Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-24
SPRING FASHIONS.
cRePoNs AND CROCODILE CLOTHS
MOST POPULAR MAT ERALS.
Charming French Cbafites - beautif"i
Bedfords-siihs Decidedly In
the Ascendant.

TCorrsspondsncc Of the Kichnoui Dispasc!-l
NEW YORK. April 23.-Thank the gods we
live in the nineteenth century-and to-
wards the end Of il In the elder days OF
dress one had a silk gown. or q stuff dress.
or a calico frock. and with precious little
variety about the color or the weave.
Now, it would seem ss though no two
looms were employed in producing the
same goods. There are so many faorics
that the dealers are puzzled to give names
to them. and they are sufficiently diihcuit
TO describe.
OF the more distinctly spring materials
IL may be said that crepons and crocouhe
cloths are by far the most popular, al
though Bedfords dispute the ascendency
with them. and are really so altogether
charming this season that 70 choose be-
tween them would confuse the Judgment
of Paris himself. The crepons are best
liked in the plain. solid colorings. owing
their attractiveness 10 the peculiar weave
of the goods. The newer Bedfords, on. the
other hand, are striped.
RESEMBLING SCALES.
Crocodile cloths have a peculiar, small
figure in the weave. distantly resembling
scales, whence the name. They are OF a
similar weight 10 the crepous. and, in fact,
belong 10 the same family. Camels-hairs
have abandoned the odd and striking Ell
fects Of last year 10 a very considerable
extent. The smooth qualities are shown;
however, with polka-dots OF .contrasted
colorings spripkled across their surfaces:
Homespuns and the Scotch tweeds and
chcviots are staple. suffering little change
from year TO year. At present they display
chiefly invisible plaIds and mixtures.
LIGHTER FABRICS.
Coming to the lighter fabrics, French
printed chalhes are decidedly among the
most charming of the wash dress-goods.
These display large floral designs, small
sprigs, and o variety of striped effects.
Polka dots are also frequent. Challies
with dark grounds are prominent feature:
they are, OF course, figured IN light coiors.
Bedford cords exhibit this season the
novelty Of challi fgurings. They are
very satisfying goods for spring dresses
and will make up well tor wear at the
resorts. Bayonnaise Is new quality III
yeIlings 10 10 figured with tiny designs
and is deliciously soft and pretty.
Dmities. batistes, glnghans, and the
other wash goods have all attractive fea-
lures, organizes are especially favored and
although old-fashioned, present many
novelties Of design.
SILK SEASON.
As to the silks. It is what the dealers
call silk season silks, that il, are de-
cidedly in the ascendant and are to be
widely used, even for the rect, although
for tine latter purpose they Will occupy the
position of trimmings. The first feature
OF the new weayes that strikes the eye IA
that most of them have changeab!e effects I;
the second. that about three-fourths OF
them are striped. Never were stripes so
altogether popular.
Mores are in vast variety of new color
ings and new combinations. White
grounds show pale tinted stripes with
small blossoms embroidered indlscrimi-
natelv across stripes and ground. Equal
striped moires in two decided colors are
finished with what is known as the " cha
meleon" effect.
PENN STRIPES.
Satins, taffeta silks. and surahs all show
atendency toward Pekin stripes IN boldly
contrasted colorings. such, for instance.
as blue and canary. Some OF the new
surahs have serpentine e1e cts. Altogether
the new silks are rather gorgeous, and
promise in the shape of gowns later on 70
give us some brilliant rainbow eaects a;
the springs or by the ocean.
Cycling dress will include this season,
as will most other sorts OF outing attire,
the little India silk shirt that Is 10 be such
a feature of the year. As days grow
warmer the short cloth jacket worn above
it will be stuffed into the "luggage-car-
riers" on the handled bars, and our wheel
woman. with her plain serge skirt. sus-
tanned by bretelles, Will present that Co
quettishly man-like appearance aimed al
by the I'm de steele young lady.
CAMPAIGN DRESS.
A pretty travelling dress included in the
preparations " Of a young lady here who
expects TO make q vigorous campaign AT
the resorts u of nayy-plue French serge
edged with white braid; there Is LITTLE
blouse waist of checked India IN blue and
white, which goes inside the skirt-band
the iaunty English jacket is worn over It,
and is also edged with braid.
The Vatican was never used IN so many
different ways.
Easter Sundays parade on the ayenuf
demonstrated the immense success OF the
English straight back top-coat. Ever,
other woman seemed to have one on, anc
the color was generally some shade o! tan
OTHER NOTES.
The era of the low shoe returns. Lei
us hope that modsh women Will discard II
in favor of the pretty high-laced suede
boot they are showing.
There is a rumor that the length of the
bell skirt Is to be curtalled long ere au
tumn's leaves strew the ground. lis
contamination devoutly 20 be wish'd.
Everything has a girdle of some sort
The girdle Is a sine qua non.
In crepon, or any of the spring fabrics
the majority of the models display The
RuSsian hlousp IL Is n styie that is gen
orally becoming. except to stout women
and these latter unfortunetes are not much
considered bv the modern modiste.
Prince-of- Wales tips still deck the spring
bonnets.