Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-10
FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY.
THE SEASON OF BALLS IN THE
METROPOLIS,
Conspicuous Features in Dress-Some
Striking TOilets-LOoking for a Color
Not a Very Costly but Studied
TrOusseau-The Promise of Spring
The Nearing of Mnnrninr

Striking TOilets-LOoking for a Color
Not Very Costly but Studied
TrOusseau-The Promise of Spring
The Wearing of Mourning.
Correspondence ofthe Morning Ne,os.
NEW YORK, Feb. S.-The season has
not been an unusually gay one by any
means. On the contrary, the long-con-
tinued depression has had a most disas-
trOus effect in reducing the amount of
social gaiety. Still there are always
enough people who have money to keep
the ball rolling, and whose atmosphere is
unaffected by local or temporary causes.
The gay" people are largely the rich
from other cities, who live in hotels and
boarding houses, who come for the winter
months to have a ''good time" and to
spend money lavishly in dress, balls, thea
tres, suppers and the like 1t is these
who give most of the theatre parties in re-
turn for the hospitality in the shape of
dinners and receptions which they re-
ceive; and it is this floating popu-
lation which largely fills the thea
tres and opera houses. Private balls have
not been numerous. They have almost
been relinquished in favor of subscription
balls at DelmonicO's, which cost little and
at which it is now quite the thing to bring
young daughters for their first introduce
ton to society. The dancing at private
houses seems to be gradually restricting
itself to germans" which employ a COM
paratively small number of the guests,
while the rest are interested spectators,
and for which the usual long, narrow
drawing room can be utilized to advan-
tage. These are practically cinderella"
dances--a fashionable London protest
against the enormity which late hours
have become in the British metropolis. a
german-that is, an ordinary one-is a
small and early affair, beginning at or 10
O'Clock and closing at / or ., and requir-
ing only light refreshments, not an ex-
travagant supper.
FEATURES OF THE SEASON.
The conspicuous features, so far as
dress is concerned, have been the revival
of the low bodice, and the extent TO which
the use of feathers and fur has been
carried. In regard to the first, evidently,
as was remarked recently, the ladies Of
what are called our chest" society do not
give the gentlemen of their acquaintance
any credit for Imagination, and are deter
mined they shall not be Ignorant of anat-
omy. The second has fully justified the
assertion made in the beginning of the
season that furS would be dominart and
mPr+- ~, 49, ~ - IO"Oio GO ~ -
one described two months ago. with the
raised flowers, or shaded and graded balls
in chenille, plush or velvet upon the
front; the plated train; the low pointed
bodice outlined with oriental
lace, and the groups of
feathers upon the left shoulder and skirt
in place of flowers and the feathers have
these great advantages, that they are soft
er and do not crush. Fur has been en-
plOyed in bands Of extraordinary depth
| both upon cloaks and dresses, the restora-
ton of the coat and pelisse forms being
| favorable to this mode of trimming. 4
striking and picturesque application of
dark fur consists in using it as a trim
ming for cashmere or India wool for in
/ door dresses. Laid in a diagonal line
/ from the shoulder to the foot Of the tunic,
/ or down each side of the front and around
/ the bottom, the effect is warm. sOftening
/ to the complexion, and highly distinctive.
/ 1t has always been common enough in
/ Russia, but here the combination has all
! the freshness of novelty, white fur or
/ swansdown having been almost the only
fur used for dress trimming.
SOME RECENT COSTUMES.
1t is not necessary to study temperature
/ in winter for indoor dresses in great cities,
! for such slight changes as occur are easily
provided for by a soft wrap or knitted
/ shoulder shawl. Ladies, therefore, can
4 follow inclination and temperament in re-
gard to the warmth of their clothing or
adapt 1t to special circumstances. In
of ~
unusual to find one lady wearing a wrap
per of India muslin over primrose silk,
| the garniture only wide rugby lace and
| floating ribbons. Another will appear in
| a warm soft robe of crimson wool with
| broad chinchilla bands folded around her
throat and stretching down to her feet
A pretty dress worn by lady recently
while receiving afternoon calls, was OF
| grey blue smoke grey), velvet clasped
with wrought silver over a full skirt front
| of ruby satin. The outstanding collar
! was lined with ruby satin and old lace
/ the lace extending in jabots down the
| sides of the front and outlining the skirt
! and its extension. The pleated back was
lined with ruby satin and turned over
| from the basque.
Among the beautiful dresses worn at a
| recent dinner one was of fine Venetian
lace, made since the recent revival Of the
manufacture, and drawn full over rich
| white silk. Tune and sleeves were edged
! with lace, and the ribbons used were ex-
! quisitely painted with lilies of the val
ley, the flowers being repeated III the
| lovely corsage and hand bouquets. The
! ornaments were single strings of pure
diamonds round the throat and round the
! wrists. Another notable dress worn on
| the same occasion was black
velvet Princesse dress, cut dag
onally across the front, which was
| draped low and outlined with amber
! beads, three rows of which fastened with
clasps, were festoOned from the shoulder
and carried across the breast as an order
1 A third dress was of mouse colored vel
vet, and with this were worn very striking
| ornaments made of polished claws and
! silver mounted.
Mrs. Langtry's dresses in ''PeriP' are
! very handsome, except the evening dress,
which is vulgarly low and striking. The
first is bronze satin, with shirred front
of India muslin over pink satin-a wide
scarf of Oriental lace is aPrayed as a col
larette fastened with pink satin ribbons
and drawn off as drapery upon the skirt,
| and the ends arranged at the back
with wide sash ends of ribbon. A
| short morning dress formed a Jacket
with vest front over skirt made of narrow
! lace plaitings-and a third indoor dress is
| of grey velvet with velvet trimmed panels
] DGIWCCu NnlCu anu HllluE III bHC lLOllb dlt
( puffs and plaitings of a soft cream-tinted
transparent fabric, probably nuns veil
ing; down the sides of the front are maca-
\ rooms of gold and silk cord, and those
also form ornaments at the back. The
evening dress before mentioned is white
satin duchesse. the front enriched with
fruits in deep shades of red. Above the
low pointed bodice is a partial vel Of
white lace and on the left shoulder a
group of blue ostrich feathers.
A bride receiving lately wore her
wedding dress of white satin, with the
! orange blossoms removed and small
| groups of white ostrich feathers tied in
their places with narrow ivory satin rib.
bons. The blossoms had been placed at
short intervals around the train on the
folds of a thick ruche. above which was a
line of lovely embroidery on silk and sill
yer. The front was Ornamented entirely
in this costly fashion, the ruching and
tied-in-feathers being repeated to form
the high jacket front.
A dress in preparation for the mother Of
a bride is of black velvet, forming raised
scroll pattern almost an inch in depth
upon the copper foundation. The long
narrow, plated train is OF the velvet
The panels are of fluted satin, outlined
with cascades of gold embroidered lace
which separate them from the satin front
which is entirely covered with lace en-
brOidered in a magnificent pattern. The
velvet in this case forms the high basque
IL.