St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-07-12
A Muslin Season.

a good deal of display at small cost, and
when one hears of yards and yards" OF
lace upon one dress, it is not necessary
to imagine it rs representing small
fortune in bank notes, for lace which
looks very pretty at distance and trims
effectively is now sold anywhere from
five to fifty cents per yard, and one can
be covered with lace almost as cheaply
AZ with cheese cloth. Another of the
phenomenal clothing houses for women
and children, for which all large cities
have become famous during the past
fifteen wears, has been opened on the sits
of what was Booths Theater, in Twenty
third street, and adds one more to the
costume establishments which are
cutting one another's throats in the of
fort to secure lions share OF uncertain
and unsatisfactory trade. The depart
ment has been placed in experienced
hands, and among the pretty and prao-
teal STYLES exhibited are some charming
novelties in garden party dresses OF
dotted muslin in darby shaded leaf and
flower patterns trimmed with Oriental
or Pompadour lace and broad, soft rib
bons in subdued shades, which harmo-
nize with the general tone rather than
with any special color in the design. A
specially is also made of nuns yelling
dresses in pink, cream and blue,
trimmed with plated lace, and OF
white dresses in India null trimmed
with wide Valenciennes lace, and
fine lawn trimmed with needle-wOrk
or embroidered lace. Dresses ready
made and trimmed in the popular
STYLES indicated can be purchased
at from twenty-five to thlrty-tlVe dol
lars each--and last 8 season, though
they are not good for much beyond that
White dresses would be the most eco
nomical of summer toilets, were it not
| for the expense and trouble OF 4aunder-
ing them; but this is an important item
and soon duplicates their first cost If the
work is done by q city or watering-place
hotel laundress.
Colored muslins are not supposed to
pass through this ancient process OF rem
ovation. With care they are expected
to hast s'a season. without washing, and
| if a sudden fit of thrift or necessity
should prolong their usefulness or rem
der its extension desirable, they are
sent to professional cleaner who, for
two or three dollars, subjects each one
| to dry-cleaning operation which makes
it as nearly new as cleaned glove. 1t
is SO long since muslins were in fashion
that they are likely to be sort of rage,
every lady-young or middle-aged-de-
string one or more for her summer
wardrobe. Their prestige is heightened
by the lovely tints and artistic character
of the designs, and also by the (compar-
atively) graceful and simple style Of
max ING. There is nothing novel in the
modes this season. They are all reEi-
Yals of STYLES which have been more Or
Tess '.well worn" but have probably
4 held some reason within themselves for
this continued popularity. The ''tie-
i back" is a thing of the past Drapery
hangs loose, and what may be called
s'fioppy, = if great care is not taken in
it's adjustment. The sagging puff is not
so much used as last season, but it has
not disappeared; and deep single
flounce has largely taken the place OF
the plated ruffies to which we have be-
come almost habituated. The popular
mode of making muslin dresses is with
i one deep killed or box-plaited fiounce, 9
rounded apron extra-diVided and crossed
to the left, an irregular drapery at the
back, which deepens until it falls over
the top of narrower founce, and a
basque which is shirred or plated st the
back or cutshort, leaf-shaped, and filled
in with a fullness which is rounded and
lace trimmed.
White lawn dresses for morning weaE
are tucked at the back from the waist
to the hem, horizontally; Killed at the
sides, thus forming panels, which are
! edged with needleWork band and ar.
ranged with two or three tucked and
Killed founces in front. The basque il
plated lengthWise, back and front. and
trimmed with needlework, or rather
with machine embroidery. This ii
| belted in with soft ribbon or velvet
White and delicate muslin dresses
afford an opportunity for pretty dressing
at small cost which young ladies shoule
not fail to take advantage of. The ex
pense of material is almost nothing, ant
If they will spend half rs much tim'
upon. the making as upon q sofa cushion
: or the paintingof questionable placqu'
Oh Jar, they will be almost certain t.
. reach satisfactory results. Jennie June
/ Gqs Chicago Journal
THE StYfs Worm.