Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-08
THE FASHIONS.
POINTS OF INTEREST FOB QUE LADY
READERS.
childrsn's Demonstration suits-Hons Sew
ing-Rscsption costumss-Sennsss
and Stationery.
,co-r..,orsorcco Of The Richmond Dspstch.l

Correspondents of the Richmond Di'pssch.l
New YORK, January z, 1883.
The expense of children's dresses az
present is, although we are in the midst
OF the winter season, so small that every
little one ought to possess most eAeen-
siye wardrobe. Frequently but one ma,
terial is required for the whole dress, anu
il is made up, too, very simply.
For house or school-dress cashmere,
in any suitable color, is very desirable:
IL should be made up with box'plaited
skirt-the plaits very broad--a square
belt of the same fabric at the waist ana
above this folds of cashmere on either
side of the buttons. Such dress should
be made with q pointed yoke, back and
front.
Sailor suits are seen both for boys and
girls. In the former case they are only
for very little chaps, and the round caps,
loose. omen blouses, and wide, flowing
trousers make them "too cunning Tor
anything" The girls sailor SUIT IS
made from navy-blue material combined
with white plain, gathered skirt OF blue
below n broad white belt; embroidered
vest of white, and broad revers OF the
same a square collar lying upon the
shoulders and a jaunty sailor hat com
plete the resemblance to genuine tar s
outfit.
Dresses little more elaborate are In
combinations of camers hair or other
fabrics of the season with velvet, plush,
or "novelty" materials.
1t is becoming quite fashionable Gus
tom TO give fancy. dress parties for chill.
dren. For these affairs all manner OF
quaint and outlandish dresses are pre-
pared. and roomful OF merry children,
attired in the costumes Of every age and
nation, is as singular as it is attractive.
There seems to be preference among
the children themselves for costumes
older people, and therefore
the sprinkling of old men and women Is
always likely to be large one In one OF
these parties. A little taste, however,
will contrive hundreds of pretty and in
teresting costumes which will please the
little ones and give pleasing variety to
the rooms.
Fewer than ever nowadays are the
women who do even the simplest kind of
sewing at home. 1t is day of modistes
and milliners and ready-made garments.
The few who do contrive their own
fnery make the practice pay. | have III
nv mind the case of lady who went TO
work to make o long cloth wrap at home.
The wrap was heavily trimmed with fur,
and had also considerable garniture OF
bead passementerie. Her materials cost
her in the neighbOrhood of S26. She
was occupied with the making about two
DAYS. When she had it completed a
wrap exactly similar as to material and
caught her eye in large dry
goods establishment. On inquiring Its
price she secretly exulted to learn that 1t
was SS5.
Reception dresses are in all the fashion
able evening materials, pedu dc sole and
MORE being the most favored. They
are always in combination with velvet
and lace, and really it would seem that
too much trimming cannot be bestowed
upon them. Ladies who, by the canons
Of fashion must wear simple evening
dress, make up for that simplicity by
these reception toilets, and by their
dinner-gowns, which are invariably rich
and magnificent.
As street and general "utility dress
the black satin still remains. 1t is made
rather simply now. The skirt has a
square, broad-front panel of sheer satin,
covered with intricate designs in jet pas-
This passementerie Is the
only trimming used.
On bonnets combining two colors in
the frame and covering, or in the cover
ing and bird or plume, the ribbon ac-
these trimmings is picOt-
edged, with different color to the body !
color of the ribbon these two tints re-
produce the two tints of the trimming,
and the effect is very good one.
Stylish stationery shows some slight |
from that hitherto in use. La
dies note-paper has now, from being di-
in size, become extremely |
large it is indeed of almost ugly pro-
portions. The tints, too, are far from
delicate. They consist of coarse, gross
blues and bluffs and reds, hard to write
On and hard to read from, as we'll Os
crude in appearance. Where the paper
IS not large and square, it is large and
where it is not of
The colors mentioned it is white,
with the appearance of having been
,prinkled with fine dust. Mono
grams, embossed in the owners favorite
color at the heads of the sheets and on
the flaps of the envelopes, and house adj
dresses similarly embossed, are the only
decorations. The old style of putting
The days of the week at the top is not at
Ill favored, nor is the addition of floral
designs. In fact stationery varies be-
.ween the coarse and the ugly.
Visiting cards are with ragged edges,
md are being made in fancy styles, not
1t all in good taste. G. II. NJ.