The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-01-09
TASTE IN COSTUMES.
Dressing the Subject of Aesthetic and
Scientific Study-Ball Dresses for
the Buds" of the Season-The
Street Gown for Well
Formed Willowy
Women.

the "BudS" oil the ScaSOn-The
Street Gown for Well
Formed Willowy
Women.
New YORK, Jan. 6, lS9l.-Dress was
never in the history Of woman made so
the subject of scientific and
study as it is to-day. The last
decade has even produced professors of
dress, who instruct and advise their pupils
in the canons of correct and artistic at
tire. Chicag ChicagO-has
Il physical Culture and Correct Dress
Club, whose members are pledged to the
study and development of these mystcri-
Gus laws. 1t may seem like making what
philosophers have always taught us in q
subject of essentially little moment y too
engrossing occupation. Yet within few
years the era of intelligent effort will pro-
ducc race of women who will he always
agrecably appropriately ,tastefully dressed,
and We shall no more meet in society
those solccisms of costume that are genu-
inelv painful to delicate perception.
Certain it is that the average woman does
not know how to dress herself. The vast
possibilities of dress as bcautiticr, as an
improvcr arc TO her unknown, and the
rules of color and form that go to make
up taste are dead letters to her.
EVENING DRESSES.
Among the features of some Of the re-
cent evening dresses one notices that they
are trimmed with velvet applique floral
designs. These designs appear usually
upon the skirt, carried as Il kind of bor-
der, but in the most irregular directions,
entirely around it, Sometimes they are
also used in decorating the corsage. One
wears ones evening glove so as to show
somewhat more of the arm than heretofore;
it comes not much above the elbow
Speaking of gloves, for the street, they
are wearing the one button-style.
We arc skating up here, and of course
have not wasted any time bringing out
skating suits. The skating costume is of
dark colorcd cloth; plain basque and skirt
without drapery, edged with fir; over this
a cape Of fir, any longer wrap being un-
comfortable and in the way. A boa COM
pletes the rig.
SIMPLE AND CHARMING.
Some of the late ball dresses for very
Young ladies-thc buds of the season-
are delciously simple and charming. One
Of them ! recently saw was of white
mouSSeliRe dr. sole over ivory-whitc satin,
the mousSeline having Il deep embroidered
edge The corsagc opening was in the
pretty, old-fashioned round form, and not
very low, puffs Of the mousseiine with lace
forming the very brief sleeves and on the
left shoulder a cluster of Marechal Neil
roses The front of the bodice very full
and loose The looped drapery of the
diaphanous white fabric showed but n
small space of petticoat, that being Of a
delicate pale pink and white brocade
The fur border on the plain skirt that is
now worn with street dress has become
wcll-nigh invariablc
STYLISH AND ODD.
Being debarred from using trimming or
ornamcntation to any extent upon the
plain street gown of the season (Which
indeed has gone back to the scyercst
tailor-made design ladies exercise their
ingenuity toward making the model of the
gown stylish and odd. To illustrate:
One new wall;ing-dress in dark brown
faced cloth exhibits the sleeves slightly
full to the elbows and high shouldcred
the basque is very short, ending almost
at the waist, it fastcns from the left side
to the right hip. From the collar there
is buttoned triangular plastron of the
material As for the skirt, the plain
front bredth is folded over from the right
side, having worked huttonholes on the
edge of the fold to correspond to Il row Of
buttons placed along the edge Of TRAN
gular panel which, beginning at the right
hip, continues to the foot of the skirt
This naturally gives the front of the skirt
appearance of Il square apron, which
has just been un-buttOncd from the side
drapery; behind this panel at the side
the back drapery lapscs into a number OF
overlapping folds or plaits.
FOR EXCEPTIONAL FIGURES.
1t will aabe seen that on this gown not
even so much us n scrap OF velvet is used
in trimming; the entire effect depends
upon the cut. OF course such a costume
must be fanltlessly made and ii is the UNI
fortunate feature of these severely simple
cloth dresses that they look really well
only on exceptional figures. One must be
tall, slender, graceful, and well-tOrmed tc
wear such dress adyantageously. But
indeed it is the season of the willow,
woman. The designers have conspired
against the petite and the portly sisters
alike.
Poplins were never more in favor than
they are at the present time and one may
wear poplin dinner dresses, reception
gowns, or even use the soft fabric fol
evening.
FASHION NOTES.
The long plush opera cloak, with its
graceful dropping folds from the shoulders
and its deep border Of sable or Persian
lamb, is most imposing affair.
Even the tea gown is now adorned with
fur. Fur was never so popular for trim.
ming.
Some Of the most singular shades Of
yellow appear in the materials for dinner
receptions, and ball .dresses.
Chestnut and mahogany are the colors
of the English walking gowns.
The girl who believes in charms has
abandoned the yellow garter which she
used to wear above her left knee and hai
strung a lot of amber beads about hel
neck
A startling innovation is the use Of
cloth for evening wear, but it may be pre-.
dicted that cloth will be very general mex
season for this and all similar occasions
They talk oft even for bridal dresses. J.