The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-01-08
FOR THE LADIES'.
Charming Fashions of n Hundred Years
Ago Revived by Modistes.
Why Rough-Faced Goods Are so Popular
Plush Fashionable for Hats and
BOnnets.
OLD STYLES REVIVED.

OLD STYLES REVIVED.
Nothing is truer than that there is
nothing new under the sun. Here we
are in the latter half of the nineteenth
century and we are wearing the self
same styles for evening which were
worn i'm the time of Marie AntOinette.
Tho old brocades. Of which tiny bits are
extant, are being copied in the looms of
Lyons, cOloring and design complete.
The newest imported dresses are re-
markable for their simple and plain de-
signs. Plain straight skirts of plush,
with, perhaps, a panel Of brocade of
suitable color, are combined with a
| plain basque having a brocade vest and
plain lacing of medium-sized cords.
There are also plain skirts of faille Fran
caise. with plush borders that are very
handsome. Then the Beatrice velvet
skirtings are also very rich and much
worn by ladies on the other side. These
are made straight around and shirred
into Il yoke ut the waist. at times the
shirring being 81 deep that the basque
does not entirely cover it. Plain styles
have much to commend them, but it is
not every lady who can gracefully wear
them. Take IA beautiful woman of
stylish appearance and let her wear a
severely plain dress of satin, brocade,
or velvet, with Il little fine old lace ut
the neck and wrists, Il small bunch of
flowers at the wrist or in her hair, and
she will be the acknowledged best dress
ed woman in the assembly; but take
care how you copy her, for the result
may be disastrous. Superb effects pro-
duced by elegant materials cannot be
obtained in cheap ones. Less expensive
goods require more trimming. You
cannot make up Il plain gros grain at
$3.50 per yard after the same style of a
plush or q velvet that costs from $12 to
$40 per yard.
After extreme h%esitancy in regard to
the admittance OF blue to favor, the
matter is finally settled, and there are
the blue alpacas and blue wool laces
and braid united with silver tinsel for
the trimming; there is a mingling of
red and blue lace also used. The two
colors combined need great tact. Some
of the blue and red toilets seen this
season on the street are too glaring;
just a modicum of red should be seen
for good taste, simply perhaps for a mar
row vest II standing collar and. cuffs
trimmed with rows of silver or white
wool braid or narrow black Hercules
braid; the overskirt of the same color
may be trimmed similarly. The bonnet
or hat of blue straw or plush is trimmed
with wool lace and Midas ears of ribbon
loops adorn the sides. The pouf on
such a hat is cut straight and lined
with n rather stiff lace to keep in form.
The queen did not succeed so well in
getting her ~favorite poplins popularized
this season. either in this country or in
England. In England they are being
used for upholstery, and for this purpose
they are really more appropriate than
for dress goods. There is an uncom-
promising stiffness abour the fabric
which can hardly be overcome. For
children's kits il does well.
Great exception is taken i'm certain
circles i'm London to Lady Constance
Towards book on etiquette, and al
though il is Il help to those who do not
know the rules in all their rigor. il is
true that those who do not know are
generally those who do not need to
know. In spite Il Lady Constance.
there are people vino insist on leaving a
pack of calling cards everywhere they
90. Two cards ought to be enough for
any house: one for the lady thereof and
another for her daughters or the stran-
ger within her gates. As we are adopt
ing English customs more and more,
Lady Constancc'S book would not be
amiss to Il young lady's desk, although
no help could he more adequate than
Mrs. Sherwood's manners and Social
Usages." published by the Harpers.-
Miladelphu .AeWs.