Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-09
finished with small bows OF ribbon the

finished with small bows OF ribbon the
exact shade of the satin.
A tour of all the exporting houses and
the dressmakers shows that black is tc
be the prevailing color, and black and
white either in stripes or very large
plaids will be very much worn. These
plaids have designs, some of them over a
foot square, but they are not at all yul-
gar, as the lines and squares are made
up in new combinations that show an
agreeable surface. It does not look
plaidy, but has an evenness that causes
you to forget the crossed lines. Many OF
them have the pattern bias, or diamond
shaped. The all black dress materials
are superb in fineness, bloom and design
and the different patterns in brocade,
basket weave, stripes and swivel brocade
are beautiful and highly artistic. The
silk warp henriettas and similar fabrics
are simply exquisite and more distin-
guished than silk There is also long
list of grays with black or white, OF
both, threads thrown in irregularly,
making indistinct stripes and plaids.
There are many novelties in colored
wooden goods. hut nothing very interest
ing. The toned reps and tweeds of last
season are again put forward with some
new colors and combinations, but every
one here says it will be great black and
white season, and that very large plaids,
made mostly on the bias, will be worn
very generally. am sorry, for am too
little for big plaids, and | look too in
significant for anything in all black.
But the greatest good for the greatest
number is my motto.
The Champs Elysees. instead of being
deserted, is more crowded than ever of
an afternoon or Sunday, but it has diff.
ferent class, and these people are all on
foot, few in hired carriages, and good
many on bicycles, and must say that it
is pretty sight to notice the possibilities
of lawn and ordinary cotton goods. Few
wear anything but washable dresses, but
the colors are so well chosen, the dresses
so exquisitely neat and SO well made that
they are more tLan pretty. No speck or
spot of soil is seen on one The hands
are covered with well fitting cotton or
silk gloves, the boots or low shoes are so
trim, and the hat always just what it
should be, and the Undesirable air of
the woman who respects her dress isover
them all. A Frenchwoman is French
through and through, and neatness and
the sense of the fitness of things are born
in her.
The bicycle costumes are wonderful,
and some of them are more than vulgar,
as persons who wear them evidently do
so for the purpose of making display
of their figures But there are hundreds
of nice girls who enjoy ride and who
dress neatly and in Il modest way, but
French taste makes it necessary for them
to add few little touches of bright
color or trimming to the otherwise rather
sober dress. One pretty bicycling cos
tune might please some of our young
ladies, so | will describe it. The skirt
was of light brown cheviot, and it reach
ed to the ankle nearly, and was edged
with a band of persian embroidery.
There was a belt and the forearm sleeves
of the same, and low collar also of the
persian work The blouse was of crepon
"A shade darker than the skirt The sailor
hat was of white straw. with brown rib
bon. The brown was on the snuff shade,
which is an excellent one not to show
dust. The feet are encased in dainty
laced boots with brown cloth tops. No
French girl would wear tennis shoe
nor one with a low fiat heel to save he,
life. She just simply couldn't
By the way, one sees a good many
laced shoes now-pretty, high prunella
boots with vanished tips and laced with
silk cords. On the tops are little silk
tassels or round silk pompons hanging
by silken cords. They are very neat and
pretty, particularly for children. These
bootees come well up above the ankle
and are sometimes scalloped and some
times plain.
Among the places visited in search of
the fashionable instead Of the pictur-
esque found glove house, and there