Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-02

dominated. There was also a good deal of plain shot taffetas, especially in va rious combinations of green, extremely bright, and rendered all the more con spicuous by the size of the sleeves, and frequently the addition of short peler- ines to match, encircling the shoulders in garniture of frillings, not very full, and forming waves like the petals of a huge flower.
 Blouse bodices of a different color to the skirt showed largely. All sorts of plain and figured taffetas were used for them, besides surah, satin, Indian silk gauge and muslin. All the fashionable colors were represented, but a decided taste was manifested for bright, golden maize, opaline tints and shades of blue from sky to the richest and deepest shade of bluet. This last color was one especially chosen for making entire cos tunes. A great many ladies appeard clad from head to foot in blue, their hats piled up with cornfiowers. either mixed With green shot ribbons or green grasses. The favorite material for these blue dresses was crepon, the thickest crimp- 1ngs being worn by the most fashionable women. Pale gray was another color which appeared oftenest in crepon, and there was large sprinkling of white crepon costumes. Many of the latter were more or less trimmed with black, black belts and extrfmely voluminous collarettes of plaited gauge about the throat and black ribbons or wings in the hat, enlivened with quantities of deep pink and red rose. Some of the gray materials were reserved for the skirts, the bodice being either black or white. Crepon skirts of all colors were combined with silk blouses. Some of the most attractive of the latter were made up of crimped gauge printed in cashmere or Persian patterns.
 ColletS, save when very ornate and covered with jet or colored beads and sa- quins, were eschewed by the most eie- gant people, and those that were worn were shorter than ever, hardly reaching down to the elbow. The short pelerne just covering the shoulders seems to be taking the place of the collet proper, or else the Marie Antoinette fichu. Be- sides the much-frilled pelerine described above there were some quite plain in velvet cut down square, sort of shaped bertha extending over the top of the sleeves and greatly increasing the width of the shoulders. They were worn made of bluet blue, grass green and crimson velvet over very light or white dresses, and gave to the costume most fanci- ful appearance, especially when the hat was Surmounted by huge AlSace bows of the same color. In some instances the bodices worn under these pelerines were cut down rather low at the neck, and blouses were also made the same way the top trimmed with jet or other bead work
 Tha sleeves were more exaggerated than ever. and there seemed to be a de> cideds tendanoy towards leg-o mutton form, but so made that the full portion reached below the elbow. The greatest number werd stiffened out with crino- lines the fullness being thrust back wards and not so much outwards as heretofore. Balllooni sleeves were also worn, but more decidedly in the minor ity, and these, too. were made very large and stiffiy padded, and either mounted on long tight sleeves or shot with long gloves drawn up carefully beneath them. But whilei the sleeves are rapidly grow ing in size, we seemed to have reached the maximum in regarde to skirts Not a. few of the elegant dresses were made with skirts that hung in soft, heavy folds about the feet of the wearers