven
ty, eighty, and ninety cents for the
shorter lengths up to S1.25 for the ex-
ira longs. The fit and finish of these
gloves are very fine. The silk mitts, in
all shades of color, black and white, are
also brought out in the same lengths,
and priced from sixty-five cents upward
to a S1.25. The fine lace mitts of course
come higher, ranging from 81 up to $25,
or even $50 when of the finest quality
and extra length. In this connection
it,must be remembered by our readers
that, all sleeves being made half or
three-quarters long now, the wearing
of half-long gloves is Indispensable
N. Y. Sun.