Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-07-18
Summer Weeds.

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There is . great deal of uncertainty
in the minds Of ladies who are sudden I
~ called upon to assume mourning at
tire as to the resources in this direction
for comfortable Summer wear. Indeed,
what is called sdeep" mourning-that
is, mourning which involves the depths
of darkest wool and double English
crape-can not be made agreeable wear
with the thermometer in the eighties
and nineties; but there is for those who
have passed the Grape season a variety
OF lovely mourning fabrics; and so fine
and choice are they in shade, texture,
finish and in the character of their de-
signs-for nothing pronounced is toler-
ated in mourning-that many ladies
who prefer black for general wear at ali
seasons buy at a mourning store for the
sake of obtaining the general and UNI
%obtrusive qualities which characterize
mourning materials. twenty-five or
thirty years ago certain houses which
made m%ourninga speciality were among
the best known in New York City.
Their fashions were regularly chron-
icled, and the fine spun %gradations and
customs they made an effort to intro.
duce were the cause of so much rid1cule
that it doubtless had something to do
with discrediting the whole system. At
that time jet, as an Ornamental addition
to the of the designer and
modiste, was confined to mourning, and
purple, violet, mauve and white, in
conjunction with black, were all mourn
ing at its different stages, as distinctly
as black itself. But gradually jet and
the modest gray and neutral shades Be-
came absorbed in the swift current of
ever-changing fashion, and mourning
proper was compelled to relinquish the
most of its accessories, and rely upon the
depth and unity Of its belongings for
the recognition of its character and
Office. Mourning to-day therefore is
more limited in its scope and more cost.
ly because more refined and distinctive
in its characteristics. It addresses it.
self to a more restricted class, 4rr the
majority can not carry out the require
ments of modern mourning toilets, or
sacrifice the wardrobe which thew al.
ready possess:
In fine woods the favorite materials
are a lovely quality of nuns yelling in
two grades, both pure wool and very
fine, but one smoother than the other.
"Camels hair grenadine is a fine open
worked wool that makes up in con-
junction with silk surah, gros-gain, or
armure, and is durable as pretty and
lady-like. The width OF these materials
averages forty-four inches and the cost
is one dollar per yard. This is a suifi-
GENTLY low price; but to be effective as
mourning they must be made up over
plain foulard,, which is also one dollar
per yard and only twenty-seven inches
the finest knife pleating of the material
itself, as this is the only trimming which
is permitted, with the exception of the
interior %pleatings OF crepe lisse, which
may show a. line of white inside the
black. A secondary quality of camel's
hair grenadines has a speckle of white
silk running through it, which lightens
it somewhat, but it also lowers the tone
and renders it less elegant, as we'll as
less adapted to the structures of present
requirements.
The silks show much diversity with
in their quiet range, and are so good in
shade and pure in texture that they are
always desirable, in Or out of mourn
ing. Lighter than Armure, which is a
favorite with older women, are the
surahs, the plain and figured foulards,
the black pongees. and the sewing-silk,
or "Armure' grenadines. The surah
makes, perhaps, the most youthful Of
summer mourning dresses, and is so
light in weight a. to be very pleasant
wear; for unlike the grenadines, either
in silk or wool, 1t needs no lining and
can be made up of itself, if a very cool
dress is needed, without any interme-
diary. 1t must, of course, be trimmed
with itself in knife plaitings, folds or
plaitings; and there is. indeed, nothing
else that looks so we'll. The silk grena-
dimes of best qualities are much more
expensive. They range from $3.50 to
$500 per yard, and must needs be
made over silk so that the cost is en-
HANGED. Then they are narrow, and as
%plaitings of the same must be used for
trimming, the whole cost is brought up
to a somewhat alarming height; but the
dress always looks SO distinguished,
though so quiet, and is good through
and through, down to the last thread.
Some very good brocaded silks are
shown in gray upon black, the gray be-
ing in outline and used as shading in
the formation of the designs which x
hibit generally oval or cone-shaped pat
terms, or pear-shaped, with leaves. For
morning wear, the Scotch ginghams in
gray and white and black and white
checks are in great demand this season,
the finish, when a dressy finish is re-
quired. being plain black ribbon bows.
the style of making being simple and de-
pending upon tucking or folds cross-cut
for it's effects. The muslins are revived
in gray and black upon white, and show
some lovely shaded patterns which
many ladies admire and purchase, who
are not in mourning. There are dull
are used sparingly, principally upon
bonnets, when Grape is left off; but there
is an entire absence of lace and all
bright or glossy fabrics or trimmings
for a year or longer if tho wearer
chooses. 1t very often happens that
elderly ladies suffer one loss after
another until the habit of wearing black
or gray fabrics become established and
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