Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-20
FREAKS OF FASHION.
THE TIGHT, TIGHTER, AND EVEN
TIGHTER LONG STREET-sKiRT.
The Ten-Gown that Blooms PerenniaIiy-
The Masculine Giri-ofthe-Period In
Her Taiior-Cnt strest-Coat.
rcorrospopdepce Of tho Richmond plspatch.l

New YoRK, January II, 1891.
The skirt - the important part OF the
prevailing costume. more especially the
prevailing street costume. The stylish
walking skirt is cut and draped in o man.
ner that tries the skill of the home dress
maker sorely, and she does not sue
coed very well with it. We call it after
our Paris cousins "fourrean." 1t is sug-
gestive that the meaning of the French
word ia "scabbard -" or ease" The skirt
has taken a new departure within the past
few weeks. From becoming tighter and
tighter. and even tighter. it has become
longer by degrees until now we have even
on strcet-gowns skirts more than sus-
picIon of O train that drags upon the
ground behind, unless tho wearer c'n-
stantly uplifts it.
TOTALLY INDEFKNsIBLE.
A more absurd and totally indofensible
freak of fashion scarcely occurs to memory.
We must not forget, however, that in the
days of the Second Empire one was not IN
the mode unless one wore several feet OF
train upon ones street dress. IL was
dirty. destructive fashion. II was rallied
ut. caricatured. ridiculed TO its death; yet
in the eternal cycles of Ia mode we are get
ting it back again. IL women have q spark
of Independence left them, let them re-
sist the beginnings Of this horrible revival.
RICH SPECIMEN.
The tea-gown is still with us. The tea
gown blooms perennially. One of the rich
est and handsomest of the species have
recently seen was in velNet-striped bro
cade that must have cost an unpleasant
number of dollars q yard. 1t was pink
that is, in the peeuliar shade that 1T SUITS
I I. oil .tF,k n Of
A dull red. resembling old-rose, rather. 1t
is an aesthetic shade and IS certainly
ADAPTED for indoor wear. There was q
small pointed yoke of velvet in moss
green shade btlrdered with black fox fur,
and from this there fell cape of lace
about the shoulders and down to the waist.
A standing velvet collar enclosed an inner
collar, also of lace. The gown was en- frd'ne,
lined with pink satin and exhibited Dor
derIngs of the fur with cuffs of lace.
THE STREET COAT.
The girl of the period wears short
tailor-cut street-coat that fits her nlei-retde.
II has two pockets in front, one on either
side. and Miss Girl of the Period walking
down the avenue puts her gloyed hands
in these pockets, squares her elbows, and
puts on q distinctly masculine gait. Per-
haps there is Just suspicion OF O swagger
in the attitude and the walk, but men eye
the jaunty vision approyIngly.
AHovEr. AND EFFECTIVE BONNET.
Turouose-bluo and olive velvet were re-
comfy combined on q stylish little dress
bonnet 1 noticed surmounting the occu-
pant of an orchestra chair in the theatre
the other evening. Sounds horrible, does
ii not? Turquoise blue and olive! But,
do you know, for some reason they didn't
look half as badly az they sound. In fact:
the combination struck me as at once novel
and effective.
They are wearing a short opera wrap.
rather anomalous as to shape, but taking,
nevertheless. The garment apparently
starts ont with the intention OF making a
close-ftting Jacket. The good resolution
is broken when it reaches the sleeves,
which blossom out into great wings that
start from the shoulders and fit into the
back. II is produced in plush usually, with
passementerie adOrnments, and 1t some
times INDUCES III the added luxury or
hedici collar.
SKATING GOWNS.
The fact that we have experienced thus
far up here something resembling the old
fashioned winter has been the cause for
producing skating-gowns, costumes we
have not seen for several seasons back.
An effective dress for the wintry sport is
in blue-gray smooth cloth. made with
souare apron to the side. which exposes
petticoat of straw-colored velvet. The
dress is bordered with blue-fox fur.
A few affairs have recently occurred
here Of q fancy-dress character which have
turned attention 10 fancy-dress costume.
ANYTHING very grotesqueis not now looked
upon with favor and is not considered III
good taste. The designs are simple and
the impersonations are chosen more. with
n view TO the possibilities Of having n
nrottv gown than for the sake of exhibit
ING originality or wit Hence we see n
good many floral costumes the younger
ladies especially wear Marguerite ana
violet and heliotrope and chrysanthemum
gowns dd minimum. Still they are not AL
alike, and the general aspect OF crowd OF
these floral creations is bewltchlng.
NUMEROUS FASHION NOTES.
We shall have buttons again ere many
days be past.
The Bertha is distinctly popular, after
many years of innocuous desuetude.
The Young GIRL. the "bud" of the season,
wears ball dresses that are almost invaria-
bly of white 7lOusSeline de sOie.
The Princesse form is worn, although not
encouraged while the tourrean skirt pre-
walls.
trimmed with a border of fur. and they are
now running line of ribbon above the
| fur.
Nearly every recent jewelry device COM
| bines pears and diamonds.
Plain, one-color velvet is being extern
sively used for evening gowns.
Gauze sleeves, long, even TO the wrist,
are permissible with ball gowns If one pre-
| fers them TO wearing the SUICIDES,
Blue was never so popular. They wear
il in the palest. faintest, most neutral
shades-so attenuated that they approach
| gray.
Yellow is the color for evening wear,
with chrysauthemums or GIOrie de Dyon
roses for ones corsage flowers. G. II. M.