Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-06-23
LONDON FASHIONS.
Stern Simplicity the Rule In Walking
Dresscs-A Novel observation-disclosures
t.OnnrtS,

Some of the new dresses are so stern
ly simple that only practiced eye APP
prcciNtes their costliness and merit;
others so gay and beautiful that child
would clasp its hands in delight at the
sight of them, MS the vision OF fairy
queens robe.
For instance new model for walk
ing dress which | saw lately at Nine.
Riely's illustrates the first style to perfec-
ton. Its simplicity is something posi-
lively extraordinary, 1t is made of
black Indian cashmere, having lines in
it of black emil dery. The mdcrskirt
is perfectly pain and rather narrow,
with the tinicst little plating showing
under its edge, This underSkrt is al
most hidden by the tunic, which has an
opening right from the waist to the bot
tom, Just little to the left, about fin
gGr from the front. Near the waist,
where the tunic closes, there are two or
three small folds, forming very Sight
draplng; they look as if the material
iad been lightly pushed up by skillful
il nd and stayed in its place by magic.
Tie bodice has two points at the back,
and under the right hand one there are
few more of those tiny folds little full
cr and more numerous. Otherwise the
tunic is perfectly plain, and nearly
everywhere almost touches the bottom
of the underskirt; the bodice is plain,
but exqustely shaped. 1t is practically
impossible TO do justice to this dress,
which is so profoundly simple and yet
is one of the most beautiful models mt
present vouchsafed to us.
And now for the contrast For illus
tration will describe II dinner dress, so
delicate SO aerial and fine that the very
daylight of this drcar climate seems TO
soil it, and it has TO be guarded like Il
precious jewel until the moment comes
for its use. II is not II thing OF fairy
land, rs child would think. for it is
real; but it is an exotic, and belongs TO
IN exotic eXistcncc--to Il life in which
beauty and exquisite dclicacy are posi-
BILE in the midst of black atmosphere
and an outer world which is never
clean. But it 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, typ
ical of the style am speaking of, has
the front of the skirt made of long plaits
of cream-colored French lace of exqui-
site design and delicate as butterflies
wings. The lace commences quite mar
now at the waist, and there is some
thing like fan shape ut the bottom.
On each side is II broad panel of crepe
de chine embroidered in maize silk.
Most lovely is this embroidery material,
but more beautiful than itself is the way
in which it is shaped to the form. 1t
looks as if it had been smoothed over
the hips and had taken the shape; no
seam, no fullnesS is there; yet the ,iap-
ing is perfect How this nn..,le IS
worked the miraclc-worker must hGow,
but do not. 1t is like looking II; the
fcats of u clever iugglcr; one can only
say, 'Oh, of course there must be some
way OF doing tit is not witchcrait;n
yet it is amazingly like it! The back Of
the skirt is made Of two sets Of folds,
one of the iilmy cream lace, one CT the
rich heavy maize silk, which meet in
the middle These fall away from the
waist in the perfect lhc-the absolutely
right curve without the faintest Sug-
gcstion of cushion or steel or any such
horror And just at the waist the ma
tcrial is lightly lifted-'raped is much
too positive Il word--with that delight
full look ! have alrcad Y spoken Of, rs if
the artist mad just pushed it up little
to tighten the effect and kept it in its
place by Il spell or Il magic word.
Stitches are incOnccivable in connection
with this light, butterfly sort Of drapiEg,
for it looks rs if Il putl OF soft mir would
blow it away rs ~ thistlc-down IN Il
bloom. The bottom OF the folds of the
rich maize silk is lringcd, so that it
looks almost as ii his were sash put
on to the airy dress.
Bonncts are made in sort OF helmet
shape now, and tue bows placed in
front rise tlame-ikc from the head.
The flowers which are 10 be so much
worn, stand up on Il bonnet as though
they grew there, and hold their faces up
20 the sun as they do in the garden No
longer is flower laid upon u bonnet.
The shapes are very small and lie close
at the sides; at the back they are caIcu-
lated for the hair to be worn high
on the head, But new mode of put
ting on the strings takes away from the
baroness at the back to which VIC have
now become almost accustomed. The
strings come from right under the up.
right bow in front, and pass side by
side down the back of the crown; then
they separate OF necessity, and being
taken around behind the ear TO meet in
front, lie smoothly on the uptprncd hair.
.-LOndOR World.