The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-02
MONOGRAM FADs.
How Trousseaus of Wealthy Brides
Arc Embroidered with Name or
Initials,
From the Phnadelphia Press.


Initials.
From the Philadelphia Press
Frying eyes have gazed eagerly at the
swell trousseaus of many brides during
the past month. Nothing has been kept
sacred from the curious public But
in all this no mention has been made OF
the very important ornamentation To -
garments of a bride. the embroidery of
her monogram on the trousseau.
When a young woman changes her
name she naturally changes her initials
and IL is necessary for her trousseau TO
be identified with her new and wifely
character in the matter of a monogram.
Fashion DEGREES how this monogram shall
be DONE just as the arbitrary dame de-
crees how visiting cards shall be printed
or the shears of the mod.ste welded in
cutting dresses. 1t is a good thing for
the monogram makers that Dame Fash
ion demands constant changes, for her
whims are expensive and must be obeyed.
1t used to be the correct thing in mon
ograms to start with the initial letter
of the surname as a centerpiece and
have the initial letters of the first and
second names fantistically intertwined
around it. Swell society people no longer
have their monograms worked in this
way. The initials are run straight along
in small letters.
A few of the recent brides ignored GUS
tom and had their first names worked
on the underclothing. This departure
from the recognized monogram style was
due to a superstitious dread of something
happening if the too confident bride-to-
be caused her future husbands initial TO
be embroidered on her clothing. An eX-
ample of the risk run by this anticipa-
tion of the future was afforded by the
spectacle of a bride, to whose marriage
columns of newspaper space were recent
ly devoted having to send her rousseau,
prepared for former marriage that failed
to come off, to the embroiderers TO have
the old monogram ripped Off and the new
one put on.
To give some idea of the expense of
swell girls trousseau apart from the
cost of the linen, the monogram work
done for a coming bride by one of the
best known houses recently can be cited.
This bride will have supply OF two
dozen OF each article Of underwear. II
is the correct thing now to have the full
names embroidered across the left side
of the yoke of the night robes. This EN-
broidery was done for the bride at a cost
of $50 for each name. The initials could
only have been procured In monogram
style for 81 each. The hosiery was en-
broidered with one initial only, the ini-
tiad of the first name There were four
dozen pairs of these necessary, at a cost
of cents for each initial. Other gar
ments Of the rousseau cost proportion
ately for this work
Then came the table linen and the bed
linen. 10 make a satisfactory supply 1t
was found necessary to have ten dozen
towels. These the embroiderers were
pleased to adorn with the monogram of
the bride at a cost of $l.75 each. Thirty
sheets can be counted next at cost of
80 each, and 80 pillow cases at a cost
of 81 each.
1t must not be supposed, however that
these were common, everyday pillow
cases. They are for additional display
when such display is necessary. The
kind of pillow slips upon which the daz-
zled eyes Of the poor relations will rest
when visiting the young wife cost only
20 cents each for their ornamentation.
Tablecoths are heavy items in the bill,
for no np-to-date bride would think of
dining On a tablecloth that is not doubly
embroidered with her monogram, one on
each side Of the flags. The charge for
these was 50 for each monogram, a price
that many people think is enough to pay
for a tablecloth with trimmings complete.
Napkins were lettered at a cost of so cents
each. In this well ordered rousseau there
were 16 tablecloths and Is dozen napkins.
These figures will give the curious a ba-
sis to work on in calculating the cost of
the swell monogram work necessary for
a bridal trousseau of the present day
Some of the monogram designs are very
beautiful. One consists of four stars
formed Of lilies of the valley, one in each
corner, running to the center, where there
is a wreath of lilies Of the valley on
which Is a very small monogram.
Another design is formed Of beetles rep
resented as marching on the monogram
from all sides, as though to make a meal
of it. In the center are the initials. The
design is embroidered on the finest lin
en-, with real lace, the threads being so
fine that the whole looks like spider
web. Wings and head and feelefs Of the
beetle are traced in a wonderfully skill
full manner. This beetle design is gener-
ally used on the handkerchiefs, which in
Guiding the monogram cost IS each. Ano h
er design consists of lovers knots In each
corner, in the loops of which are worked
the initials. With monogram complete
these lovers knot handkerchiefs cost
S11.50 spider web design with the mon
ogram worked In where the spider Is us
ually represented as making his private
quarters, can be done ready for use at a
cost of $l3 a handkerchief. a pretty idea
that is much in favor is to have the bride
write her initials, which are then copied
NV fine en- brOfderer in working fha raot,c.