Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-02

what the Little Ones are to Wear This
season.

In no country are children better dressed
than in America. The constant travel be-
tween this country and Europe familiar.zes
parents with che styles and fashions of other
lands, and by amalgamating and adapting
them very satisfactory results are attained.
Less formal than the French and more artis-
tic than the English, the American style of
dress for little children combines the advan-
tages and escapes the Disadvantages of both.
The uncertainty of the climate, too, has a
distinct influence upon children's dress, and
every year more attention is directed to con-
siderations Of health in connection with it,
The fragile limbs are better protected; we no
longer see the exposure of delicate neeks and
tender arms, and even for dress occasions
high suits are made, which protect as well as
adorn the tiny wearers. All this is as it
should be. and while now and again some IN
wise mother will be found sacrificing her
child's health to some passing folly, as a rule
the little ones are warmly and sensibly
dressed.
There are, of course, various fashions in
children's clothes which pass with little no.
tice, and reformations are taking place all
the time, but one fact cannot escape our at
tention, and that is the increased freedom
or limb that is allowed by modern fashion.
The Mother Hubbard style, of which we
have seen the last for while, was step in
the right direction in this regard, and it has
been more popularity adopted than anything
that has arisen for years. Now that it is al
ready fashion of the past. we find the in
fuences that introduced it as potent as ever.
And the styles for little ones this fall will
be as quaint and pretty as those which they
replace. For elder girls combination dresses
are to be the mode. Very handsome material
domestic and foreign, are on hand for the
purpose. The bright-hued colors of the past
season are no longer seen; Nc cardinal reds
or brilliant blues to serve as a foundation for
decorative effects. On the contrary, the
tones for children are the absolutely neutral.
Olive greens, dark invisible blues, deep browns
and the darkest shades of dull reds are the pre-
vailing colors. Combinat ions and not contrasts
are to be the fashion. Such color as is worn
will be in the form of trimming for the quaint
hats and boDnets which bid fair to be most
be~ itchingly becoming to the little wearers.
The favorIte materials will be rhadames
cloth, which is not unlike satin de Lyon in
texture and appearance; Ottoman cloth, a
wooden material with a raised silken stripe,
and cashmeres, velveIs and pushes. Shaded
plush will be very much worn for the basque
waists. which will be in style for girls of 10
and ~. the skirts to accompany them being
usually of rhadames or Ottoman cloth. Or
if shaded plush forms the skirt, and much OF
it will be used for this purpose, and is SO
wrought as to have the appearance of tucks.
the basque to accompany it will be of satin de
Lyon, velvet or cashmere. The trimming
for a plush skirt will be placed entirely round
the bottom. and will generally be of the
lighter material used in combination. and
take the form of narrow plaitings.
For smaller children the princess dress
will again be in favor, not, however, with the
simplicity which marked its earlier introduce
ton. On the contrary, the little frocks will
be very much trimmed. Pufings and shr-
rings down the front and round the skirt will
be usual, and the favorite style for the back
is to be a combination of large and small
pleatings shirred at the waist. Even for very
small children sombre colors will be pre-
ferred with the exception of cream shades.
which entirely replace the old-fashioned
white. Cream-colored cashmere, trimmed
with lace, will be favOrite combination.
Lace trimmings will be universal this fall,
and allow scope for any measure OF expense
With the exception of edgings initiating more
costly laces, no other trimmings will be found
upon the fashionable dresses either for large
or small children.
But it is to the bonnets and hats, which are
to complete the costume, that we must look
for novelty this year. The prevailing style
for very small children is to be the Queen
Anne poke. or, as it used to be familiarly
called. the scuttle bonnet. Anything quaint
er for little girls cannot be imagined. The
tavorte materials will be soft plush. beaver
and felt The scuitle crown will be of one
material and the front OF another, while the
color will depend largely upon the lining OF
the front This lining will generally be OF
,hirred satin or ottoman ribbon, and VIII DC
shirred upon reeds, so that the inside shir
ring will frame the face and the front, but
stand out around it. The outside trimmings
will ne of pIumes and punched ribbon bows
The tins OF the plumes will fall over the
front and rest upon the hair. Larger girls
will wear halls of felt, plush or velvet, with
wide brims, depending downward upon Inc
right and turned up on the left, trimmed win
plumes and rich silk cords and tassels The
.olors for hats will be uniformly dark. grays
greens, or browns. No bright felt or fei
spotted with colors will be worn. All the
color will be in the trimming, WHICH, as We
have said, will be mainly limited to the lining
of brim, plumes, and cord.
Fashions for boys do not vary as those fol
Girls do. but this season a new style of Jersey
suit will be introduced which is woven through
out. and fits to the figure like skin. ROLLED
cap. accompany the suit. The intention OF
this suit is to afford entire freedom OF limb
and the youngsters dressed in them will ap
near like small athletes. They will at leas
be verv becoming to the figure. There II
nothing of any novelty to report in fall wraps
either for bows OF girls. Light cloth coats
for the former are mu h as usual and The
mantle. with cape or with shirred collar, vii
be worn by girls. All the walking sacqne'
and cloaks we have seen are rather tor WIN
ter than fall and it would be little prema-
ture to discuss them; but as prophetic OF ths
coming season, we may assert that inrs an'
heavy plush trimmings VIII De uhi!eraal''
.rnrn Win MIXED cloths of dark combination:
of color.