Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-25
FIELD OF FASHION.
SEyEREST SIMPLICITY SHOWN
FORTH IN SKIRTS.
Is Housekeeping a Failure ?-Train-
ing the Coming Generation
of Wives.

of Wives.
knowing declare that there is ar
unmistakable phantom of trimness hang
ing about the fields of fashion. People
will soon have had enough of loose folds
falls and drapings which can drop so easily
into "sloppishness," and which are only
suitable for touches of pleasure and leisure
The accordion plate craze is amove toward
it. The severest simplicity is authorized
in skirts. No drapery is admitted save
the sash, and perhaps the Greek apron, a
piece made of one width which drops
straight down the full length of the
dress on one side, and is caught on the
other in a handful of plaits. l saw to-day
a young society lady with just two pieces
in her costume, the skirt of green faille
ACCORDION plated from top to bottom, and
clear around without even the break of a
sash, the bodice solid plaits, close-fitting
and touching just below the curve Of the
waist. The sleeves, even, like great in
vested lilies, were nothing but plaits-not
an inch of anything save l~engthwise mar
row plaitings from neck to toe.
On a charming young lady, who was one
of the most successful debutantes of the
past season, l saw this week a sample of
elegant simplicity in dressing. 1t was old
rose cashmere. with velvet suggestions in
the same color to begin with, and the girl
is porcelain tinted. The skirt quite plain
ane full was closely shirred just over the
hips, with four lows Of two-inch velvet for
foot trimming. The waist was full and
shirred to the shoulder, the shirring I'M
broken from hook to eye. Pulled sleeves,
bodice belt, deep velvet cuffs, a daintily
plumed "Soubrette" hat framing the golden
curls and a huge corsage bouquet of mixed
pahsies set off as pretty a maid as ever
went milking a fortune from the friendly
old stage.
Friday l found a fashionable choir
singer in a store up to her pretty elbows
in a box of tiny blackbirds, with which
she was about to trim q concert dress of
lemon-colored crepe with black illusion
trimming. An aigrette of lemon fluff, half
hiding an exquisite butterfly of black and
gold, will finish her costume and her con-
quest of "the noble army of martyrs who
| already "praise" her.
White will be very much worn this
summer-woolens, nets and lawns. Cop
per, silver and gold will be used as decor
alton. Do you know that Ouida loves
white? l believe she almost always wears
it. White velvet is her ideal of a dress.
The black parrot is a desired feature in
the trimming of turbans. tits set directly
in front in a rosette Of velvet or net. The
longer and more slender the tail the
longer and and less slender will be your
bill. "Lunar eclipse 'lost lamb" "twi-
light thoughts and a peculiar combina-
ton of gold, yellow and black, Or brown,
are novelties in color. Green, in all its
"verdure clad" and variety infinite, is the
leader. The poor redingote is made sub
ject to all the devices and adaptations of
which feminine ingenuity is capable.
Striped goods are being so extensively en-
ployed in matchmaking that dressmakers
(philaDthroplc creaturesD are out in a
card telling just how to cut them so as to
make a guy of ones self. After reading
the directions you fly to her "parlor'' to
have her explain them to you. Once in
the web-"b-z-z-z!"
Girls, and more than girls, are wearing
the hair hanging loose. Box plaits are
much in vogue for misses-nothing so
| pretty.
There IS no end to fichus and all sorts
| of little vest and collar devices in tulle,
with handsomely embroidered cuffs and
collars, for wear with the demi-semi-
quaver jacket to be fashionable out of
doors.
Tiny beaded wraps are everywhere and
on every one. | saw one made of nothing
but rain fringe-imagine, Just strings of
beads from neck to elbow The lady's
skirt was black accordion; her hat Direct
DIRE lace, run with black bead sprays. She
was a soft, olive-tinted brunette-an illu-
: ~sive-looking beauty in her unique costume.
! Peak and pointed bodices have given way
to sashes and belts Of all width and styles
of fastening. Bodices are frequently held
in place by ribbon suspenders. All sleeves
are pulled. Velvet sleeves in cheyiot
wraps are stylish.
The original and divine idea of married
life is that of a family home over which
the husband and wife shall preside; and SC
housekeeping is the normal condition Of
such a life. However, a normal condition
may be rendered a failure by m~ismanage.
ment or the perverseness of those who
have part therein. In this world anything
good may be perverted, and the greatest
blessings changed into a curse. And SC
housekeeping, the proper thing for all
married people, may be made a failure in
given instances. 1t can not be a failure or
the whole unless all family life shall prove
to be a failure.
Marriage without housekeeping is a by
brid of modern invention, which is about
equal to life without a home. 1t is true
many married people board and claim tC
find pleasure therein, but that shows ar
abnormal taste which has grown ~
through lack of knowledge Of anything
better.
But, then, it cannot be denied that some
wives are unfit to preside over a home
They do not know how to make goot
bread, or properly broil a beefsteak, or pu
together the ingredients of a pudding, anC
so their cooking upsets and deranges the
digestive organs, breeds. dyspepsia and bill
iousness, and lays the foundation for max
ing the husband a sinner beyond the powel
of divine grace to prevent it. There i
also a wastefulness that spends money t
no profit in the line of comfort, and a lacl
of tidIness which destroys all attractive
ness Of home surroundings. Such house
keeping is unquestionably a failure, and
failure often because the wife was nevel
taught or trained in better ways. TIL,
real difficulty dates back to a former gen
Grafton, and, therefore, nno be corrected
in the present. But there is no reason
why this lack of training should go dowr
to curse the next generation. All girl
NAV be trained and should be trained BY
skillful teachers in. all the arts Of house
keeping, and no more hopeful or helpful
move has been made thar that of our cit
ladies, who are opening a training-sehoo
for this very purpose. The only danger i
that they viii not make it broad enough
to take in all of the girls in the city an,
the surrounding country.