Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-07-18
REVIEW OF Fashions.
Nowadays style Is Said to Take Precedence
of the Material.


of the Material.
In the days when fashions were re-
stricted by more conservative ideas.
the material OF the costume was the
principal and all-important point TO be
decided: the style in which it was to
be made was already fixed, and the
adventurous fair one who ventured to
suggest change from the prevailing
mode was looked upon as little short
OF revolutionary in her ideas. To-day
the style takes precedence Of the ma
terial in Importance; and she who is
the fortunate possessor of fairy
fingers" to successfully carry out in
simple materials the ideas OF an ar
tistic brain, is usually voted the "best
dressed" woman in any assemblage,
rich fabrics and elaborate garnitures
counting as nothing in comparison to
artistic effect.
If one possesses artistic taste in
dress, but not the means to indulge in
expensive materials, the soft challies
and vailings and other inexpensive
goods of the same class offer ample OPP
portunity for the exercise of individual
fancy; and a pleasing combination of
tints. the graceful arrangement of the
drapery. the fortunate disposal of the
garniture, or the use OF some simple
device to heighten natural charm or
render shortcoming less noticeable,
will often impart the chic. the individ-
uality, to what might otherwise rank
as an ordinary dress.
There is always safety in selecting
plain materials, from an artistic as
well as an economical point of view.
Plain goods are becoming alike to
slender and fully developed figures,
and unless the color is very pro-
nounced or distinctly fancy of par
ticular season, it will not be notice
ably old-fashioned the next. A favor
tie combination of colors this season
(and one that is very generally be-
cOming) is green and gray in all tints.
Lsually the same grade of shades is
used, preferably soft, undecided tints;
but light shade of gray with dark
shade of green, or Cice rerSd. is not
unusual. Cream-white and the more
with light grays and greens, and the
effect is often enhanced by the judi
cious application of gold or silver
soutache on the white, which, rs q
rule, is chosen for the accessories only
"a short V-shaped piece back and
front on the full waist, like q yoke,
V-shaped cuffs on the full sleeves, and
for facing the foundation skirt, which
is disclosed at one side by the looping
of the drapery.
The drapery Topped at one side Of
the front in the simple fashion made
familiar to us by the pictures of Mar
guerite is general favorite for sum-
mer costumes, and young ladies
frequently copy the entire de-
sign (the plain waist with its
full guimpe, high frill about the
throat. and pulled sleeves), which is
easily and effectively reproduced in
the plant silk, wool, and silk-and-wool
fabrics that possess the additional
merit of being inexpensive.
Changeable tatfeta silks, either plain
or with fine stripes, are made into
quaint-looking gowns with rather
scant skirt made of straight breadths,
and round full waist with shirred or
shocked yoke and full sleeves; and a
long sash OF solid-colored silk, match
ing the most prominent shade in the
dress goods. with fringed ends, is tied
around the waist and has long-looped
bow at the back. The foot of the skirt
is bordered with full pinked ruching
OF the same color as the sash, or the
two or three colors in the changeable
silk are combined in it, the lighter
color in the center
Quaint fichus made OF a square OF
| plain or embroidered lawn, null. OF
net, edged with lace and folded diagon-
ally, furnish graceful drapery for I'M
trimmed waists, and, as they are very
generally becoming, are very popular.
| The back corners are rounded. and the
front corners are usually tucked inside
the wide belt or sash. Marie An
| toinette fichus are also revived.
| orast's Monthly