Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-08

siage.wraps used IN the evening py
those who wear seal cloaks in the day,
As they are really the only wraps that
are warm enough to exchange with
seal cloaks. Mink Innings are now
| n great favor; the all-gray Innings
made of the back OF squirrels are
used; also, those Of the whole
skins Of squirrels that are partly white.
The newest circulars have shirred
shoulders and standing collar that IS
trimmed with fur. Armure and otto
man silks are the materials most used
for circulars, while camel's-hair cloths
are chosen when wool is preferred.
The only trimming is the narrow high
collar Of black marten, black iox, or
Russian hare.
COLLARS AND MUFFs.
A set Of furs TO be worn with any
wran not trimmed with fur now con-
s;sts of a small collarette with square
tabs in front. reaching only half way
70 the waist, and q small round muff,
or else the newer fiat muff, curved
slightly, and called the crescent null
this new muf is very light and made
up softly, so that young ladies orna-
ment il by passing ribbon Ito match
the dress) through it, and tying it in
large bow on top. The long chasuble
collar with deep fronts, like mantilla,
is worn with o fiat muff permanently
attached to ii at the waist line. Mink
furs are restored to favor for brown
sets and rival those of natural beaver,
which are so much worn by young la
dies. while chinchilla remains their
choice in gray furs. Stone-marten is
also revived, especially for an old muff
that may be worn with any costume,
and the same is true Of the wolverine
mufIs and those made of brown bear
skins. The dark flsher-tail muffs and
those Of sea-otter and Of sable are the
most distinguished choice. Seal-skin
and the black Persian lamb sets are
chosen by those who prefer short furs,
while the long, fluffy fox furs are liked
both for warmth and beauty.
FUR TRIMMINGS.
Fur trimmings are the fashionable
garnature of the season for outside
wraps and street costumes, and have
also made their appearance in evening
dresses Of white satin and pale tints Of
rose, yellow, and blue. These trim
miDgs are not used merely as borders,
but as pendent fringes of tails, in
lengthwise rows, panels, vests, plas-
irons, bindings, and in full rolls down
the front Of garments to initiate boss.
Borders vary in width from three or
four to six or eight inches. All
well-prepared borders of fur are
now faced with muslin or silk, so
that an amateur can sew them
on by passing the needle through
the stiff facing instead of through
the pelt. Those who do not
trust themselves to do this send the
completed garment to the furrier, who
charges from so cents to 81 yard for
sewing on the fur. Tail trimmings
made entirely Of the tails of the animal
across or down the borders, showing
waves and shades Of the fleece effect
lively, are the most costly borders.
There are also fringes Of hanging natu-
raj tails, OF of 4" made tails" formed by
doubling the fur and pointing it below.
The valuable Russian sables for trim
ming velvet and cloth garments are
shown in tail borders at s85 a yard,
while the Hudson-Bay sables aye $50.
Mink-tail borders are in great vogue
with pendent tails below, and there are
borders of the skins Of the animals held
in such favor that all the mink tippets,
yictorines, and large mufis of twenty
years ago are fast being cut up into
them. These brown furs are used not
only on brown fabrics and on seal-skins,
but on cloths Of any color-green. red,
or blue-but they are not effective on
black. A popular trimming, which is
also exceedingly fashionable and not
very costly, is the black marten or
Alaska sable, which is now thoroughly
deodorized, and is seen on the richest
imported garments of cloth, velvet,
plush, or seal-skin; it costs from $3.50
to sl0 a yard. Natural beaver remains
in favor because it is durable, uncol-
ored fur Of excellent brown shades,
suitable for trimming any color but
black, and is sold plucked of all its
coarse, long hairs, leaving velvet-like
fleece, or else only three quarters
plucked, when it resembles fine otter.
The colored beavers called black beaver
are handsome either for black or color
ed garments, and are especially liked
when plucked of three quarters of their
long hairs. The black Persian lamb, as
lustrous as silk, is a choice wavy black
fur, and is preferred to the more curled
and woolly-looking Astrakhan, with
which it is often COMPOUNDED. These
curled furs and the long, glossy black
fox, the black lynx, and the
cheap Russian hare-the latter
at only eighty-five cents a yard-are the
black trimmings most used not only for
ladies in mourning, but on garments OF
every color. The sea-otter grows more
scarce and costly each season. Brook
otter is less rare, and is very handsome
when natural and unplucked; when all
its coarse hairs are plucked it can
scarcely be distinguished from natural
plucked beaver, but is shorter in pile,
and shows white to the pelt when
blown apart, while beaver is drab or
fawn color at the roots. Seal-skin is
now used for trimmings, and chin
chilla remains in favor for young
ladies' and children's wraps. The
silver-fox, with finely-tipped edges,
is fashionable, but is fragile and sxpen-
sive. 'Coon-skins have effective gray
brown shadings almost as handsome as
fox-skins, and are much used for young
people. The light yellow-brown bad
gers skins are seen on many imported
garments, and, like natural lynx, are
fayorite trimming with English women.
White fox is used for opera cloaks and
evening wraps, while ermine is confined
10 Innings. Stone-marten furs are re-
yiyed as trimmings, and the curly gray
! krimmer is liked for gray costumes and
! for children's wraps and caps. A
| novelty is the use Of brown bear-skins
for borders these are coarse but durable
and very effective, resembling the popu-
lar black marten.