The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-09

The highest gown given, whose weight is
set down as two and quarter pounds, was
white India muslin negligee, tied up with
huttering blue ribbons The heaviest dress
was a special order constructed for GUS
toner who was described as a tall. 1.-the and
powerful brunette, given to the stateest
and most ma estic costumes that ingenuity
could devise. The gown was a reception
robe of thick pale pink brocade It's court
train was lined with silk velvet, not intended
TO be seen but serving merely to insure the
proper soft. graceful swing. The skirt
was embroidered from near the bottom to
the waist line in gold and silver wheat
sheaves done with metallic threads anu set
thickly with pearls. 1t was bordere
about the bottom with gold bullion and the
same material made panels on the sides
formed the girdle, and was laviShly used on
the bodice. II was a WEAKNESS to lift it. 1t
weighed forty pounds 1t was magnificent.
1t was back breaking. 1t would set off the
glories of an Eastern queen. 1t would call
in doctor
The amount Of jet used upon fine gowns
is not now one-sixth what it was twelve
months ago and the number of extremely
heavy dresses has declined in consequence.
1t would have declined more rapidly if the
gold bralds and bullions and metallic trim
mings OF all sorts were less weghty The
costume which ranked second in point of
weight was like the first, reception gown
The twenty-eight pound dress was a rich
blue faille Franchise with long lined court
train. The entire front of the skirt was
hung with blackllama lace, narrow blue
ribbons connected by meSheS of Jet forming
panels set in the loose draperies. A broad
Jet fringe was set about the bottom and
cascades of jet taimmed the train.
One or two of the dresses below five
pounds in weight were simply made Scotch
ginghams or French sateens One or two
were bengalines. On the other hand a ging-
ham demonstrated the amount of weight
that can be put into a wash fabric A pretty
lace-strped gown, which | had mentally
estimated at one pound turced out to weigh
ten. When | investigated its intricacies TO
find out why, the reason appeared in the
multitude of bones which stiffened the
bodice, the steel spring which kept out the
fullnest Of the skirts in lien of hustle. and
the lead balls with which the skirt was
weighted to keep its airy folds from blow
ing up on the seaside promenade or noun
tain climb.
French and English tailor gowns for the
street cons tituted ma ority of the dresses
weighing between eight and eighteen or
nineteen pounds. The quantity of material
used in these dresses and indeed in all dresses
is less than last year. The hustle is decadent
and instead bunchy bouffant draperies
mOdlSteS are using almost altogether the
long. simple, straight Greek lines. THIS
ought 10 make a difference in the weight
and probably docs. But plain cloth dress
with killed skirt and without trimming.
unless one excerpts some silk cord embroidery
more or less intricate, made of its waist
such a curass ana concealed about its skirt
such a paEoply of offensive and dete lsive
weapons that its specific gravity appeared
OF the scales mt eighteen pounds.
The constituent elements Of the short and
iaunty little wrap are a little silk, much
lace. more hoGdS Four wraps which
weighed were braid trimmed without beads.
They weighed under three pounds. 4
other wral were beaded and wcighe in
proportion to the uu nber and avoirdunois
of the str ngs A wrap of garnet sill; wi n
long fringe Of steel be IDS ba aging about Tn
bottom and depending from the shoulders
IN lieu of ,leeve' weighed twelve and oJe-
quarter POUNDS. A small shoulder wrau
entirely opposed of irrideSc mt bue beads
strung on wires weighed fourteen pounds.
Another larger in every way and of
heavier jet balls weighed twenty three
pounds
Last fall | weighed a long raglan which
recorded forty-three pounds. The long
wraps do not employ much bead trimming
This spring and are made of lighter ma; erial.
Ihey Will average less than ten pounds,
Though | found one deliberately decorated
evening wrap with bullion trimmings
winch weighed seventeen.