The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-29
FASHIONS IN DRESS.
some Things Which Are Agitating the
Feminine Mind.


NEW YoRK, June 2S.-"Do not mention
sdirectoirs' to me,n said a lady who is an
authority on taste and fashion, recently, to
her nodiste; 81 am sick of the very name. y
The costume under discussion was silk, of
a soft shade OF gray, and the trimming de-
cided upon was lovely transparent en-
broidery, executed in very delicate colors
mixed with good and silver threads. This
was finally arranged as a plastron, as a
wide panel and as square, fiat, seven
teenth-century collar upon a chemisette
and collar of embroidered lace. The sleeves
were full with cuffs of lace, above which
was laid band of embroidery.
The ''directoiren styles, or rather the
nongrel mixture of bold color and striking
designs which obtains currency for them
have indeed been run into the ground, and
forced ladies of quieter tastes back upon a
modification of the empire modes. This
revival has been of real benefit 1t has
gotten rid of that absurd monstrosity, the
ssbustle,n and the wrinkled mass of un-
necessary and lll-used material known as
s'drapery," but which. as commonly seen,
consisted of a mass of stuff out of place, and
liable to become nuisance at any moment
The sensible modification of the Empire
style, on the contrary, has given us a SIM
ple basis for the most charming summer
costumes Young girls gain infinitely by
the charm of this lovely and artistic style
of dress; and it is to be hoped they will be
wise enough to retain its essential features
The exaggeration Of any style always
looks like affectation and desire to attract
attention; but the usual method adopted of
making the round, full bodice the natural
length of the waist and shortening it trifie
by a broad, soft sash or belt, which often
only starts from the side seams, preserves a
certain equilibrium of parts, aud is suscepti-
Bile of variations adapted to age and mate
rial or purpose. The bodice may be open
and pointed, worn with or without lace or
muslin chemisette and with or without a
fiehu, the ends or which are passed under
the belt and are left to fall upon the shirt,
instead of being tied behind, as formerly.
Aplain, thin material is usually tucked
above the hem. If the material is figured,
this is not necessary; but border is often
woven in the goods, which is utilized as a
finish for the bottom of the SKIRT A soft,
thick ruching is fashionably employed for
the thin, summer silks, for the edge of the
skirt; but it is only suitable for indoors
the first touch of the ground mars its ap-
pearance. The figured, India silks and
pohgees require nothing but hem.
REFINEMENT IN UNDERWEAR.
There is one point in regard to the
present summer styles, which is worthy of
special attention, and this is the refinement
demanded in underwear, in the absence of
oyeElaying and the styles built up on stiff
foundation forms, which obliterated light
ness and grace. The possibilities have been
quicklyseized by experienced leaders of
fashion aided by the modern tendency to
expressin every way the modern tendency
towarddantiness and delicacy in whatever
comes n contact with the person.
1t is within the past twenty-five years
that tn ligatures, bands and string, which
formerly made cruel marks upon the flesh,
in the efort to hold clothing in position,
have al been dispensed with. At the same
time, iiyention has been taxed to refine old
materias and produce new ones for the pur-
poses oiwear near the skin, from which all
harshnes and unnecessary weight have
been eliminated Years Of costly expert
ments hive given us white, washable silks,
as usefl as cotton, and cotton almost equal
in textiFe to fine silk. These cotton and
silken hbrics are interchangeable; they are
equivasnt to each other and the difference
is a mre matter of taste.
Thee are women, however, not always
anon the very rich, who are never touched
byanthing less lovely than softest silk.
Deiote underwear is their fad. They do
not Send money in trimming, they wear
simpe materials, they seize eagerly the op-
portnity for getting rid of superfuous
ornnentation and those odds and ends of
noting which make women look SO much
like n imitation showcase in the PdidiS
HouG. But they love the touch of soft
and inc materials, and are drawn by
delete workmanship as by a
humn hand. and the restoration of the
straiht, single skirt, the revival of mulls
and organizes, of zephyr woods and silk
grepdines, stimulates the always latent de-
sire-nd makes it a necessity. The hem of
mslin dress turned aside, which cost only
fey dollars, may reveal white, silken,
lacttrimmed skirt which cost four times as
muh, and is seemingly much more fitted
frn its cost and finish to be the exterior
potion of the dress.
he expense of such luxurious belongings
is realty enhanced by the want of proper
failities for good laundering. There is no
slh thing as trained service of this kind in
tbs country, and silken underwear have
ulally to be sent to a cleaner" who
cArges high and whose skill is more or less
poblematical. There is a great field in
landry work for intelligent women; and it
remarkable, in this age of practical en-
SAVIOR, that great, public .laundries have
9p1thken the place of the family washing
n Gbfhsively and ignorantly done in thou
ss1lt of homes, and which are the regularly
b sRgrring cause of discomfort in the family
fbfSwo Or three days out of every week Of
ssthenajority of lives.
Ih NEW SUMMER FABRICS.
81 uhe opportunity for display of the pat
- tens in summer fabrics has brought out
sne new and charming designs in transpa-
ret and semi-transparent tissues. The old
'5rigged" muslins appear and larger de-
/, s.ns in delicate Vatican and Pompadour
dcIorings. Flowerets tied with ribbon bows
sescattered over soft, tinted surface, or
y aAiler and more conventional designs are
SEA to form bodice.
"A bordered design is, however, usually
f9eking in elegance and distinction. Rich
the material may be, they always have
sEappearance of having been turned out by
gross and they are rarely purchased by
omen of recognized pretentions to taste.
this season they have been selling ''for
song abroad, and we may expect to see
df home market flooded with them; but
lille they may for this season be obtain
BILE below actual value, they are turned to
otter account fer house aud home wear
ian for dresses of ceremony.
The amount of waste of time, labor and
lateral demanded by our frequent changes
nd by the arbitrary standards erected as
ieasures of value, would be Incredible if
omputed, to anyone looking at the subject
rom the human standpoint, because the
1aste must be Offset by the want, and who
srcspnsiblea
Butehese muslins, how pretty they are
or grden party dresses, with gathered
- T., ill H..