The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-04

Ii only had them at home, think. Not
SO much because of the difference in price
because where prices are low, somebody
suffers-but because OF the texture and the
effective lettering
EXTRAvAGANr AMERICANS.
On the other hand, rich women and act.
resses come here from all over the world
with orders for the most extravayant tot
lettes A wedding dress made recently for
an American bride cost 10, 900 francs-$2,-
00) for the dress alone. 1t was made and
designed by a modiste, who has had the
honor of making some gowns for Mrs.
Cleveland, who is however, not at all so
extravagant; and she is now making some
beautiful costumes, one of Genoa red silk for
young lady of Brooklyn, n. Y, and
pelisses of changeable silk, which go to
Cleveland, o. The red, silk gown has vest
and wide sash front of full, pink crepe-de-
chine and q sash of the same is k0otted on
the side over the skirt, which is simply
draped upon the front.
Many American women are very much
dissatisfied becaus the skirts of the dresses
shown them by the best modiStes are SO
nearly straight, and because they have seen
before nearly all there is of design as APP
piled to gowns and garments. I'VE ex-
pected, they say, something entirely new
III Paris" Yet they would not wear the
direct lire coat or the short wasted dress of
the empire upon any consideration. Their
"new" thing must be both conventional
aud commonplace; and it must have been
for such that "drapery" was invented, and
the eternal see-saw movement which marks
the ordinary changes in what is called
fashion, from one year to another
AS Worth once remarked, There is
class of ladies who are not so particular
about what they get, as that it shall be
different from what they have had BEFORE"
After all, differences in effect are so much
a matter of DETAIL of touches, Of an eye to an
artistic result, that the best modistes rarely
plan costume entirely beforehand; they
leave the finish to be decided after founda-
tions have been laid and construction taken
place.
The work-rooms of great modistes are
no longer called shops, but studios, ateliers;
for the combinations, forms, colors and the
successful acquisition of an harmonious
tone or whole, are Onl y obtained by an art
lists quahties-aptitude, industry, persever
ence, skill and experience. Selection and
blending of shades and colors particularly
require these qualifications; and usually
there is one person in an establishment
not always its head-who, without being
able to work in detail, can detect uuerr
ingly wrong note in a composition of
color.
The other day such one was called in to
decide between different kinds Of embroid-
cred ornamentatiou to be applied TO a rioh
velvet, with an undertons of color. She
discarded three or four at once, and added
to the remaining one point of light, which
developed the almost invisible tone and pro
duced precisely the effect desired.
1t is possible to put any amount of cost
upon dress, by adding to it real lace, rich
hand embroidery and particularly the
splendid work which has recently been
developed in jeweled embroidery, colored
silks upon lace, threads of precious metal
and fine stones The application of colored
silks to real laces is as yet only being made
in Italy and has not been brought even to
Paris, except by order. 1t is very beauti-
full, but very expensive and quite novel.
1t must not be COMPOUNDED with colored,
machine-made blondes, or hand made tor
chons, splashed with crude blues, reds and
yellows. 1t is work, of which small piece
is a possession like bit of old paint or an
antique brocade; only this is the work of the
present, not of the past.
Three years ago the novelty in Paris was
in silks and shaded chenilles, to-day it is the
application of fine stones, small as seeds and
of different colorS and kinds to hand en-
broidery. Sometimes they are mixed with
silks sometimes with gold or silver thread
or both. Sometimes they are used as eyes,
or to produce certain effects or special parts
of a design. OF course they require the in
vestment of capital and involve consider
able risk; that is, greater risk than the 9
of common beads and tnsel; naturally
also they are reserved for special orders
and executed by expert workers from
original and attractive designs There is no
end to the possibilities of the execution of
lace ard embroidery, and it seems as if we
could not get beyond these two potent
allies in the construction of beautiful and
costly dresses. 1t is always ono or the other
or both that puts the final touches on any
garment of unusual elegance.
CHARACTERISTIC COSTUMES.
The finest work in Paris, the original and
most beautiful designs, are all done to order
They are not on exhibition. Once in a
while it is possible to find and purchase
that has been used as a model at
a comparatively low price; but these are
accidents, not to be relied upon. If you
order, and most Americans do, who have
money to spend and not much time; YOU
pay price, which though less than for the
same thing imported into New York, is, to
those who come from remote districts and
who are not accustomed to city exactiOns,
high and even extortionate. But there is
always one thing to be con sidered, for high
prices you get the best materials-velvet
that is velvet, silk that is silk, fur that is
fur, lace thatis if.not handmade, fine, or
all silk, and embroidery put on the material
with the needle, not turned off in gross by
There is also difference, very marked.
for those who have had experience enough
TO appreciate it, in cost of costumes bought
at such houses as Emile PaSquiers, ana
house, if such existed, in
America. 1t Is a house that makes largely
for French. ladies of the best class, and a
robe recently shown, to be worn by a
French mother on the occasion of her
daughters betrothal, was in the best
possible taste 1t was of striped satin and
MORE antique, in a pale shade Of belio-
trope. The narrow front breadth brought
to point at the waist, was Of plaiu satin
exact shaded embroidered in arabesqucs
with silk cord and bea IS in mulberry,
amber and garnet A deep, pointed gore
Of embroidered satin was introduced into
the top of the sleeves, which were shaped |
and descended below the elbow. and a fc Iu
OF Flanders lace was draped upon tho
pointed bodice. 1t was a strictly conven-
tional costume, quiet but rich, and in ex-
cellent taste.
The daughters costume was pale pink |
silk in a soft make of faiiLe, with long |
front drapery of the same shade in pink |
crepe dc chine caught up on both sides with |
white MORE ribbons, the ribbon forming !
large, butterfly bow on one side and loops |
and ends on the other. The bodice was a |
low surplice, the sleeves short; there was no |
edging, or lace, or tulle, but there we're |
silk and lace quillings on the in
tarinr adora of tha Clrirt One timing Erauch |