The Opelousas courier., 1896-12-26
FASHION NOTES.

FASHION NOTES.
Sleeves are now very tight fron.
shoulder down to the wrists, with
frills or pufs at the shoulders and
wrists.
Louis XVI. bodices are sometimes
trimmed with q Marie Antoinette
ichu, edged around with pinked-out
fuching.
Red is to be the dominating color
in dress this winter, and there is red
in our hats, red Innings in u dresses
and wraps, and red gowns.
Vests, boleros and blouses are ex-
tremely coquettish and deliberately
trimmed, and SO long as this remains
in fashion skirts must be simple.
Guipure epaulets are used to fall
over either plain or fancy sleeves. and
may be either composed entirely OF
the guipure or trimmed with lace.
Batiste, lawn and organdie dresses
have yokes made of lace insertion and
pufings. These are trimmed around
the edges with rufies of lace or white
chiffon.
If only the belt or sash, collar and
bows to correspond, are we'll chosen,
and made up with taste and elegance,
the plainest dress car be converted in
to a toilet fit for any occasion.
A pretty form of sleeve has a plain,
tight sleeve as a foundation, with over
the shoulders q full width Of the ma
t~erial, gathered into the armhole, and
formed into wings at the top.
Skirts, for walking purposes, are
made rather short, and with most OF
their fullness still at the back. All
attempts at trimming are progressing
tut s!owly-though progressing.
Tailor gowns of black cloth, with
bright colored boleros braided SO
closely with black that the color Just
shows through, are popular this sea-
son, and red is the favorite shade.
Blouse bodices have p%lastrons, lace
jabots, revers OR the ordinary linen
shirt front added as finish. They have
shor:, plain or undulating basques
and sometimes corselettes Of contrast.
ing colors.
TIE seasons new faced cloths are
very fine in texture, light in weight,
and appear I n handsome shades in
green, blue, dahlia, dark Burgundy
red, opal gray, fawn, and browns in
mum cradle.
Silk waists of spotted or Powered
pattern have yokes made of ribbon
and lace alternating. In one model
the lace and ribbon r joined with a
cord, and this is drawn up so as to
produce tiny pufs, which are very
pretty and effective.
Printed China silks are not in the
height Of fashion, but they r very
pretty tea gowns with q front of plain
silk. They are reduced in price until
in the large cities handsome patterns
and an excellent texture sell for fifty
to seventy-fve cents a yard.
In the matter OF sleeves, almost sill
of the new ones are tight to the shout
der, and there set off by some sort Of
oddment, according to the taste of
the modiste. The mousquetaire sleeve
is always snug, and wrinkled all its
length, usually set off at the should>r
by a small puff, filled with curled hair,
being lighter t~han15rsrton.
While fashi~ Ale tailors and mod
istes will mei;s great use of all the new
rough surf g6ed boucle cloths, tweeds,
cheviots, ,,mel's hair and bourette
materials, Smooth, elegant cloths will
be employed in making some Of the
h%anasomest fur-edged costumes for
the winter Advices regarding this
fact come to American importers from
the best houses in London and Paris.
Mink, otter, sable and chinchilla
bands are used to enrich the very ex-
pensive costumes for next seafcn, and
short fur capes to match the bands
come with many OF the imported
models. The muffs en- suite are very
| large and really clumsy looking after
| the trim, taut shapes of SO many sea.
sons past. Other trimmings of cloth
gowns are bias bands OF the dress
goods, also rich braiding in colors and
gold, and other metal trimmings in
which tailors excel.
Many fashionable dressmakers are
shocked by the appearance upon the
scene of q steel petticoat. This tor
mentor comes from Paris, and is made
of the finest material. It is destined
to be worn with the widest of the new
skirts, to keep them we'll spread out.
Though the modistes are aware of the
presence of the steel petticoat, also
the hustle and the hoopsklrt, yet they
decry all knowledge of their use, and
anticipate a decided movement against
all such artificial and unhealthful aids
to eccentric fashion in America.