The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-27

line in q fashion letter saved her. 1t read:
Old brocades are more stylish than new,
now that the texture is again in fashion,
BY consequence at the eleventh hour the
aunt bought for her niece q b~onboniere as
big as you two hands, all over gilt and
flowers. and. sent for her modiste to see
what were tho possibilities Of the RowR she
could not bring herself to part with.
So here is a new use for the fashion letter.
Certainly womankind should be grateful to
it without-for it brings much of sweetness
and light into the chaos of feminine cos
tune. The sentence quoted ID frozen fact.
The happiest she is the n who had q
grandaunt or mother c~onsiderste enough
to leave her a chestful or even n gown
of the rich old fashioned tatfete brocade.
One that / saw resurrected the other day
was as freshly beautiful as though it had
not come out of Paris 100 years ago. The
ground was a rich chocolate brown satin
brocaded with a cluster of cherries and
their leaves in natural tints, alternating
with poppy clusters in shaded red and yell
low. 1t was made with a very long waist.
pointed and opening quite to the bottom
yellow lace made a tuck in the low square
null, and triple ruffles to the elbow
sleeves. The skirt opened in front
and was Topped away from a
petticoat of plain brown satin short
enough to show the h~iRh-hesled red shoes,
with big bows and silver buckles, and even
n tiny bit of red-clocked stockings. Be.
hind the brocade swept out into a train full
three yards long, lined throughout with
yellow-brown paduaaoy. Its first woarer
WAS a colonial dame of vice
regal lady, whose stately beauty is the most
cherished tradition of her descendants.
This costume which figured at more than
one historic ball, has been kept intact even
to fan and gloves, which. by the way, are AZ
long as the longest of our period. II was
brought to light with some faint idea Of
%relnodeling it into a ball gown for q great
Observation-Disclosures. In the end it was
decided to leave it alone. There are hints,
benefit of the Mary Washington monument
association. II they take form and sub
stance it is safe to say the brown brocade
will appear and rutfle it with tho best.
Failing old brocade you may buy new
ones twice as beautiful in all the delicate
evening shades-blues like n dream OF
heaven or Tho shimmering summer sea,
pale toa-rose pinks. shot stuffs, opalescent
as the tints Of dawn, or az full of changing
hues ns a pigeons purple neck; cream am
Der, Indian red. Jonquil yellow, pearl, dead
white, black. gray, crimson, all in the most
lustrous weaves, with a pattern of lace fes-
toons of true-love knots. or stars or spots
or crescents in self-tones running all over
them. Other sorts have delicate flowers or
bouquets colored to tho life; still others
sheaves of wheat in gold or silver, or suns
or moons or intricate arabesque tracery in
the same precious metals. In making up
the brocade forms either a coat bodice, and
front with a velvet train, or else a trained
skirt with bodice of fino cloth, or may be q
and sleeves to a princess gown
the color Of it's ground.
such garments OF course arc the fullest
of full dress for dinners with dancing after
the opera. balls and so on. a stuff that for
c,roh r1uana flividou tiarnru Nuith Wanda 10
the new costly cable-cord Bengaline, that
in the end is cheap since its richness pro-
other trimming. 1t Is cut largely in
princess shape and admits only a band of
fur at foot and a touch or two of the very
handsomest p~assementerie, with or without
beads on the waist. Such gowns arc lined
throughout with lighter silk in a harmoni-
ous contrast to the outside-and generally
there is some continuance by which u bit of
lining shows and accents the ground color.
For evening gowns, especially in aoft
clinRing stutfs, the Greek gown or its mod
iAcation, the empire, Is more and more
as the winter advances. Mies Violet
Defrie, the. young English elocutioniat.
who 10 as good to look ut az to listen to.
very much Affects both atyles. But abe
wears long misunderstanding, but worry
much wrinklod. Indeed. AZ before written.
long sleeves nre quito n feature of the most
evening gowns.
makes tho most OF them. Witness the pic
in tho empire frock. whose original
appeared In IL at n of the swsllsst func-