The San Francisco call., 1896-04-12

finishing touch is given by belt of truly
exquisite passementerie.
A gown of soft black broche, with spots
of silver gray, has a skirt with a novel
drapery and bodice trim med with fine
black lace and rosettes of black satin rib
bons. This is most appropriate for ma
tron whose hair is be ginning to be touched
with silver.
Smart women will, many of them, in
clude in their summer outfit an evening
gown of black and white silk, as they do
not appeal to the taste of ordinary people,
and, as L remarked previously, a skirt of
cream-white mohair, heavy Dique or serge,
Will be in great vogue again, and the most
chic of silk bodices and shirt waists will be
worn with them. Speaking of shirts re-
minds me that one of the favorites is COM
posed of the finest linen lawn, embroid-
cred by hand, with small turned-down
collar at the neck; the cuffs match the
collar, all being edged with small frill of
real Valenciennes lace. These shirts may
be had in all OF the new and delicate
shades and cost SIS, as the insertions
used are of unusual fineness and are intro
duced with excellent effect. The grass
linen shirt with frills of itself, lace edged,
Is not to be despised.
The Spanish f1ounce is to be much used
on our petticoats and organdy skirts.
Such skirts should not be gored at all, SO
distance below the waist or pressed into
side pleats the entire length of the back
widths. This produces an excellent effect,
but the skirt must be pressed each time il
is worn.
Elbow sleeves will be the rule for all but
street gowns. Beige grass linen is becom.
ing to almost all com pie xions, so large
quantities are being sold, and for warm
weather it is much lighter and more com
Portable than the heavier linen twills
Such frocks are simply and daintily
trimmed with many yards of lace and rib.
bons.
This season collets or short collars differ
from those of last by being much more
elaborately and beautifully trimmed,
Felix is making up some that add q
greater luster than ever to his name.
l wonder if the little girls ever think ]
DO not write about their frocks frequently
enough. Well, at all events, think
about you all very frequently, and TO-DAY
| want you to read these few lines from
Vogue, as they so nicely express just what
wished TO speak about this week. In
but II you make it at home it will be much
less expensive.
"A most exquisite little frock is made o.
plain twine-colored batiste. The batiste
IS laid in broad box pleat in the middle
OF the bodice in front, either side of the
pleat oordered With very fine Swiss EN-.
broldery OF lacy pointed pattern. From
the shoulder, either side of the embroidery
runs black velvet ribbon to the waist
where it is ended with full rosette of the
embroidery. There is large pearl button
IN the center of the roSette. Around the
high standing collar at the neck the velvet
ribbon is loosely laid, and the embroidery
turns back over the velvet in a loose
collar"
Many, mothers complain about the chill
oren dresses shrinking and losing their
color, In the first place cotton goods
snoulo always be shrunk before they are
cut out and in the second place it il
cheaper, in the end to purchase expensive
materials, well dyed, and send them to a
GOOD laundry if you cannot have them
done upat home. Blue washes better than
pink and have seen dear little frock OF
pale-green French chintz which has been