The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-29
NEW YORK FASHIONS.
The.Toreador Hats and some New
Designs In TrImmings-NeW and
Seasonable Goods Described.
Correspondence of the Press.l

NEW YORK, March 81 have endeav-l
ored to give few useful hints as to max
ing over old material into presentable
costumes. The present severe Styles
make that more difficult than when sew
eral different materials were used I'M
making up one dress. Still, taste, indus
try and that good, old fashioned quality
called "gumption," will work wonders.
The amount of material required in a
gown now is so small that person can
make full dress out of the voluminous
plaitings of the draperies on last seasons
dresses. A practical manner of doing
this is shown by the taking apart of a
gray cashmere, washing it and ironing it
neatly, and suiting it out again as plain
gored skirt slightly gathered at the back.
The breadths were slightly faded where
the plaits had been, and stripes Of inch
wide castle braid three shades darker
were laid in such way as to hide the
streaks. At the bottom the braid was
laid in deep loops. These stripes ex-
tended all across the front, while the
folds in the back hid the failing, though
/ have no doubt the pretty little wearer
was always in cold shiver of appre-
hension lest some dear friend should
notice it.
The fact is that woman's own judg-
ment is the best thing to rely upon in
making over old dresses. No one can
give rules that will fit every case. There
are professional dyers and cleaners who
make your garments look nicely-at any
rate, clean. 1t is said they do it by Civ
ing them naphtha soak of twenty-four
hours.
Wooden goods dye well, but silks never
do; and if any one has a dress of silk,
good, but faded or spotted, it is better to
embroider it all over with a pretty APP
phque pattern and make 1t up princesse
style. A faded silk can be given new
appearance altogether by having hand
some embroidered or braided bordering.
A gown of this style is shown, and
with 1t is one of the new Toreador wraps
made of black lace and cardinal velvet.
The Toreador hat will be much seen on
young women this season for out of
doors.
A very pretty fancy for Frightening up
an old gown is shown in the outline fig
ure. The dress is en- princesse, except
the front breadth, which is laid in fine
plaitings, and up the left side is placed
the passementerie ornaments. That is
quite a favorite fancy in the arrangement
of trimming. Braid or velvet or narrow
ribbon could be appropriately used in its
place.
1t is not exactly that think young
girls need all the new clothes, that give
more gowns designed for their special
benefit, but because notice that where
there are girls in house they always
get them, SO the dear little souls will find
another very fetching gown made of
pale blue cashmere, with border woven
in two darker shades. Thedress is made
with plain double skirt, with blouse
waist, shocked at the neck. A scarf to
match is made of crepe de chine with
fringe. With this is worn dainty
Figaro jacket such as I mentioned last
week. Nuns yelling, challies or white
muslin would all be pretty made up after
this model.
The new summer silks in new designs
of the old taffetas styles are very pretty.
The flower patterns In them are marvels
of delicacy. The fine wool goods for
summer wear follow them closely in pat
tern. One pattern in pale mauve Thibet-
Inc has sprays of wood violets SO natural
that one can imagine their odor.
All new gowns are to be as ''clinging''
as the most earnest follower after ''sys-
TENS" can desire. Many dresses for quite
young ladies are made without darts, the
teria1, on the bias, is pulled until it fits
without wrinkle. The back is made in
the same way and the dress buttons un-
der the left arm and on the left shout
der, making it appear as if the wearer
had been literally melted and poured in.
None but perfect figures can bear this.
q Fl