The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-04-30
CHAT on FASHIONS.

! sUs of opinion in fashion circles as TO pre-
vailing colors seems 10 be that green, so
| popular for the past two seasons, is now
passe. The various and lovely tints Of
! heliotrope, now called Parma violet are
in high favor, and as blue is also popular
this season may be regarded prc-eminently
the hour of blondes. These fair women
| must be in league with the modistes or it
would be scarcely possible 10 make these
colors popular, when it is well known that
they are not only trying to the complexion
of most women but are unserviceable, and
are only lii for most careful wearing.
| From the descriptions Of bonnets worn
| elsewhere il would appear as if women had
overcome their luminosity 20 snakes, rep
tiles and creeping things, or, ashamed of
their weakness, they were determined TO
conquer their aversion by constant asso-
| citation or it may be that the many Audi
| bon societies have won disciples and
snakes, lizards and SIGH like" are SUB
stituted. Whatever the reason, it is little
startling to see even gilt snake cOiling
| among flowers, or his erect tail twisting
| itself about the bows adjoining The hat.
Hats may cover the head, but the many
| pins used TO hold them there would indi-
| cate that they are not made to stay on.
| In shape such as are fat are bent in
| every possible fashion and the trimming
| is arranged TO accentuate their oddity. Up
| hill and down, round the corners. far and
wide, they spread and are decked with
the fruits of the earth, the fowls of the
air and almost every living thing that creep
| eth. One of the prettiest Yet seen, because
| of the absence Of these things was of the up
| hill variety and had softly coiled and knotted
| crepe scarfs, coming from the tUrned-over
brim at the back, of the most delicate
| shades of amber, pale gray and soft lilac.
| This trimming was held in place by silver
| pins incrusted with pale yellow transpar-
| ent stones, and the effect was charmingly
''springy' and pretty.
In the revival Of medieval styles one
looks almost in vain for the restoration of
medieval manner, the low curtsey, the trick
of dropping eyes, low voices and hair
smoothly parted have not returned with
the narrow frilled skirt and the Ieg-o-mut-
ton sleeve. 1t is said, however, that sweet
simplicity is to be worn this summer, and
that young women are already cultivating
the innocent stare that marks the wonder
ing infant. Changeabe silks, India shawls
and even the less costly Paisley are all used
ir house gowns for the summer One
might easily believe that out OF grandmoth-
| er's chest was taken Il quaint old gray shot
silk, which IS made with a simple full skirt
! befiounced with cluny lace a slashed bodice
of white lace ruffies and wide sleeves being
the distinguishing characteristics.
The jacket or coat belongs to the simpler
styles of this season. The jacket is i'll eff
feet pointed bodice with draped front,
hip pieces being added to the bottom of
bodice in the shape of a fiounce A wool
suit may have the jacket sleeves. draped
front and hip pieces of silk. Another SIM
pie toilet is 4 plain three-quarter coat, open
ing in front to show a soft, full vest of
chiffon lace or India. held at waist by
girdle of passementerie. The sleeves are
Just full enough TO be pretty, shaping to
close coat ones at the wrist. The skirt is
nearly plain, with the exception of few
front wrinkles. y double breasted basque,
with slashed skirt portion, edged with mar
row braid is another neat spring waist. The
three-quarter coat, fitted snug, with an
elaborate vest, closing up and down with
small buttons is recommended for stout
figures, as is also the long-tailed basque.
This year, as last, the double box plated
skirt is worn, made Of cloth or wool, with a
bodice pointed in front, arching to coat
tails in the back, fastened with small fat
buttons made of the same material as suit.
1t may be turned back at the neck in shawl
collar and worn with white chemisette.
The exquisitely colored ginghams, many
of them fine and soft as silk, and the pretty
cOttOns in challes and lawns tempt one TO
buy the simpler stuffs and multiply the
number of their gowns. Among new cotton
goods, or rather revival. IS dimity. The
new dimity is plain or figured and is of finer
cords than formerly. Black orgaudy is
beautifully figured with sprays and single
flowers in rather high colors. Plain and
lace striped batistes are OF black, white,
brown, blue, ecru and pale green. The cot
ton cheviots have stripes and plaids over
their basket-woven grounds, and are about
the most substantial OF cotton goods used
for dresses or skirts.
Percales show single flowers, sprays.
polka dots, stripes and tiny figures in bright
colors on the whiteSt of white grounds.
Dark ginghams have hair-line and broad
stripes of white. In cotton crepes the
Yeddo and Canton crepes in white, fast
black and dainty light shades take well for
pretty home dresses.
The satin effect is given in narrow and
wide stripes on solid and sheer cotton goods.
Cheviots are in plain colors as well as
stripes and plaids, and there exists fancy
for combining the two for tailor-made
cotton gown. Pinhead checks, plaids, wide
and narrow stripes prevail in the sswash''
silks that are prettier this season than ever
before.
Black lace dresses are being recalled into
popularity. There is something about the
soft, graceful, clinging net that recommends
itself 10 the mind of womankind. There is
kind of dresSiness about it that makes the
wearer feel comfortably well clad, yet
which does not give the sensation of being
overdressed. Nicely made the black net
dress is suitable for recentiopS either. at