Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-08-06
FASHIONS DOMAIN.
Styles That DO Not Differ Materially from
Those OF Former Years.

- 0OhFNAAN
Styles That DO Not Dl6er Materially from
Those OF Former Years.
Now that the summer fashions have
become not a prophecy, but a inifill.
ment, 1t is rather difficult to sec bcS
they d fter very salently from those OF
last year. True. in the latest dresses
from Paris there are strange innoya-
tons, or, rather, revivals, of long past
models padded paniers, stufiing out
tho hips Ia Louis XIV, and skirts
tightly tied round the knees after the
manner allected eight years ago.
Neither OF these are particularly
graceful or becoming, and the fault OF
most OF the new French gowns is their
absence of elegant drapery a crying
sin in modern dress. IL is this stiffness
of fold and plat in skirt-this unre-
deemed tghiness of bodice. fitting
close. not to the human form divine but
10 the dressmaker's travesty thereof
which render the more untrammeled
grace of tea gowns. and the loose hang
ing fronts Of some few other dresses, so
welcome to the eye.
The tea gown now is being trans
muted into a dinner gown in some
cases, and on the stage, actresses have
gladly welcomed il for its picturesque
ness, the freedom it allows of move
ment and the relief it affords from the
stiffness Of the conventional frocks at
present in vogue, and which. with their
absence OF ira n, amplitude Of tOuJmu-e.
and total want of ''paintablencsJ, -
hopelessly mar the effect of the stage
picture and Of the wearer's movements
and acting. In truth some actresses
c9rry their appreciation Of the tea gown
too tar. and the oSerdressing. VIII ch is
the fault of the day both on and of the
stage, reaches an excess when q lady
appears in a modern comedy in her
own house at eleven a. m, in a gray
velvet and satin embroidered with sill
yer. and with tulle steel spangled front
and transparent sleeves.
Bonnets have grown ever higher and
higher. like the weeds in the sluggard' s
garden; So, following the law which
rules fashion as well as other human
matters, we may suddenly expect to see
them lowered as by one stroke of an
exrcutioner's sword. As it is, all
strings have nearly disappeared, the
height of the bonnet above the brow be-
ing found singularly unbecoming when
| combined with bow under the chin.
Whether the present mania for trans
parent head-gear will last is a matter Of
| question. Nervous and old-fashioned
mothers take alarm at il, and predict
either sun-stroke or neuralgia to the
wearers thereof, providing as the wind
blows hot or cold. That the shapes of
this years hats arc almost universally
unbecoming is generally allowed. and
wise virgins, who care more for
the charm Of their appearance than for
mere novelty, cling tothe pretty cOquet-
ush little Spanish turbans, which are
never Old-fashioned, and eschew the
high-crowned aigretted monstrosities
which nearly always call attention TO
their own nOdding splendors, and not
10 the face beneath, Of which the head
gear should be but the frame.
As frame, few hats are more be-
coming to young faces than the sailor,
which, after being unseen among Us for
nearly ten years, four years ago sud
denly sprang into life, as the most
sensible, pla'nest and pretticst hat for
girls devoted 10 tennis. %he attempt
TO turn its simplicity into suitable
head-gear for fetes or town wear, BY
tdOrning II with ribbons or flowers,
proved, as II de.erved to be, an igno-
miniou. failure. The sailors hat shows
its origin 700 plainly TO be disguised
after such fashion, and obstinately re-
fused 10 look good form" out OF its
proper sphere. But in that sphere il
has no rival. and its renaissance has
acted largely on the whole style Of ten
mis- frocks, which have grown steadily
prett er and more sensible.
Not only ribbons, furbelows and
laces, let alone those muslin gowns 50
dear to the heart of painters OF river
side scenes some few years since; not
only these are now tabOoed as unsuit-
able to boating or its kindred delights,
but women have discovered that cot
tons, frOcks, etc, on the water lose
their freshness directly, get creased and
mp and detected, and that for us. as
for men, flannel and its kindred
stuffs are the only iit river and tennis
wear. The discovery has been fol-
lowed by a bold raid on masculine
possessions in the form Of the quantity
and brightly striped oricketing fan
nels, aud by a certain approximation TO
masculine gear In the fashioning Of
skirt jacket and loosely tied silk scarf.
The skirts OF such frocks may be
made as plainly as the wearer will,
though women would do well TO re-
member that the perfectly unadOrned
house-maid skirt Is becoming to very
few. and that laveuse or fshwife
tunic and open jacket OF plain flannel
over a striped skirt and shirt are pret-
tier than a complete zebra costume, es
pecially when the stripes OF the stan
are rather voyant In color or size. Tue
red and blue is more popular than ever,
ut 10 our mind IL Is too hot for sum
mer; sea greens and dull blues are
sol er eombinatiOn-a harmony instead
OF contrast, and quite as seIyieeable.
Cotton crepe Is more used this year
than ever before. aud is now made in
many dali shades, that, together with
lis wslnkled surface, give Il the soft
charm Of an Eastern fabric Il has
the advanlaro, not always possessed by
cotton siuas, OF looking well made up
with silk or even damask or velvet;
but lace, except coarse Greek point, or
any trimming distinctiyely Western in
appearances. destroys is beauty at once.
No material Is 50 useful Tor everyday
white dresses. etc, as II need only be
washed through aud wrrng out. then
left to dry and shaken out into crinkles
at ils own sweet will, without being
i,roned or got up In any way.-M X