St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-28
LONDON FASHIONS.
stern simplicity the Rule In Walk
ing Rresses--A Novel Style.

ing Rresses--A Novel style.
Some of the new dresses are so sternly
simple that only practiced eye appreciates
their cOstlineSs and merit; Others so gay and
beautiful that child would clasp his hands
in delight at tue sight of them, as at the
vision of fairy queens robe.
For instance, a new model for a walking
dress which l saw on Saturday at Nine.
Reily's illustrates the first style 10 perfec-
ton. Its simplicity is something extraOr-
binary. 1t is made of black Indian cash.
mere, having lines in IL OF black embroid-
cry. The undeISkirt Is perfectly plain and
rather narrow, with the tiniest little plait-
ing showing under its edge. This under
skirt is almost entirely hidden by the tunic,
which has an opening right from the waist
10 the bottom, just 4 little TO
the left about q finger from the
front. Near the waist, where the
tunic closes. there are two or three
small folds, forming a very slight draping;
they look as If the material had just been
lightly pushed up by a skillfuI hand and
stayed in its place by magic. The bodice
has two points ut the back and under the
right hand one there are few more of these
tiny folds, a little fuller and more generous.
otherwise the tunic is perfectly plain, and
nearly everywhere almost touches the bot
tom of the underskirt; the bodice is plain.
but exquisitely shaped. 1t is practically i'm
possible 10 do justice to this dress, which is
so profoundly simple, and yet is one OF the
most beautiful models at present vouchSafed
TO us.
And now for the contrast. For its Illus
tration Will describe dinner dress, SO
delicate, 50 serial and fine that the very
daylight OF this drear climate seems to soil
IT, ana II has to be guarded like a precious
jewel until the moment comes for its use.
1t is not thing of fairyland, as a child
would think, for il is real; but IL is an
exotic. and belongs to an exotic existence
TO life in which beauty ami exquisite deli
cacy are possible in the midst of black at
mosphere and an outer world which is
never clean. But il is very nice TO wear
these things, and never think of the brains
or care put into them, or how soon
their delicate beauty is gone. This dress,
typical of the style | am speaking of. has
the front of the skirt made of long plaits
of cream-colOred French lace. of exquisite
design and delicate as butterflies wings.
The lace commences quite narrow at the
waist, and there is something like a fan
shape at the bottom. On each side is
broad panel of crepe de chine, embroidered
in maize silk. Most lovely is this embroid-
DtdUtlIll
self Is the way in which it is shaped to the
form.It looks as if i, had just been smOOthed
over the hips and had taken the shape: no
seam, no tullneSs is there; yet the shaping
IS perfect. How this miracle is worked
the miracle worker must know. but do
not. 1t IS like looking at the feats of a
clever Juggier; one can only say, 20. of
course there must be some way of doing il
it Is not witchcraft;" yet il is amazingly
like it, The back of the skirt is made of
two sets of folds, one of the filmy cream
lace, one of rich heavy maize silk, which
meet in the middle. These fall away
from the waist in the perfect line
the absolutely right curve-without the
fainteSt suggestion of cushion or steel or
any such horror. And just at the waist the
material is lightly lifted-draped is much
too positive word-with that delightful
look have already spoken of. as if the
artist had just pushed it up little to tighten
the effect. and kept il in its place by a spell
or magic word. Stitches are inconeeiya-
bic in connection with this butterfly sort of
drapng, for it looks as if a puff of soft air
would blow it away as a thistle-down is
blown. The bottom of the folds of the rich
maize SILK Is frlnged, so that it looks al
most as this were sash put on to the
airy dress.
Bonnets are made in a sort of helmet
shape now. and the bows placed in front
rise flame-lile from the head. The flow
ers. which are to be SO much worn, stand
up on bonnet as though they grew there.
and hold their faces up to the sun as they
do in the garden. No longer is flower laid
upon bonnet The shapes are very small
aud lie close at the sides; at the back they are
calculated for the hair to be worn high on
the head. But a new mode of putting on
the strings takes away from the baroness at
the back 10 which they have now become
almost accustomed. The strings come
from right under the upright bow in front.
and pass side by side down the back of the
crown; then they separate of necessity, and.
being taken round behind the ears to meet
IN front lie smoothly on the upturned hair.
London World.