The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-21
Certain You viii Read and Criticize.

frivolous feeling.
Certain You Will Read and Criticize.
One of our pretty Californians, who has
lately returned from Europe, after an alb
sence of wears, wears many dainty toilettes
which set off well her lovely complexion.
One waist from Paris is of yellowlsh silk.
The sleeves are immensely full, with no
traces of stiffening. The front is slightly
bloused and across it is draped some rare,
creamy Irish point lace, which is caught
up with two rosettes so cunningly devised
that they look like half-opened Marechal
Mel rosebuds. Each sleeve also has one of
these rosettes nesting among the ample
fullness about eight inches from the Shout
der and around the wrists are small
turned-over cuffs of the lace. A bias fold
of the silk, arranged with many wrinkles,
encircles a well-rounded waist.
OF course, this dainty woman has not a
few of the light gowns, covered with
masses of lace, which | so love. 1t is hard
to decide whether she is prettiest in mus
lin batiste, chiffon, or moussellne de sole.
Lace is popular. but never has there been
a season known when ribbons were so uni
versallv worn, and III consequence, every
possible sort and description of ribbon can
be found, and this fashion is a most
economical one, as we can refresh our
old gowns by their judicious use, and
crepon dresses of last summer which were
completed by black satin ribbon and belt,
and a large collarette of white lace, are
unpleasantly conspicuous this season, for
thew are no longer new. To make them
stylish, replace the black satin by draped
collar and narrow belt of green and blue
chameleon taffeta ribbon. A large aigrette
bow or one with broad loops completes
both belt and collar, and in place of the
white collar a shallow yoke is added in
front of black net wrought with iridescent
green and blue spangles, and very
effective bow of the bright ribbon is
placed on each side of the bust, close to
the armholes. The cuffs are of the ribbon
and have a draped appearance.
These chameleon taffeta ribbons are the
latest importations for dress trimming and
millinery, and are from four to six inches
wide
The empire sashes have been, and are
still, great favorites with our pretty girls,
and go well with the profusion of light
gowns seen everywhere, and it should be
recorded that ungainly figures can be i'm
proved, short waists made longer and alb
normally long waists shorter by bands and
belts. For short-waisted woman broad
belt, particularly of sash ribbon, is most
undesirable, but with a narrow belt and
straps of ribbon put in from belt to Shout
der and ending on the shoulders in a bow
there is a good long line effect gained
Long-waisted women should delight in the
mode which allows them to wrap yards
and yards of ribbon around their waists
but thew certainly have the advantage over
their short-waisted sisters.
Surplice fronts, becoming to slender
figures and to the stout alike, are in many
new waists, the fullness being gathered on
the shoulders instead of below the throat
and it is Tapped across the bust to fasten
on the left side under the belt.
A surplice waist is worn here by pretty
young matron of black mousseline de sole,
over black taffeta, and is, beautified with
bands of yellow Valenciennes lace. The
sleeves are voluminous, with horizontal in
sertions of the lace. The collar is ruche
of creamy lace. With this is worn a plain
skirt Of black silk The toilette is excellent.
and | almost forgot to add that at the back
of her neck she wears, with this gown, a
bow of black satin, consisting of four or
six loops, some of them extending out at
the sides, and this is one of the latest things
which have reached US from Europe and
we are informed that in exaggerated cases
the bow is set so high that it appears to
spring from the neck itself under the low
couture, for the coming fashion is to dress
the hair very low in the neck.
Long cloaks cut a la domino for evening
carriage wraps are very stylish; the fronts
can be left open or crossed over and
fastened. The armholes are immense and
the sleeves form very large puffs. These
cloaks are to be the favorites of fashion,
say our best modistes. l am glad of 1t, as
they are easily slipped on and off. Such
cloaks will, later in the season, be made
up in lightweight cloths for evening trips
across.the bay, etc.
Most of us have seen the stylish matron,
who dresses in the extreme of fashion, in
a white alpaca skirt as early as April.
l heard and announced that such skirts,
with Louis XVI coats of shot silk. would
be one of the things for spring and sum-
mer wear, and such has been the case, the
SWEETEST women having regarded the COM
binations with much favor. And now we
Robespierre, which is cut with the short
waist, and with it is worn the deep sash of
that particular period, accompanied by
long crayat of Mechlin lace, and fastened
with bronze buttons. Thisis tremendously