The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-18
THE WOMAN OFFASHION
QUEENS or 4 GARDEN PkRTY As A
MAN SEES THEN.
Some Graphic Descriptions by the other
seI-A Novel View of Woman's
sleeve-summer Materials.

NOW that the warm weather Is fairly
upon Us. a man may cast himself lazily
| upon the grass in almost any beautiful,
| inhabited bit OF country park or sandy
shore, and see bright, charming pictures
continually fitting before him. The sight
viii cost him nothing; nay, rather will
the damsels rejoice in his presence, for
Will 1t not enable them to air all their
pretty graces and pretty gowns especially
! for his benefit? What a charm there Is
| IN having the masculine. rather than the
feminine eye, rest upon them! And the
INCIDENT men, that possesses withal
sense fof the beautiful, will be both
amused and gratihed with these birds OF
brilliant plumage
Being Unexpectedly deferred from at
tendlng a certain garden party, given
a Few days ago, at which there was TO
be big display Of new gowns. 1 sought
very old acquaintance, and charged
MIN with the execution Of my task. Alas
Tor me and for my readers. the acquaint-
ance was male. Bat he did the best
he could.
ITO tell you the truth" he said. the
next day. when he came with his re-
port Il couldn't for the life OF me re-
member more than four dresses. There
wasn't any use taking notes for / didn't
know what 10 call the things. I've been
thinking 10 over all nitlt. and I'll tell
you The best I know how.
The first thing that struck me was
hat that looked like the top crust Of an
apple pie, trimmed with a bow OF rib
bon In the front Then there were some
points sticking up I'm 'front.' OF gold wire.
and they looked like good-sized Jersey
mosquito. on the side there was a small
spray OF flowers.
Her dress was very neat-quite pecu-
liar; never saw one like IL before. She
had very large sleeves above the elbow;
below the elbow they fitted very closely
into the arm. The upper part was pulled
out as II it were filled with wind The
part OF the dress that goes over the
shoulders suppose you would call Il a
cape-was very neat. and might have been
comfortable; but from the way 1t fitted
10 the neck, like a cuff [ should dislike
very much 10 wear IL myself. This cape
spread out over the sleeves some distance.
and ran down 20 a point I'm the waist In
front and had curly-cues up along the |
edge. Half way between the edge Of the |
cape and the neck was plated affair |
about six or eight inches wide, with a |
bow In front. Where the cape ran to |
point in front Of the waist, there was a /
bow OF ribbon with long ends, which ran |
down half way to the ground; and from ;
this bow the material Of which the cape /
was made continued on down in front |
OF the dress, TO within a few feet Of the |
ground. 1t gradually got wider. until Il /
was about eighteen inches wide at the |
bottom The dress proper was a most |
beautiful piece of pink goods. with Hack
rings over IL about the size OF n quarter
At the bottom there was a rufle about
eight inches broad Around her waist
was a belt OF the same material as the
cape; and she wore n pair OF gloves that
looked like the forty-nine cent pair you
showed me the other day.
Then, let me see, l remember an
other that almost knocked me out. She
apparently wore three skirts, which must
have been mighty hot. although she APP
peared remarkably cool. The first one
reached TO the ground. the next one two
thirds OF the way, and the last one half |
way TO the ground, from her waist. They
looked like three tunnels, diminishing in I
size. over the skirts there were three |
rufiles, scalloped at the edge, and accor-
dion plated. l know they were nccor-
dion, for / heard a lady say so. Where
these rufiies Joined the green dress goods.
there was a yellow ribbon, with en-
bossed designs on II, that looked some
tHinB llht ISulnB lines. Inc sleeves were
just like all the other sleeves that have
seen on women's dresses: only there was
a cupids wing at the shoulder spreading
out over II. accordion plated like the
rutiies, and made OF the same kind Of
stuff. so thin that you could see clear
through IL. This stuff reached across
the waist In front too, with the ends
tucked Up under. Down each side I'm
front, and across the neck, was some
more Of the ribbon work. She wore the
funniest hat that was ever made. Ii was
made out OF the green goods OF the dress.
a very light green. the shade, / should
say, OF very pale lettuce leaves, and was
apparently a round piece, punched to-
gether in the middle; this crinkled il
clear TO the edge. a little button sewed
In the centre formed the crown Of the
hat, which wasn't big enough 10 fit a
ioll. In front were two little angels
wings, which think were meant 10 repre-
sent swans wings.
I'm afraid l can't remember this next
)ne very well. ! noticed that IL was lust
he shade Of the cream that she poured
'Ver her strawberries. and l made a
lote Of IL at the time. II was silk, too.
ma very soft-lOoking. Her big sleeves.
which were what l always noticed first.
Lao three little capes laid out over them
rom the reck. The part OF the dress
.Oove the waist / think / could make
myself II l had piece OF goods here.
[ seemed to be just wrapped around her.
ausht together little below the neck