Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27
TINE rFEyAIrse FASHIONS.
women,s Dress ms Viewed by sen''
Of New Sorksm Leading Painters.

IN Afs
yyomen,s Dress ns Viewed by sen's
Of New Sork,s Leading Painters.
The GAzErrE's New York fashion
correspondent, Rosslind May spoke OF
the Direotoire costumes 10 her last letter
il may therefore interest feminine readers
especially TO read supplementary opia'
ions on the prevailing fashions from somt
OF New York's leading painters. Ine
following ia from the New YORK Coa'pa'r'
oial Adpertiser Of last Saturday:
Somebody has said that mot every
woman oan dress we'll, even with the
most ertrayagant expenditure, but that
clever woman can dress beautifully with
Intelligent economy and On artistic taste.
Harmony OF oolor and grace OF cut, com.
bined with adaptability to the neurs OF
the wearer, are the admitted requisitiona
to the beoomineness Of dress. Beauty
and use meet in such costume, and the
one Is necessary complement OF the
other. The chief failure Of the move
insnt In favor Of ''drsas reform" was its
real or supposed opposition to beauty.
The highest beauty IS elevAting aud re-
flninR In its influence on this individual
and on society. The search for II 10
simply n human instinct.
30 the Introduction Of now fashions In
ladies' costumes naturally excites inter
est. Everybody sdmires q beautifully
dressed woman, and novelty gives o well
come piqusnoy TO the pleasure derived.
Just now the modistss are busy providing
their fair customers with tho new and
fashionable "Directoire" habits, fully de-
soribed below. The subjoined views of
prominent artists Of this oity on the sub.
loot Of feminine dress viii be found OF
interest.
THE pIREorotRr COSTUME.
1.-THE present style in walking and
travelling dresses for ladius," said a we'll
known tailor, "is decidedly the 'Direc.
toire.' Fashion has simply gone back q
century for inspiration, and the result 10
the very pretty, novel aud strikingly Of.
fectiys costumes which are now worn.
They are the reproductions, In some
what modified form, perhaps, Of the
habits that marked tho times OF the
French directory and the consulate Of
tho first Napoleon. The tendency In this
direction was observable for more than y
year past, and the realization came with
the spring. Now the dress Is the prevail.
ing fashion In France, England and the
United states.
1.-The 'Directoirs' coat is distinguished
BY large turnover COLLAR, or elso large
SOLAR wired after the style OF the Medioi
DOLLAR. One Of the features Ia a largo
lapel nearly covering the breast. The
ruiI is in harmony with the collar, as are
also the hip pockets, each being deco.
rated with large buttons, upon which, In
relief, are figures of tho incroyables, or
iudes, Of the period. We have had these
buttons made specially for these dresses.
The long front of tho coat Ia perfectly
plain, ss we'll as the back, and falls over
! skirt equally plain in tbs makeup.
The Wide collar and the flsring cuffs may
70 OF any rich materials, and the waist.
,oat with its officer COLLAR must be braided
n tho same color OF slse in gold or silver.
3elow the vaist, which Is pointed, the
'oat is out away so rs to show the drsped
ront breadth nj aYsrdTesb en- broidared
o the depth Of about tWslys iuchos in
he sape color rs the metal used In the
Vaistooss, snd looped upop one hide with
oluypr-lest brooph. Sometimes II may
lease tho vesfsr 70 havo this tipbspidery
= 8 yine.lesf pattern, like MndemutseilS
% Cicero, IN belle des helles, aud TO loop
II the ekiit with . classic cameo. y
How long THE fAahion viii renaaip
would be very difficult TO say; probably
! will go cut with the close OF the winter
eason, as ii Is 60 marked thing aud
nay become too common.
Tho dinner dress for Young iAaieg is
neds Of soft materials, Without train, and
ont shape npef 'he h1snn
iadies have these dresses made
i velvet, satin or silk, cut high and with
lbow sleeves The full evening dress,
4 pall dress, for youuS ladies is made OF
1lis, net OF crepe, and is cut very low,
acE and front The shape of the basque,
Though aecollete, Ia largely matter OF
Aste and IN harmony with the figure.
cry few short wAista are worn, in fact,
Ge osn hardly mako them long enough to
nit the prevailing tastes."
n Artists yIEw OF PRESENT FKNDENcrEs.
Il think that much of the feminine
ltess Of The period is decidedly beautiful
md suoh as to give pleasure 10 people OF
aste, both On the score of cut and rich.
leaa OF fabric, F." was the commentary Of
frederic Dielman, the artist. stAs to char
lcteF, he continued, Il think ws are In
DIS, as IN eysEything else, eminently
'eieetic In other words, the tendency Is
o revive what We find the most attractive
u tho dress of former periods. The dress
y teddy isnot, us dress ususlly has been,
Of tho spirit OF tho age. AT
me period, dating the ascendancy OF
Span, the severity and asoeticism char
AeIerl2trg that nation was strongly ex.
pressed in the dress, not alons Of Mat
,euutry but Of all Europe. At another,
nc SfsAtar love of idxaty and splendor
pieNaiiing IN France gave tone to the
lTsss Of tie polite world. Ia England.
ior instance, we know how the anta1on.
. I tendencies OF round head anc oaya.
lisf were as clearly marked in their
apparel 40 IN their polisies. The female
asses OF the present day, beside being ex.
presNlge OF our eclectic spirit, seenas TO
os Indicative Of growing love of luxury
ana beaqiy. presume it is this, because
L.
aiess Is incapable of expressing our
highly nietetialiotic and selentifio turn.
+, why should this particular dresa of
me Directory be revived lust at preSent ?
certainty NOT or account Of any barmopy
WIN prevailing ways of thought and
morals Mainly, ! should say, because
y the approaching centennial anniyer.
sefY q the period. There has been M
S Si revival, such as was introduced by
oa'id aud his followers immediately after
tne french revolution and see no
deeper sisnitioanoe in the recurrenea N
NAY 'ins fashion. AZ the present day, it can
aot possibly go to the extremes Of mo.
ees'llenesa and indelicauy which Ii
.eached IN France undes the Eirectorv
much Of tbs feminine drsss Of mai
Perlo1 in spite Of many Questionable
,es'utes, was extremely beautiful on &C.
Is ~; ~ Of 9 certsia simplicity and charm
= nag. Iia great charm was that IL Cove
Fzpfession to tho untrsmmeied human
!, 10Y. fForn an ie'thetic point OF view.