Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-04-21


/ til2sT l. INiizing sense that
'EgN ~ spring has really
49, ~ come. Such a
hlis1. -5iga wealth of tender
color, not only IN the new millinery,
but in the different dress materials No
one now need be afraid to wear royal
purple shot with green or gold, nor a
gown rivaling the tlnts so dear to the
hearts of the children of the Emerald
Isle or sunny Italy, for it is fashion
and the very top of it too. There are
wonderful fabrics temptingly displayed
that rival Joseph's coat of many colors,
| but with the difference that while that
was made Of patchwork these colors are
| blended in the weaving, and very artis-
tically managed too. One piece of silk,
with a general color of warm, reddish
yellow, showed green, brown, blue and
purple in different lights. 1t was striped
with brown and black, while the rest of
the colors showed in different lights,
breaking into new surprises of unsus-
pected colors like an opal.
Indeed there are many things Just
now that carry the opalescent lights and
colors, though how such On effect is
achieved in straw cannot imagine, but
tits seen on some of the rich, fine straws
of Italian origin. Ribbons show it; it
is seen in buckles and passementerie and
variety of cloths, and also some Of the
dainty zephyrs have shifting shadows
of fire and fame. With all this the opal
as a jewel is the one choice jewel of the
day. A Mexican fire opal shown me
yesterday, oval in shape and set around
with small diamonds, was called the
finest bit of jewelry in a big store. The
foolish superstition about opals has died
natural death in this age of reason,
and opals are the fashionable jewels
now, not that diamonds and pearls
are displaced, but that opals now are
more sought after than rubies or emer-
aids. A really fine opal is beautiful
stone, with a heart of fire that sends
forth sudden lambert flames from its
mysterious depths and is perpetual
surprise and thing of beauty and a
joy till fashion changes.
There are silk muslins shot in opales-
cent colors for young ladies. and they
have all the characteristics Of the opal.
shading into red, blue flame and, in
fact, more colors than | car mention
and all through a misty, milky surface.
| saw gown for young lady made Of
one of these silk muslins. The skirt
was made quite plain and round and
nafhnrpd ffnlar Hnts1n ,.I1Ara1 rel
belt. Around the bottom We're four very
narrow rutfles, each one having two
rows of very narrow velvet ribbons bear
ing the principal opaline colors. No
two were alike. There was a ruffled
Gchu. and these rui1ies were trimmed in
similar manner. The sleeves were
pulled and ended at the elbow with two
ruffies. Around the neck the young
wearer had heart shaped opal, hung
on a slender gold chain. A daintier
dress could hardly be imagined. There
are limitations of opals very cleverly
done, and those who cannot afford the
genuine may have the appearance of the
wealth that permits of many changes at
modest cost.
There was dress made for the sister
Of she who wore the opal gown, and
this, too, was a model Of beauty and
delicacy. The skirt, and in fact the
whole dress, was of dotted swiss mus
lin, with six rows of white lace inser-
ton laid on at equal distances around
the skirt. The waist was simple belt
ed blouse, with the insertion laid On to
simulate yoke. The sleeves were
balloon puffs, with blue surah forearm
pieces and blue surah sash belt, in
which were set bunch of imitation
blue vielets.
The proud mother of those two lovely
girls wore a handsome dress of black
satin duchess, brocaded in stripes and
trimmed with velvet ribbons set on the
skirt and richly beaded. The basque
was of rich black velvet, with rolled
puff of corded silk held in by velvet rib
bon and vest front of the ribbed silk.
The gigot sleeves were trimmed with
velvet and passementerie. Good taste
and plenty of money together were nee
essary to develop these three model cos
| tunes.
The authorities tell US that there will
be very many all white summer gowns
made of sheer lawn, founced and other
wise trimmed with the beautiful new
Russian embroidery. This embroidery
does not come deep enough to make one
whole skirt length, so there will be
feunces only, but they may be many or
few. as one desires. Three fiounces ar
ranged to represent triple skirt win
be favorite. These embroideries can
be had in sets, so that there is one piece
with a double edge, which can be used
| for breteiles Or bertha. The ribbon
belts with floating ends will be the
prepel ribbon garniture when the en-
broidery is employed as bertha or bre-
telles, but very pretty garniture and
dressy effects are obtained by having
ribbon bretelles with bows wherever
they can be set with propriety. On the
shoulders, on the sleeves and at the
waist and set at the bottom of the skirt,
either with or without long ends COM
| ing down for the waist, the ribbon
makes dainty and graceful trimming.
and it can 50 easily be removed and re.
4 placed for laundry purpose that it is nc
wonder that it's the preferred trimming
/ fer all light dresses.
There are some most beautiful new
/ cham ARRAYS, thick and fine, with sort
of changeable effect, that are already
very popular. Each Of these has
an embroidered pattern, some of them
done in all over pattern, thicker and
richer toward the bottom, and Others
I again have plain surface, with en-
broidery to match. There was one where
the body of the stuff was blue in two
very distinct shades. The embroidery
was done in dark blue. A lilac and
dark heliotrope was done the same way,
also red and pink. AS these chambray
gowns are expected to stand the hardest
usage, the colors are limited strictly te
those known to be fast and washable.
/ There is quite rage for at least one
nice black dress in each lady's ward
robe. Black grosgrain silk, faille, taffe-
ia or lutestring are all favorite mate
rails, besides the beautiful black moires