, 1885-12-24
Fashion Notes and Noysltier.
A CHAprER oE ClRsErs

In reading one cf the New York
journals some time ago / was very
much interested in an article written
about corsets. The writer says:
"All OF our lady readers over sc
years Of age can remember when
the corset was very different gar
ment to the corset Of today. The
change has been gradual but sure
Thirty years ago, what with steel
whalebone, and shape that put TIE
wearer In tortures TO lace it, whether
loosely or tight, the corset was the
sure destroyer of the health OF
women. 1t Was q much longer gar.
ment than the corset of today and Its
sUeels and bones We're of almost un
yielding stiffness. Now corsets are
made short on the hips and low il
the bosom and back. They follow
the lines of the figure, and are in.
tended not to support or compress it,
but merely to afford al under waist
which viii prevent the unseemly
wrinkling OF the body of the dress
worn over IL. Very little steel is
used, and that little is as flexible as a
watch spring, though of course little
stronger. Cords and fine whaIebone
stiffcn French and some American
corsets. but of late years a new tex
tile, the strong, elastic fibres of the
Mexican ixtle plant, has come large
ly into use for this purpose, and
manly through the patient research.
scientific botanical knowledge and
enterprise of New England manu-
facturer. Millions of the corsets of
these manufacturers are worn hv
American women. They are sold
under the name OF caroline corsets-
mere arbitrary term applied to the
ixtle fibre by the manufacturers. So
great Is their popularity that there is
an ever increasing demand for tnem. y
Now L consider this q great ad
vancement made in corsets. | have
worn one OF these cOrsets over a year.
They do not break as the best whale
bone does, and never pierce the BODY
with broken edges; they are as shape
ly, easy and elegant as French cor
set, and will out last the best French
corset ever imported, and cost moi
half so much.
4 CHAPTER ON HATS.
Now that winter is upon us, and
as winter IN our northern climate is
always cold, good, substantial and
warm clothing is in great demand,
and no one knows this better than
the dry goods dealer. How much is
suggested in the colors, and truly,
how much influence the climate has
on fashions" As the weather grows
colder we naturally want those at
tractive, rich, warm colors-garnet,
dregs of wine-and all of the pretty
shades in red, with orange and green
(olive) combined, for our wraps
and head gear In hats, there can be
no question as to what is popular
now or what will be worm" The
controversy is at last settled. The
high crown takes the lead. The
''pampero" is the faYorite, and no
wonder; a very pretty and romantic
story is told in one of the eastern
miliiner's gazetts, telling how this
pretty bat was made: A gentleman
with his lady love was strolling
through green shady grove, and
after seating themselves on one of
the rustic seats, the gentleman being
of a creative turn began at once to
gather leaves and vines. Soon he
had hat constructed of them. He
placed it on the lady's head and she
wore it homo. Espying herself in a
mirror. she was SO pleased with the
shspe that she took it at once TO
a manufacturer and let him
usS it as a model; bence the
''pampero"-purely love inspira-
ton These pretty shapes can now
be had in felt and straw, also buck
rum. Many come covered with silk
jersey cloth. They come in all of
the lovely shades in brown and the
warm greys.
Hats for little girls arc of the
pretty wide awake sailor's-always a
pretty hat. Although the season has
introduced many positive contrasts in
chapeaux, and it would seem, Judging
from the decorations alone, as if
gaudiness were the key note, yet so
much care is taken in the arrange
ment of the bright bits that they are
rather welcome sight during dull
and dreary days.
Ribbons, especially those of satin
with fancy edge, are in great favor
for cockades and Alsatian bows.