Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-10-22
WOOL COSTUMES.
esaes Worn by the Leaders OF FasAion-
Novel C0mhln Atoms.

oaaes Worn by the Leaders OF FasAion-
! Novel C0mbiaa tiona.
Wool costumes are most largely i'm
ported at this season. because the taste
at present dictates wool for street
suits. These suits. however. are in two
distinct styles. those from Paris being
combinations of two fabrics, with wool
predominating rs the over-dress, and
the preference being for smooth cloths.
while English gowns are entirely of one
material. which is usually homespun.
serge boucle or other rough-surfaced
stuff.
The tavorite combinations for French
costumes consist of the smooth-finished
Amazon or ladies' cloth for the basque,
drapery and jacket. with a skirt, vest.
collar and cuffs of velvet or of plush.
or else of figured cloth, wool. with
rough SOucle or Astrakhan stripes or
borders. or it may be stripes of velvet
or plush on wool ground. The new
est dresses are without founces. and
have very few plaits in the lower skirt.
Plain velvet or plush skirts are revived,
to be worn under cloth or camel s-hair
Over-dressas. The plain skirt is about
two yards and a quarter wide. is SIM
ply hemmed or finished with q braid,
and is mounted on foundation skirt
which it entirely cOnceals. The full
ness of this straight skirt is massed in
the back. and in many cases the velvet
only extends halfway up the founda-
ton skirt, as the upper part is con-
cealed by the overskirt. The present
fancy, however. is for showing the vel
vet quite high on the hips, or at least
on one hip. making it visible all the
way up to the belt If any plaits are
used in this skirt, they are laid in the
parts disclosed by the drapery and also
in the back. Some skirts are three
yards or more in width, and arc laid
smooth and plain in front for the space
of half a yard, and then turning back
ward in large shallow side plaits, with
deeper folded plaits in the back.
dresses is made very long in front and
back. and very short on the sides. be-
ing sometimes omitted altogether on
the sides. so as to show the rich fabric of
the lower skirt from waist to foot. The
apron is festoOned and wrinkled across,
or else it is laid in flat kilt plaits pressed
into shape. Very fancifu! cords drape
these aprons, or else they are orna-
mented with plaques, or there may be
braid or bead ornaments set over the
open space on the hips, or the cords
may be festooned across this space.
The back drapery in straight flowing
lines is occasionally seen on these cos
TUNES, but the French modistes still give
bouEa ant effects by added length at the
top dropping down in Bedouin folds
and in soft poufs. Sashes arranged in
wide, long loops and ends are added to
many dresses, especially if the over
skirt is in straight plaits. There are
also sash effects made of the material,
when it is soft and not too heavy. in the
ways during the summer. Two steels
and cushion pad are again used across
the back of the lower shirt, but there is
an effort to do away with the heavy
cushion and use third steel in It's
place, or else plaitings or wigging are
sewed inside below the belt. Alpaca is
more used every season for foundation.
skirts, as the low-priced silks do not
wear as well as the strong wool of the
dress; this skirt supports both the over
skirt and lower skirt, which are at
tached to it permanently, covering it
thoroughly, but without being doubled
upon it in any part, as the object is to
make the shirt of az light weight as
possible. -Ha1per' Bazar.