The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-06
AUTUMN'S FASHIONS.
EXODUS OF SUMMER FABRICS AND
SEASIDE FANTASIES.

Foreshadowings OF Frost in Wooden
Attire-Geometrical and Architect
ura1 Designs - "Crystalise," "Sici-
lieune" and "Benares"-The Modern
Lrt OF Color and Color Grouping
The Tests of Fashion-Beautiful Fan
cies in Feathers and Ribbons-Varie.
ties in Shawls, Wraps and Mantles.
New YORK, Oct 5.-The usual trans
formation has taken place which occurs
during September in city streets and city
shops. All the wild wave hats, the seaside
wraps, the seashore shoes and bizarre cos
TUNES, which appear and give rise to count
less fashion" paragraphs, then vanish and
are seen no more, have disappeared with
bathing suits from the counters, striped
cottons and cotton embroideres from the
windows; and street dress. as we'll as the
materials for it, have become dark and
decorous once more.
Women appear reckless when they first
return from the country, and, indeed, it
takes time to provide autumn supplies and
settle down into the old conventional ways.
Two weeks afterward they wonder how
they dared venture upon Broadway in ten
mis- hat and shoes, or if "anybodyn saw
then-that is, any one they know and care
about-in that "horrid." dowdy dress.
The shops look woolly. but there is no
obvious predominance of any one kind or
color. If the bordered dresses are excepted.
OF these there is both quantity and variety.
There are SergeS aud vicuna cloths, cash
meres and plain, untwilled "suitings'
decorated with woven borders; some imi-
Eating embroidery, some Indian, some Per-
sian patterns, but the majority nothing in
particular. A few are fine in color and
quality, and exhibit hand embroidery in
Conventionalized flower and stalky patterns
that would have been considered "artn a
short time since, but flower patterns have
"gone out" and the new designs are geomet-
rical and architectural, which is the reason
why these have been turned ON the market
early In the season and sell at reduced
price.
Pattern dresses are never purchase for
the ultra fashionable. They are made by
the dozen or gross, and lack that stamp OF
originality and individuality which leader
requires. But they afford opportunities to
the thrifty, and are useful in supplying
trimming, ready for putting on, to those
who consider it Indispensable.
The early exhibits comprise not only the
left over from the previous season, but the
left over from the European markets, and
are always therefore, in rather ''mixedn
lots. Later the goods appear which have
been specially selected or manufactured to
order, and it is these which represent the
fashion in fabrics Of the season. There are
also other ways of specializing fabrics.
Not an importing modiste or house of any
prominence nowadays but has speciality
in stuffs, something designed for her or
'our house." which cannot DO obtained
elsewhere, and to which a name is attached
to render it distinctive
"Crystalise" is the name of a silk for
evening wear, which has the simmer of
silver and the luster Of satin. 1t is made
in Lyons for a famous dressmaker exclus-
lively. ''Sicilienne" cloth is a soft. twilled
fabric of silk and wool, with surface of sat
Unfinished silk on the front and soft, corded
wool at the back. 1t is fifty-two inches
wide, and from 81 to IS per yard; but it is
only imported by special houses, and in
small quantities. 1t is used for carriage
wear and afternoon reception dresses.
Brown and old gold, bronze, Pompeian and
terra Gotta red, petunia, olive, peach aud
Bordeaux are among its prominent colors.
Most of the new, high class materials for
street wear are in solid coors a mixed sur
face does not admit of the fine braiding or
passementerie finish, which now put the
finishing touches to elaborate costumes.
Naturally, velvet will lead the procession
as the season advances for there is no other
fabric that is so rich, so becoming, so
adaptable, so sufficient in itself, yet offers
so fine surface and background for orna-
mentation of a rich and appropriate char
acter. The restoration of velvet will be the
signal for the re-entry of velveteen; most
useful substitute, if a good color and
quality is selected. The best quality of
velvetsen has merits of its own upon which
it can stand 1t does not need to be
classed as "velvet," which it is not.
1t is not wise TO buy it or make it up into
complete costumes; it is too heavy; but
there are qualities in which it makes good
short or demi-trained dresses and plain
walking dresses, built upon foundation
skirt. 1t is excellent put into short, terra
Gotta Jacket for young girl, with wooden
skirt and surah vest. IL makes admirable
indoor morning coats for gentlemen, capital
best suits for little boys, and in dark, wine
color or brown, may be admirably applied
to the redingote costumes which are to be
so important feature of the winter designs
The changed character which these have
assumed, it is necessary to remember, is the
choice of materials. The bunchiness at the
back, Nirectly under the waist line, the
over-laying and overlapping, the super
t1uous draperies, the enlarged tournure, the
cut up and draped up "tabliersn apron
draperies> have all disappeared. The lines
are long and nearly straight; and the dis
tinction is drawn from the quality of the
material, its color. the kind and quality of
the work put upon it; not upon the snippy
and inconsequential appearance impaired to
it. The Venetian, square cut and elbow
sleeves are to be restored; and a fine Ven
etian silk has appeared-plain and figured
in delicate shades of salmon, terra-cotta,
sage green, grey and others, which has a
close, armure-fnished surface and suggests
old-fashioned neatness and refinement.
A richer aud more expensive silk is the
'Bendres" brocade. 1t is soft, thick,
pure silk, the figure woven in delicate
contrasting color, or with raised effects
only, upon an irregular satin-finished
ground. Different shades of gold, the
lighter being used for the ground, delicate
peach upon cream, salmon upon old gold,
pale gold upon faint blue, q pure cream
white and gold upon cream are the
color combinations remembered out of
many others. But daily the
task grows moro difficult Of endeavor-
ing to convey effects of color to eyes which
have not been trained by acquaintance with
the modern advance all along the color line
Inc old terms convey no notion OF the soft
hrilliance, the depth, the feeling expressed
In modern color, and color grouping and
shading, Marvels of weaving are accom-
plished to-day, hardly surpassed by those
old artificers who had kings and queens for
their patrons, nations treasures to draw
from, aud were encouraged to spend q lie