Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-08
FASHIONS FREAKS.
a eaewsoMs PROGRAMME OF cRlNo-
LINE HOOPS AND PANlERs.
Tho rs,y "Train" or "Dip" Must &C.
Three Varieties Of the New skirt-Di'-
PLAYS Of acknowledgements.

rcorresuondence Of the Richmond Dispatch-l
NV YoRK, January 7.-Among the most
alarming OF the many rumors tnat are
handled back and forth between the sa-
nient ones who write and talk about dress
il the report that present tendencies GER
taiplv threaten hoops in the near future
The process Of evolution Is sketched hhe
this. the simulated double SKIRT tue
double skirt itself, panlers, crinohnes tper-
haps)-hoopsI lisa gruesome programme,
and there are some reasons for fearing tnat
il NAV be carried through, for ~ Is 0sIy
too evident that Seoond-Emplre D ~ So
will ne among the revivals that are TO DC
looked forward to. The designers are De-
coming dissatisfied with the preVaiilh@
skirt.
THE SKIRT THAT RULES.
Thistle skirt which really ruies-s
almost return 10 the hrst Deil; omy
rnsde IN width of at least five yards. The
ugly little abbreviated tram or dlp
the target of the comic paragrapher, tne
ANNOYANCE of its possessor twnen appIeu
10 street dress), and the evaporation Oh
man. who is perpetually stepping. upon IL
I'M theatre foyers, stores. eleVate9-
railroad platforms, and other croWi-
ed places. The behavior OF an oIn-
narily sweet-tempered man AFTER haElne
trodden upon and perhaps torn the sElrt
NJ the woman in front of him is about IKE
this. the dress gives forth an omlnous ana
discordant sound of parting strands; Ola,
dame turns around and looks daggers anu
furies Monsieur raises bis hat. bushes
brick-red. apologies abiect!y IN the MIDST
of freezing and irresponslVe Silence on
the part OF the skirted one. and as soon rs
he safely can, relieves his feelings Oy su
outburst of lurid language containing
many Biblical expressions entirely mis-
placed.
THE NEW VARIETIES.
This form Of skirt is to go, We have al
ready two new varieties. The one Tor re-
| ception and other dressy indoor toilets Is
circuIar in form and laid in full kits al
the way around: secondly, semi-Del
with the foot-trimming repeated to slmu-
! late a second skirt. And, yes, there Is
third, intended for gowns OF ceremony,
| Int not for formal evening attire. ms Is
| n circular skirt parted all the way az the
back. to permit q fan-shaped tram 10
| emerge, expanding very gracefully. as IL
does so, and presenting VIDE seml-clrcle
| as it reaches the floor.
TOPICS sCASTY.
Being mid-season, dress topics are
scanty: the modlstes are repeating tneul-
| selves the mIlliners refuse 20 be inven-
| tive and even the butterflies or fashion
! have almost satiatei themselves WIN
! chiHons. All of The large dry goods estab-.
| lishments devote themselves TO displays OF
! lingerie. seeming to despair of exciting
| further interest in outer ralment. Styles
! in underCarmenting do not reyolye very
violently, and vet one notices not few IN
| noyatIons. IL is well TO repeat that wo-
men of taste almost wholly discountenance
| solored silk lingerie; silk is used very
| little. | have examined several stylish
| t-ousseGE in which nothing but few OF
| the night-dresses were of silk, and THESE
| usually in white. Some of these are, how
| ever. very attractive. They are III soft
cream tinted China silk, made very
slightly en- trdine. over the shoulders are
draped full capes of lace gathering to a
yoke. In another form a double ldbot OF
lace comes from the shoulders and IS car
ried down the front very nearly TO the foot
of the garment. There is a new design
with an immense square collar of lace APP
piled sailor fashion. but of greater dlmen-
sions than the largest sailor collar.
THE TOBY FauL.
Perbaps the ruling idea in cambria
gowns is the Toby frlll. The'name IS sug-
gestiye. the huge RULED frill of embroid-
| cred cambria being modelled after the
| decoration worn by the dog in the or
tlodox punch and judy .Night-dresses
are also a Empire. these being among the
prettiest and most effective models. One
of the newest designs in chemises follows
suit. II is cinctured below the bust with a
! wide glrdle combined of embroidery ana
ribbons, exactly after the scheme OF the
Josephine robe, and naturally loses the
full loose lines which used 20 be deemed
essential TO this characteristicaliy feminine
garment from the days when its french
name was unknown aud women called 1t
"smock" IN good, plain English.
THE STYLISH ARTICLE.
The stylish chemise OF the day ia
trimmed on the front with double lappets
or revers of lace or of the body material
inserted with lace medalllons. con trOus-
sequ garments the medallions are en-
broidered with the brides monogram.
These reyers are so placed as to overlap
the edge of the corset. The triplicate
combination garment, which Is one OF the
few devices ia underwear that have an
English rather than a French origin. Is
adopted by women who affect the newest
ideas, but seems to possess no special at
fractions for the majority. PLAIN combi-
nations have an unusual vogue and are
more extensively worn than ever before.
They are especially popular for winter
wear IN the French fannelette, which IS
very simply trimmed with embroidered
edglngs in silk.
OTHER FASHION NOTES.
The standard outer garment of the year
il certainly the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT coat
of tan melton or kersey, with the triple
cOachman's capeS.
The very richest effects in robes of cere-
mony are obtained by the employment OF
PLAIN silks. on which are appliqued cut
figures Of velvet in suitably-chosen colors
darker than the surface tone. The designs
are of leaves and flowers.
They have produced some decidedly
charming china silks this season. The de-
signs and shades of colorng fit them fol-
evening wear. and, in fact. il is for this
purpose they are intended. Very young
unmarried ladies have dancing-gownS
made from these fabrics, and for misses
they are entirely satisfying. Stripes seem
TO prevail in these goods.
| Lace fans painted in imitation of the de-
signs Of Vatican and his clever compeerS
are the proper accessories for evening
dress There is a new fancy in sticks
which are wholly of white pearl, unorna.
mented.
The Empire dresses have been seized
upon with eagerness for bridesmaids
gowns, and one does not attend fashion
ab wedding nowadays at which the at
tendants of the bride are not so costumed
There is vogue for the palest snc
highest shades in large felts for street
| wear