The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-03-12
LOYAL WOMANS WORK
Eoman'S Exhibit at New Orleans and
the Spring Fashions.

The woman's Exhibit at the New Orleans
Exposition is exciting considerable interest.
ALTHOUGH not so snowy as that OF the Ccnten-
1sial il is pronounced much more mert0Tlous.
Besid. the standard displays of domestic prod
ucts y canned fruits, jellIes, preserves and so
on "a which women have long eNceIiedl, as
-Fel IS of enbroiderics, knitting, crochet and
ornamental work generally, beautiful specl-
aaens of wood carving. pottery, products OF silk
culture and ornamental tiles are on exhibition,
, cry crCditable TO the busy hands which nave
Ges ned and perfected them.
Sis culture is becoming an extensive indus
f-v for women. to which end the National Ass0-
,iation at Philadelphia Is largely contributing.
,the ps1sentatIOn. by women interested, 10 the
Ijou-c and Senate. before the close OF the Con-
,-res staaal sess. Oh. of flags made from SILK
s,roy;t spun Owed and woven by women, has
brought the Importance of this industry promi-
! ,utv To the front And 1t is believed tlStt
Ise New Orleans Exposition will do much to-
ards disseminating a knowledge OF the fact
laat American women working in their own
homes can make silk as marketable, and in as
great demand, as WAS the linen which their
great rrandmothers brought III shining folds
lrom the loom, or the webs Of flannel with
which their gIaBdmolhers clad their house
J.o,,is The women of the country, both East
IA West, are doing q great deal of work IN this
l.e and have shown that silk from worms fed
"a Usage orange, while losing some OF the deli
,icy of fiber resulting from mulberry food,
aims In strength, and is a useful textile
l-oduct
Th, best examples of the improved work Of
woman, showing what she can do when she mas
the opportunities placed before her, IS shown
il the superb collection OF faience. or decorated
lottery: elaborate carvings and hammered
rasses placed on exhibition by the women OF
ohio particularly of Cincinnati. This city has
,ng been the art center Of the West, and the
Number of women employed, with the superior
Quality of work done, is of paramount interest,
not ouly as an advance in art culture, but as
presenting a probable solution of the labor
tacstion. viz, aifording new employment for
lGle hands.
SPRING FASHIONS
As the season has fully set in for making-up
ard making-oyer, it may be well TO glance at
some Of the incoming styles.
Partisan fashions quick to reach us now
a-2ays, and for misses aud children we find the
russian blouse is all the rage i'll Paris. 1t is
made with a belt and skirt, buttons down the
left side with very small buttons, and is trim
med with galoon around the bottom.
Fiat collars and cuffs are more in favor than
outings and ruchings, though it is still fashion
able 10 wear what is becoming to a certain eX-
tent. Fine batiste collars, which fall over the
Straight collar of the dress are to superSede the
saFk ncck-wear 50 much worn OF late.
NelyeteenS in many new shades and colorS
appear among the iavorite Spring fabrics Vel
vet bourette makes its appearance among the
Summer fabrics.
The extremes Of style, as worn by the genuine
Duie-ine are, waist pinched very small, hair
very high. hustle immense and shoulders square
and high. and shoes very tight and narrow.
The fashionable basque is very long IN the
waist and very short in the skirt, frequently
not ever an inch or two III length.
Pain costumes of all sorts are transformed
into dressy ones by the addition of lace scarts,
plaStrons, fichus or other novel devices.
Folds are used instead of fiounces to trim
dress skirts, sometimes extending upwards
nearly TO the waist.
The prevailing styles for Spring dresses will
be long waists, full skirts, sleeves full and high
on the shoulders and tight below the elbows,
with draperies very plain, or very fantastic.
The old-fashioned melon waists" or organ
pleats, are revived, to be worn under the cuta-
way Zouave jacket which reach but two or
three inches below the arm-pitS and show the
pleets below.
All white or cream hats will be worn by
children, with trimmings OF the same shade.
Heimet-shaped straw bonnets are among the
1avorite Spring styles for young ladies.