The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-02

NoSo vi mounting, not something that is
shade or tint darker or lighter, but prima-
ry or mongrel, something that sets your
teeth on edge and excites the wicked desire
70 tear 1t off and put it in the fire. Once
the test OF elegance was the length of the
trall to gown, now it is the artistic COM
blnatlon OF colors and materials in design.
1t was Worth who invented 'drapery" as
applied TO costume. Before his time the
word was only used in,connection with up
holstery, 1t is Worth who has introduced
us later to woodland symphonies in gl'eeus
and browns, who, in short, experimental in
the artistic combination of color, of tastes
and shades, until he produced something
satisfactory, and then G ave it to the public.
The little result, which is hardly considered
worth mentioning, is the outcome of the
study of historic models, the plumage of
birds, the foliage of trees, the structural
pecuiiarities Of plants; and Mr.. Worth's
real success is not in making gown, but in
creating new departures, IN leading an &C
tual movement, which has nothing perhaps,
to do with practical advance, but still ele-
Yates the dress of women by putting into it
thought and idea
Naturally, every movement becomes a
terror i'll the hands of the ignorant and
energetic. They do not see the idea, they
only hear the sound and they want to make
bigger one. Thus the artistic touch"
becomes paint and powder, grease and dirt.
"Drapery," an unsightly ma,sing of cloth
into perverted and unnatural lines, which
are quickly crushed into wrinkled and pre-
mature age; and exquisitely shaded and
blended color, a confusion of tongues or
two or more, loud and noisy, who stare and
swear" at each other
1t is impossible to follow the best models
nowadays, without a cultivated sense, an
artistic taste. Chapters could very well be
devoted to one modern gown, its graceful
modification of an early eighteenth cen
fury idea, the fineness and richness Of its
fabrics, the softness and mystery of its
colors and their charm Of combination.
The memory Of its ivory and pale yellow
tlnts, its delicate embroidery Of gold on
Venetian lace, and its fullnesS of filmy
finish about the neck and sleeves, create an
actual atmosphere Of art, which is picture
and poem in one, and becomes beautiful
memory forever. One can imagine a man
willing to be DISTINGUISHED and forgotten
woman to wear such gown.
But you cannot describe it, all you can do
is to suggest its character and influence.
Only those things are describable and ini-
table that are composed of simple elements,
readily grasped, focused and projected.
The best we can do. therefore, if we cannot
reach the nights of dress, is to stick to the
safe, the ground floor, so to speak There
is nothing more dangerous, nothing more
unsatisfactory, than hanging in mid air.
Perhaps the most available, as we'll as
most attractive of summer seasons special
ties are the sprigged muslins In white and
delicate colors and mixtures of color. Some
are embroidered in silk or very fine silky
gauze or muslin: these are made over silk,
but there are others less expensive, but very
charming-lovely for young girls-that are
loose embroidered in small leaflets or
fiowerets, are made up withoug lining and
finished with plaits, belt and possibly braces
of ribbon in the preferred shade of the sprig.
For the more costly of these muslins, and
II the costume is to be complete, parasols
are made, or covered with very finely
plated muslin to match the dress; a
ruf1e of it bordered with WIDE starr or
edelweis lace. The dress is revival of the
ideas OF forty years ago, and the bonnet
worn with it is an open-worked, fancy
straw or hce-iike "Neapolitan" braid,
which should be lined with white, or q pale
shade of silk harrnonizing in tint and
trimmed with gau2e ribbon ard delicate
spray of flowers, garden or woodland flow
ers, anything but buttercups, which signify
iugratitude, because the more It is culti-
waited the poorer and meaner it grows. The
bonnet is very easily arranged, the difference
in the cost between the latest novelty and
last years style being very trifing, if you
can line and trim it yourself, and it is not
difficult either to lay the muslin in fine
close, fan-like folds over the sections OF a
plain silk parasol; but if this is beyond
your skill, select one of plain pongee, with
an ivory. pale yellow or soft brown lining,
a long, natural wood handle, with brown
barked or traced ernamentation, and sew
upon the edge, little full, border of good
not fimsy-cream Spanish lace, in a solid
leaf pattern. This kind of parasol is very
summary and suits all dresses.
The finish of thin dresses very often takes
the form of the fichu. and is executed in
folds of soft yellow, salmon pink, nile green
or cieI blue silk upon muslin, white or col
ored, and also upon dotted foulard and plain
pongee. The most useful and available wav
is to mount them upon thin, stiff lining
muslin, in set of flchu, belt and mounting
for sleeves They can then be changed from
one dress to another. Pale yellow looks
we'll upon white, black, delicate blue, and
brown. Salmon pink or shrimp pink upon
white, black, grey green, ecru, stone-grey,
and shrimp pink with some delicate shades
of blue and gold. The folds are better
without lace edge or cover; and simple as
the idea seems to be and really is, If carried
out in good form and proper material,
quite changes the character OF the ordinary
muslin gown.
The rage" Of the season in the way of
silks is Tor Inc IOularuS ana sou Eastern
fabrics. The surahs have gone into the
background, and are consequently much
cheaper. French surahs pure sim are
shown at 69c. per yard, which were for
merIy 81 II or 81 Is for the same width and
quality. This affords an opportunity for
permanent summer silk dress at a low price
to the thrifty; and as lace is also low--passe-
menterles and beaded ornamentation being
the leading trimming mode of the moment
it can be finished in a lady-like and per-
maneut manner also, at much less than
usual cost.
One of the new ways of trimming with
lace, and which imparts a distinctively
different effect from those which have pre-
coded it, is to use it in the piece, instead Of
as an edge or border. Take point deSprit
dotted nett in black or cream, festoon it
over the front, up high Oh one side, and
drape a single width into a pointed panel
for the other, the fullness forming the point
above the plating of silk, which edges the
skirt and uniting with or eoncealing the
side of the straight folds which form the
back of the skirt. Bows Of MORE ribbon
are used for ornamentation and are re-
plentod upon the shoulder and the front Of
the bodice, which Is draped with the lace as
a fichu. Black point d'espyn should be
used upon black, ivory upon cream white,
ecru. pale blue, nile green, heliotrope or
soft shades Of yellow. Bonnets or hats may
be made with foundation and covered to
match; and entire costumes of this descrip-
ton, in the delicate shades, make the most
charming OF fote dresses.