The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-22

carly this year, ASH" W euicsuaN iallnS Oh
the 22d OF February, just one month from
to-day. the winter Is not more than hall
over. And as very much OF gayety is to be
crowded into the short period OF thirty
days before the time OF penanee, our fair
ones must be posted as TO the styles that
Fashion has prescribed for midwinter.
First we will speak Of
DINNER AND EsTHETIc TEA DRESSES.
Dinner dresses are made OF MORE an
tiques, yelvets, and brocades OF satin,
plush and velvet, and are trimmed with
the handsomest laces. Velvet basques ana
trains, with embroidered skirts or tabliers
OF 4 light tint in the same or contrasting
color, are among the richest. Garnet,
nazarine blue, and dark green arc some OF
the leading colors. In costume with
basque and train of dark green velvet the
front and sides are composed OF watered
six, with the white ground filed with
bright-hued flowers on the stripe, alter
mating with that Of watered pattern.
Wine-colored velvet, with blue velvet fig
lIres on n wine-cOiored satin ground, Is
one Of the numberless beautiful combina-
tiOnS.
Afternoon tea costumes have not thus
lar shown other than ordinary demi-train
dresses Of light surah silk and nuns veil
ing, made like any other dress, trimmed
with ribbons and prOiuSion Of fancy lace.
No regular attempt has been made to intro
duce aesthetic principles, so called, into
costumes for these social gatherings this
season. What may result from the imporla-
lion OF the English aesthetic it is yet too
soon TO Judge. The well-known coDse-
quences resulting from aesthetic novel
ties, which for a time caused their
followers TO neglect the interests OF
car companies, may have like effect on
the aesthetic temperaments In revolution
izing the present system OF dress; If the
medieval style hits the public fancy one
may see all New York wearing such early
English fancies a. high inverted cornuco-
pias and ingeniouSly-folded table-cloths FOR
head-dress, with a,ei hanging from the top
OF the structure and carried over one arm
for convenience and beauty, while a close
fitting dress Of one color is worn under Il
loose one of another hue, with long-ilOwing
sleeves, and the front OF the skirt so long
that it has to be held up in the hand not
occupied with the veil. Or, if the apostle
advocate the classical Ihidian Greek dress
with First Empire variations, some OF
the American women with pretty
figures may look charming, but how would
!. scant garment with no neck or sleeves
worth mentioning and the waist line under
the aTmDitS look upon some OF our women
and natrons who turn the scales on the
wrong side OF 200 poundsi Americans are
apt TO adopt every novelty, but those who
Possess good taste must remember that
eccentricity is not the basis OF beauty nor
change synonymous with improvement
and hesitate before making such fools OF
themselves rs some English ladies have
done under the name OF aesthetic culture.
Individual variations IN dress are commend
able, but violent Innovations. without any
apparent improvement in beauty or utility,
must expect to be met with criticism and
ridIcule.
WEDDING COSTUME.
One of the richest fabrics for wedding
dresses is white MORE antique combined
with satin. A handsomely embroidered
,ablier has the pattern in pearl and white
jet beads, silk and chenille extending
around the three breadthS of the front of
the skirt. A long train of moir6 extends
from the waist at the back, and is edged
with two anticipated rows Of satin. The
basque, OF moire, has elbow sleeves fin
ished with lace, and piece of embroidered
satin inserted a. q vest. Bouquets for this
are of artificial pond-lilies for the sleeves,
natural flowers.
A beautiful wedding-dreSs recently worn
was of satin Of the tint known as baby
blue. The front was embroidered with
pearl beads and edged with fringe OF
pearl and crystal. The waist and train
were OF MORE of the same tint, with full
Tuchings OF the satin edging the train.
EVENING DRESSES.
M. 10. ,x~ftI 10
figures Of mOirG, MORE antique with satin
stripes in the newest tints, are the latest
novelties in expensive materials for eve
ming dresses. while i'm low-priced goods
there are the delicate-tnted Spanish-lacc
grenadines, in stripes and running floral
patterns. They are three quarters Of yard
wide and Sl.25 yard.
The front OF the skirt is usually Of 4 diff
ferent material from the basque and train,
although generally Of the same tint; and
where several tints are seen, as i'm some OF
the velvet brocades, the plain material is Of
the same color as the ground OF the bro
cade. The PLAIN satin fronts are almost iR-
yarlably embroidered, painted, OF covered
with lace or bead fringe or netting. The
more elaborate yelyety silver or gold bro
cadcs are used without trimming, except,
perhaps, fine plating of plain material
at the edge. Some OF the handsomeSt
dinner-drcsses are made i'm this way,
with basque and train of velvet or
plush. Beaded passemnnteries are made
to fit the front breadth. with bands
for waist and sleeve trimmings. These
are Of colored beads and braids. In
black the embroidery OF fine cut Jet and
bugles is done on net or black satin, when
pieces for waist, sleeves, and tablier are al
on the same piece of satin. Tablicrs en-
broidercd in silk, chenille, and colorcd
beads can be obtained in the new tints OF
satin, that can be matched in the same or
other fabrics for the rest OF the costume.
They range in price from S25 TO $780, A
trained skirt of white satin, having the
front covered with colored silk embroidery
and the patten running around the entire
train, is valued at $500.
EXTENSIVE USE OF LACE.
Lace is extensively used for trimming all
kinds OF evening dresses, not in the lavish
profusion Of last season, but the hand
soonest laces are now used in moderate
quantity where the common qualities were
seen. There is genuine economy in buy
ing real laces that last, with careful usage,
for generations, while nearly the same
amount of money expended upon an imi- !
tation Is money thrown away, so far rs any !
benefit is derived from il after it has been !
worn upon one garment; yet there are
many who do not care for these choice pos /
sessions, prefcrring 10 have for every en-
tertainment something new and pretty. |
New machine-made laces are almost equal |
in appearance to the handmade, and even
those OF cotton foundation are very popu-
lar, and are known as wash laces, because
they can be laundiied without injury. Real