Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-28
THE FALL FASHIONS.
A CHAPTER FOR THE LADIES.


yerely plain STYLES known m English styles
are seen in the richest Fresch dresses OF
ye,yets, silks, and satins. The French mo-
d,stes. saws Hdrper's Bdzdr, are making
the English corsage with high and long
darts that give slender wrists and urge
busts, and the princesse dress IN which
English women delight Is being copied
literally, with IFS continuous pieces from
head 10 foot, or else the skirt Is
hooked upon the plain bodice ana
tho Ioin is concealed by sash ORA
pery that gives the princesse effect. The
iull straight English skirt also appears on
French dresses OF velvet and other costly
fabrjcs. but The. Partisan dressmaker gives
n c0chft TO these that makes them look very
different from those OF last season. This Is
done be using foundation skirt, on which
the straight outside brcadths are suspend
ed beneath q full drapery about the hips
instead OF beginning at the belt, IN the
wav they are made here. Indeed. no
French dress is considered well made
without this foundation skirt, which is
the only remnant left OF the closely
laced pull-back dresses worn three years
ago. The skirt has not been changed in
shape. but T. slightly wider at the foot.
measuring now two yards and hall in
width: IL Is yariOusly made, with one or
two side cores. or with one or two straight
back breadths, but the simplest shape has
but four breadths. one straight back
breadth. and three other wlde-gored
hreadths. To make this skirt the amateur
dressmakcr must have good pattern, aad
across the back should be run one. two, or
three castings for steel springs. in the way
illustrated in the Bdzdr supplement when
this fashion was first introduced; when
these are used the pad-bustIe may be dis
pensed with il the drapery IS full; other
wise square cushion filed with hair is
added permanently at the waist-belt, or
one NAV be made with strings 10 tie around
the waist and serve with any dress; these
can be bought in shops for from 40 cents
10 81.
To make a dress light in weight silk is
the best material for the foundation skirt.
but as this Is expensive even at seventy
five certs yard. many use siesia, sattecn,
or alpaca. Worth, who knows how 10
utilize old fabrics that he has on hand, is
putting wattred SILK In such skirts, and
making the inside OF the dress almost az
attractive as the outer part. Those who
expect the dress TO wear n long while with
out alteration line these silk foundation
skirts with cambria or paper muslin, but
this make. heavy dress, and is never done
hv first-class drcssmakers, rs they consider
the silk skirt itself rs lining, and take
care that il shall not be visible outside
even on the simplest wool dresses. The
skirt seams are stitched by machine, and
the placket opening is now generally made
in the back Of this skirt, although the dra-
perry above it usually fastens on one side,
and in some OF the new dresses
in the front. The facing at the foot
is Of alpaca about a fourth OF yard
deep. with the silk turned up slightly
upon it. and skirt braid set on the
wrong side 10 fall trlllc below
the edge: this braid should be
twice Sewed around, though once being
hemmed to the facing is usually con-
sidered sufficient. Five or six full straight
breadths Of the outside fabric (when OF sim
gle width are then cut quite plain, and
either hemmed or faced with silk or satin
around the lower edge. The length OF
these hreadths depends on the depth OF the
drapery above them, which cOneeals the
seam that fastens them around the lower
skirt. 1hey may be variously arranged in
pleats, but the new feature Is that these
pleats are not sci and stifl, but rather loose
and soft, and made to differ in front and be-
hind.
The two box pIeats in front may be half
a yard wide. and look like panels meeting
on strip Of contrasting stuff down the
front while there are side pleats on all the
other parts Of the skirt or this NAV be re-
versed with large broad organ pleats be-
hind, the sides plain, and three side pleats
meeting three other eide peats in front.
The fancy for arranging lengthwise tabiers
is popular, and may consist OF two rows OF
box pleats covering the middle OF the
front, while the plain sides lap upon these
and are trimmed down the front edges with
braid, fur, passementeric, or Lace. For
stout figures even the draperics are nov
placed three or four inches below the belt.
and are sewed there upon the foundation
skirt; there are also many darts taken in
the upper part OF the front and side
breadthS. and even a belt is dispensed with.
a corded facing being the only finish at
the top, so that nothing may be added to
the size.
CORSAGES.
In the wel-made cOrsage the seams are
laid open, aud are notched in two or thren
Places about the waist-line 10 make them
curve in smoothly with the tapering figures;
the edges are then turned in and run to-
gether, or else, il the fabric is thick like
velvet. they are Over-seamed, or il thin like
caUze they are bound with narrow ribbon.
The hooks and eyes now so much used are
covered 10y a strip Of facing concealing all
but the small hook itself and the curve OF
the eye. French drcssmakers cover the
loop or eye with huttOn.hOle stitches done
in silk. Worth protests against giving up
buttons, and invariably uses them even on
81. Il
small, and OF Hat wooden mOulds covered
with the dress material.
The newest sleeves are pointed at the top
and extend upward between the shoulder
seams 10 within two inches OF the collar.
but as this destroys the graceful fall OF
sloping shoulders, il will scarcely become
popular. In aIithc Worth dresses exhibited
this season the padding at the top Of the
sleeve is omitted, and the same NAV be said
OF the pad bUstles, as the dr1pcry is ar
ranged to make them sufficiently bOuilant.
\ reyers Gun Of some kind is in great
favor. and is formed by turning back The
end OF the coat sleeve from either the front
or the outside seam 70 make athrce-cOrner-
ed revers. and facing ii with some contrast
ing material. The shape OF the sleeve re-
mains close, and is well curved on the in
side seam, so that il may follow the outlines
OF the arm when extended, yet not have
many wrinkles when the elbow is bent.
Tins inner seam is also now put quite far
forward in the armhole.
NEW BAsQUEs.
Worth retains the bouiiIpt back for
hasques, catching each OF the middle forms
up separately towards one side ana iasten-
Ing item under knot or passemcnterie or
n no latt si1 oil. b.a 10.
position pleating Of many LAYERS or pleats.
stiff TO the edge, and forming two box
pleats on top; he also uses piping
fold for edging basques where most
dressmakers merely employ facing.
The velvet vests, as we have said. are
flat-not the gathered Moliere pufs-and
in most cases they arc pointed either on the
waist line or else low on the bust. One OF
the prcttiest arrangements il saith vest
made OF three gathered ruiiles lengthwise
on each side from the neck to the waist,
where they taper to point. and are hid
den by the velvet Of the dress and its fur
border, or else they have a turned-over
revors OF velvet next them on each side.
One OF the new trimmings for the corsage
is the half-ichu, which looks like an or
der; 1t is gathered or plested into the left
shoulder, and, crossing the bust. slopes
sway TO point at the right Of the waist.
Some Of the most tasteful dresses sent out
byWcrth have basque and low draperyof
gr0s-grain, with vest and lower skirt OF
stamped velvet; this is especially pretty in
the new bronze shades with the flst.ened
figures in Escurial designs amid the velvet
pile. Theawatered silk foundation skirt
has but one spring behind and no hustle.
and is finished at the foot by pleating Of