The Columbus journal., 1883-02-21
Dress and Cloak TrlmminxsL

Quite q revolution has occurred of late
years In the ordinary methods Of dress
trimming. The cheap styles. the COM
mon varieties of braids and gimps and
fringes, have almost wholly disap-
pearcd, and in their place we lind trim
ming of the same, or q contrasting. ms-
terial. rows of stitching, q facing which
suggests color wi thOut really exhibiting
Il, and buttons which often have artistic
value.
These methods must be considered .
great improvement on styles Of orna-
mentation which added nothing to the
real beauty of the costume or garment.
were easily defaced. and then made q
really good material look shabby before
It was worn. Whatever is used as
mounting of course suffers more from
contact than the body part of the stuff.
and ought to be more, rather than less.
serviceable in its character. But this
was rarely thought of in the selection of
ordinary trimmings; and ilimsy passe-
menteries. gimps. and fringes, fire.
quently cheapened and vulgarized an
otherwise respectable fabric. and lower
cd its standard of excellence in the
minds of those who judged it from its
inadequate attempts at ornamentatiOn.
OF late so many nice trimming laces
have been produced, that efficient aid
has been rendered in the finishing of
ordinary silks and thin costumes, while
in the making up of woods. ncatness has
been found the most effective form that
decoration could take. and one after
another every addition in the way of
trimming has been gotten rid o.. ex-
cepting the braids and bindings. This
year there is a revival of the Hungarian
cords and passementerie buttons. the
military" style as it is called. which
trade must make in the direction of at
tractive novelty. and costumes. The
real novelties and %elegancies in trim
ming are in the direction of the different
kinds of open and solid embroidery,
and the magnificent cloak trimmings in
feathers and chenille. In the produce
ton of the embrOideries upon cloth and
other fabrics. Venetian models have
been largely followed. and designs.
some of which have been obtained from
museums and collections of rare works.
The beauty of design. and the exquis-
lite workmanship put into them. would
elevate them into the region OF art, if
they were executed by hand instead of
by machine.
Workmanship upon the material has
given the keynote to the present styles
Of decoration. 1t is only the carrying
out of the Eastlake idea in furniture.
which years and years age w an
nounced as a new departure, which was
sure to have its following in dress and
its adornments. The braided embrOid-
cry upon cloth. which puts cloth upon
cloth. and outlines the design with a
narrow, thick. fat. cord-like braid.
which is placed partly fat. partly on
edge. and often wrought in solid circu-
lar coins. or button-like forms. is an en-
traordinarily substantial and effective
method of treating handsome cloth
suits. and really enriches them. as it
should. for it is very expensive. But it
is nothing besides the exquisite jeweled
effects produced by the mixture of
pearl, white jet. and silk embroidery on
the tinted evening satins. covering en-.
tire fronts. and forming vest. plastrons.
panniers. sleeves, and other parts or
additions to a rich toilet. Much of this
work is done by hand, all of that which
is really fine and artistic. and the simple
front of an ivory pale pink or amber
satin gown will perhaps cost a hundred
and se~venty-ive or two hundred dol
lars. before a yard of the rich fabric is
added to it, which will form the body
part of the dress, or a stitch put in to-
ward the making Monthly.