Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-26

70 the foot. The basque is pointed,
short, and without pleats; V Of the |
wide galloon trims il in front and back,
and large bow with sash ends |
falls on the tournure, being set on |
the back just below the waist-line. |
A m're elegant black dress is Of
BeDgaline, with velvet for the vest, and |
asingle deep fall Of black bison lace |
gathered under short front and side |
drapery. and covering the foundation |
skirt. The basque has a narrow vest,
all in one piece of velvet, with row of
jet buttons each side, and laced across
with silk cord. The high collar has
velvet in front of it the width of the
top Of the vest, and the velvet cuff has
lace laid in folds above it. The Ben
galiDe drapery is a twisted scarf
above the deep laee-fall in front.
while the back is in two pointed
wings that have three wide-pleated
flounces between. Other black dresses
combine watered silk with a Ben
gaiine oyerdress, using it for the front
Of the skirt entirely, or else with merely
front and back breadth. For summer
there are very pretty dresses of black
surah, with fan apron edged with wide
lace, and some runles Of lace or of
snrah at the foot, or else the skirt and
overskirt are made of stripes Of satin
and MORE, while the basque is of plain
sufah; the latter is an economical
dress, as it does not require lace for
trimming. Very rich black dresses for
summer are made Of China Grape en-
broidered or brocsded for the skirt, while
the overdress is made of lace, either
entirely of piece-lace or else of lace
fiounces formed into lengthwise stripes
that alternate with bands Of plain Grape
or Of watered silk. These Grape and
lace dresses take the place Of the bro
caded grenadines formerly used, while
beaded grenadine is now employed as
parts Of combination black dresses.
The beaded grcnadine basque and front
breadths are preferred to the velvet
figured grenadines of last year. and
these dresses usually have a mantle of
the same to 90 with them.
PLAIN DRESSES.
From reading the descriptions above
Of handsome dresses the reader will see
that it is an easy matter to make plain
dresses. and that the combinations also
permit greater economy than was
formerly possible. One evidence Of the
return Of simple styles is that statesmen
suggest sixteen yards OF plain silk for
a dress, instead of twenty, as they did
last spring. This smaller quantity can
be used because there are fewer ilounces
and pleatings, and these are more scant
than formerly, as many tlounces are
gathered and bias, and pleatings
are not deeply Tapped. The dress, how
ever, which has no flounceS or
pleats except the dcpassam (or box
pleatcd frill at the foot of the false
skirt is the most economical draks, and
also the lightest weight for summer
wear. Imagine this dress made of
beige, bison cloth, mOhair, striped wool,
or any other fabric sold at the popular
prices Of GO or IS cents yard The
false skirt can be Of alpaca of the same
color, with a dcpasSdm three inches
wide at the foot. The wool goods,
crinoline-lined and set on this lining
quite plain, may extend higher on the
sides or in front. or wherever the drapery
is caught up highest. The apron has
curved wrinkles from the right side
down, and falls in folds on the left. The
back has the pleated pointed overskirt
already noted. The basque, Of the
simplest shape, must be given an air Of
style by high officers collar covered
with velvet or with rows Of braid, and
the cuffs should match; then a vest Of
the same trimming only two inches
wide should be set down the front be-
tween two rows Of buttons and button
holes. If pOlonaiSe suit is preferred
the skirt may be quite plain, and the
polonaise have short curved paniers in
front, with long full breadths that cover
the entire back.
NOVELTIES.
Byron collars of "solid" jet, with
two scarfs Of beaded net to tie below
the throat. are shown to wear with
black dresses.
Black lace jackets are revived, and
are now made Of piece lace cut with
darts, and side forms precisely as
basques are. One Of the prettiest of
French thread net has five deep points
on its edge, covered with lace laid in
accordion pleats. A palm-leaf of jet is
above each point.
Swiss girdles, pointed above and be-
low the waist both in front and behind,