The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-04-23
THE WOMEN OF FASHION
SEEN OF A SUNSHINE DAY UPON
THE STREETy.
rhe New Stuffs and tho New Ways OF Com
bining Them-Some Gowns That VIII
Not Go to Chicago-Bodices.

Some women do not care what sort of
a gown they wear, so long as all is spick
and span beneath its hem. Their lingerie
must be the pink of perfection, and for
more than that they do not care; the
dress over may be old-fashioned or
thread-ba they are perfectly indiffer-
ent to outward appearance so long as
they rest serene in the consciousness that,
In every fact, they are daintily clad.
Then there's the other sort of women,
the one that doesn't care how she looks
on the street, so long as she Is attractive
at home. She will throw any sort or old
garment about her when she goes out,
and rush through her shopping or other
business, regardless of the crowd. and
then 20 home to fix end prm for hours,
in order to look pretty and hcmelike.
These are the charming home women
that make such pretty pictures In great
chairs, with graceful garments sugges-
tive OF the Greek These are the women
that devote much thought TO the tea ana
house gown: and 81 is these that are
specially delighted with the pretty gowns
OF to-day. The tea gowns have shocked
or shirred or gathered Jokes: they have
lettes over the big sleeves, they have
all the soft silks, all the pretty crepons,
and all the crinkly silks; they have all
| the dainty colors, and all the pretty lace
ru1les. Who could help loving such beau
| tiful things?
It was so very bright out to-day that
| every woman that could get there was In
| the brilliant crowd that sauntered along
this afternoon in the bright sunshine.
| There was the woman clad In the very
| latest-thin, gauzy material shaded from
! pale ashes of rose to deep brick color.
and then big pattern OF dull green
palm leaves scattered over. There were
| three minute black net ruffies on her
skirt. each one headed by a band OF jet
as broad as the ruffle. The jet ornaments
/ on her bodice were fastened on jacket
| shape, and at the front, where the mate
rial was gathered into full folds, was a
| fall of ashes-of roses-chiffon. She wore
a small, fiat sailor OF rough straw, old
rose, with few rosettes Of green fancy
silk net, and few aigrettes.
Right out of a candy shop walked
forth. brazen as you please, Miss Shirt
Front. with neat. plain skirt, of the vel
vet rufle variety, and with pale pink
shirt stiff. highly polished, showing at
the sides also. hiding itself farther back
under the small bolero jacket Of brown
velvet. The soft crush velvet belt COM
| ing up over, looked rather queer beside
the hard surface OF the shirt.
The woman in the brocade, however,
won the day. She obtained all the stares,
all the turnings around, all the Just
looksw all the See theres!' You'd
| think her dress was so heavy that she
wouldn't be able to walk beneath the
load But that's the beauty of the ma
terlal. 1t looks so thick and rich and old
| fashioned. and IL Is really just as light
as feather. You'd think II was genuine
| brocade. but when you touch II you find
1t is satin thread wrought on fine gauze.
raised I'm such fashion as to look like
heavy embroidery. But there's nothing
beneath the ridges. and there's nothing to
give Il any weight. Such material would
J be comfortable even on very warm day.
| All the latest stuffs are particularly
thin. You can look through almost
every one OF them. Most OF them are
very Eastern in appearance and IRE very
fascinating with the tiny silk spots or
threads run all over, making such quaint
designs. They are a little expensive.
to be sure. Six dollars a yard is the
price OF that deceptive brocade, but what
would you?
from these beautiful. changing materials.
that you are more than compensated for
their cost. OF pale yellow, shading into
dull heliotrope. you can make a plated
skirt-the plaits rather close over the
hips but falling widely apart at the feet,
and just caught there with velvet hello
trope loops. You can have fancy yoke
Of gold embroidery or braidng at the
neck. cut away in front in a small square.
You can have gold fringe hanging from
The yoke. almost hiding the three velvet
bands Of heliotrope that run around the
short bodice. Lastly. you can have deep
white lace rufies on your shoulders, over