Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-12
FASHION FANCIES.
,vr LATEST NODES As SEEN IN NEW
YORK.
s,,n.asae characterization House
Dresses -Tailcr-Asde suits In risia'
skirts, Riaing-Hsbits, &C.
.,,....,nonaence OF the Rich ond Dispatchl

"a have q very jaunty appearance.
W,lkipg.skirts will be made little
hi shorter this season; they will only
reach to the instep.
For the autumn fashions, basques
with vests and revers remain In favor.
A neculisr form Of reyers shows the
MINER fold turned to the left, and just
below that the second revers turned to
the right, giving almost an hour-glsss
In all light walking-dresses white
lace is the principal-almost the only
c,rnituro. OF course, as the season
advances these costumes will disappear,
but at present they are in considerable
favor. Nun's-veiling, muslin, and
batiste are the most suitable materials,
ard some Of these dresses are covered
with lace.
A pretty form Cor basque shows
. wide plastron OF sursh which is made
boufIant above. but has the basque
laced across the lower half, but so
loosely that the surah shows beneath.
The prettiest house dresses for the
season are those made in French cash
mere. An exceedingly soft and delicate
material. The importation OF this
goods at present is very large, and the
iayorite colors are various shades Of
gray. from pearl to dove-color, tan.
mauye, heliotrope, salammbo, and
other shades OF blue provided they are
not too pronounced). The materials
used for gsrnishing these dresses are
MORE and velvet. Sursh can also be
used to advantage, and is really, per-
hans. more suitable. Some cashmere
costumes are made with what are
Acslled surplice fronts, in black or dark
kolored silk. A wide sash Of velvet is
$50 worn.
10 the imported walking costumes the
binations are cloth and velvet, or
N and serge, the colors being some
alike, but the velvet being usually
X than the material with which it
heed.
ID tailor-made dresses plaided mate
lsls are in high favor, and are likely
y 10 remain so for some time. Stripes
and checks are also well liked. There
Is a great variety Of these designs. The
various plaids are denominated by
Highlander's plaid, shepherds plaid,
forester's plaid, marines plaid, &C.,
and they are seen in almost all combi-
nations Of color.
Since wrote concerning the singu-
lar trade Of buying and killing cats for
their heads, which were to be used for
winter millinery, several other concerns
have undertaken the business besides
the one mentioned.
have no doubt this strange device
will be adopted on winter millinery, as
the ladies here are wearing some ex-
ceedingly curious head-gear. One bon
net recently seen had the breast and
wings Of a bird, with the legs and claws
displayed in an attitude which was, to
say the least, peculiar.
Probably a few years ago it was sup
posed that the art Of manufacturing
dress fabrics had reached its limit Of
excellence, and that the fabrics then
manufactured could never be surpassed
yet every day We see new fabrics or
old fabrics so improved as to be practi-
cally new materials. Brocades, to
choose an instance, are now so manu-
featured that the figures embossed upon
them almost emulate Rubens's dish Of
GIuit--you would like to pick them up.
Walking. dresses in this material arc
made with q skirt consisting Of three
panels Of the brocade--a broad centre
one in front and two narrower side
panels. Tie oyerdrapery, which is Of
cloth, is so arranged as to entirely ex-
pose the bIocade portion Of the skirt,
but is made boufGant behind. The
basque is simple and is of Jersey cloth,
offset with collar, reyers, and cuffs OF
velvet.
The lists Of expensive fabrics which
tie leading dry-goods houses show are
almost appalling. Satins are shown in
eigh,y.three different shades rhs-
danes, velve,s, brocades, silks, and
|mournipg-goods in almost endless
variety appear. 1t is expected that
velvet will be used very extensively
during the latter part Of the fall and
throughout the winter for entire cos
tunes consequently, importers are re-
e.iving case after case of the most ex-
Quisite varieties. Striped velvet will
eppear very largely in skirt. and bodice
trimmings for costumes, Of which the
body material is also velvet. Some Of
these fabrics are covered with designs
| in little satin flowers in brilliant colOrs.
Some Of the new woollen materials
are quite as heavy as are those worn by
gentlemen. These dresses are necessa-
|Iily draped very simply, and there Is
little opportunity for trimming.
The skirts on riding.habits are short
er. Some very neat habits are made in
scarlet and gray, trimmed with black
braid on the basque. These riding
habits are made to fit the form ex-
|quisitely. and very skilful tailOrs are
Employed in their production. Dress
making has become such an art, how
ever, that ladies' costumes fit them
nowadays without q wrinkle; and,
indeed, it is largely due to this exact
science that We see so many pretty
figures on the streets in comparison to
those formerly noticed.
wonder if the invention of delicate
white-lawn housekeeping aprons im-
ported from France will induce any of
our fashionable grande danes to de-
kcend to the kitchen and superintend
|the cookings These novelties are al
pnost tempting enough for anything.
Embroidered, ruflied, and lace-hounced,
khey parody the use for which they are
hominally intended.
The taste in hosiery seems to be get
frg even little worse than before.
be latest patterns in silk stockings
Dow large black-and.yellow checks.
@. Ii. NJ
Earthquake I'm New England.
Ipropos OF the Charleston catastro
u d. A II Il