The San Francisco call., 1896-04-19

successful, most of our most ad-
mired bellies having been present. On the
same evening many well-known people
were present at the charity concert given
in the Occidental parlors. | trust that
financially it was a success, for the cause
is worthy one and the programme was
excellent. On Friday another luncheon,
this time on Pine street, was given in
honor of one OF our most popular brides;
about twenty were present. On Thursday
was the large reception and tea at the
Pixley home, to which were bidden all
members of the "Needlework Guild" a
noble charitable organization far-reaching
and most excellent. The house was more
than crowded. Saturday one of the
largest and most brilliant receptions of
the season was given by the patriotic
society OF the Daughters of the Revolu-
ton. Almost all OF our prominent women
were present and not few of their hus-
bands. The army and navy were we'll
represented. What pity that half a
ooZen men-of-war were not in the harbor
Many went from the clubhouse to the tea
given in honor of one OF San Francisco's
most lovely debutantes. The tea con-
cluded with a dinner party, greatly en-
joyed by the numerous youthful guests.
Many other delig tful affairs are on the
tapis, and, as result, all OF US are busy
ordering new gowns and all manner of
dainty, pretty things, as, with the arrival
of spring, it seems only right that our
gowns, etc., should be in keeping with the
beautiful back kground prepared by nature,
so let US to our frllls and tads. One of the
marked fashions is to have our sleeves
gathered on the shoulders, in three to five
runners.
Speaking of Innings reminds me that the
silk balayeuse is again in fashion, and our
skirts must be lined with a silk of a tone
that shades into or harmoniZes with the
material, not one that matches it. A
black skirt lined with violet silk, chang
ing to gray, lines the skirt of a stylish
London-made tailor suit with excellent
effect. The most fashionable skirts are as
full as ever, but they are cut 20 stand out
more at the sides and to fall more softly.
The fullness at the back narrows into
almost nothing" This is Doucet's cut,
for PaquIn is trying TO Introduce fullness
Rn the hips, but without success, as on the
boards OF the leading Partisan theaters
this mode has received no encouragement.
The princess style is rapidly increasing
III favor. The newest sleeve is quite narrow
to vel! above the elbow, and shaped TO the
arm, and then the material expands into
soft folds, which form puff. The great
object is to give an idea Of length, for in
effect long sleeve cannot be too long.
,CdbNdS dllI dIc DclUS SOiQ
in great quantities. The canvas and mo-
hair gowns are frequ ntly trimmed with
chine or shot silks. Panels are sometimes
introduced down the front. Let US trust
that this very hideous fashion will not be
generally observed.
Basques are to be short, and must be cut
carefully with relation to the hips. Mus
lin rutfies will be seen on many gowns,
and new shade of yellow has appeared,
but few and far between are the women
who can appear in yellow. Even touch
of it about dress will frequently rum it.
Dark skirts will be much worn with bod
ices having light touches about them.
Black grenadine will be universally worn
by smart women.
The shirt and coat combination is as
much the vogue as ever. owing in meas
ure to the popularity of alpaca, mohair
and similar fabrics, which do not make up
into satisfactory tight bodices and only
should be handled by good tailor, and
for such costumes the sleeves are de-
cidedly smaller. However the modified
puff still exists. Naturally cravats and
waistcoats are important subjects and the
most exQuisitely fine and beautifully en-
broidered cambrics are utilized. Grass
lawn run with gold threads is declared by
good authorities to form excellent close
fitting waistcoats. They fasten invisibly.
An expensive and beautiful article is the
waistcoat of chiffon eaborately f1illed.
The finish of the waistcoat at the neck de-
pends upon the contour OF chin and throat,
as only the woman with the slender long
throat can wear the chic thick ruff1e put
around the top of the collar band. The
Won an with plump, well-shaped throat
looks well in the plain rundown linen
collar. This collar is to be much worn
this season, especially on silk shirts when
completed with a silk neckiie. The new
est rundown cuffs are just one incn in
width. They are becoming to the hand
and give finishing touch to plain shirt
sleeve.
In MANY cases entire bodices are being
made of embroidered batiste, and vet
others are entirely composed of embroid-
cry. excepting the sleeves. One variety
can be had In an overlaid pattern in red,
dark blue or black. Edging and insertions
can always be had to match the open-work
embroidery. Batiste and lace frequently
trim bodices, The center being OF plain
batiste, the edging which borders both
sides OF the plain fabric is of narrow
Valenciennes lace embroidered with pat
tern OF dots worked in twine-colored
threads. Batistes worked in silk are lovely
and will never become common, being
very expensive. For the same reason the
finest EN- broidered grass linen NAV be
safely used, as S. and So IS per yard are
prices asked, and the width is not great.
| have heard of a good use for this.
A waist of a fine French taffeta
came home to a friend of mine
from her dressmaker covered with a
fine black silk applique lace. which
not only formed the vest and collar, but
also covered the back. 1t was an expen.
sive garment, so on discovering that the
shade of blue was hideously unbecoming.
especially after the addition of the black,
Miss Y was for a moment undecided what
TO do, as she at once saw that the bodice
must be relieved with light color; SO she
carefully removed the black trimming and
purchased a piece of wide grass lawn in
sertion for vest and sufficient of a fine
edging to make soft pretty collar and
cuffs. The vest was placed over white silk
and the collar and cnffs prettily finished
with touch OF black velvet. Now the
waist is success, and many an old bodice
could be freshened up in the same way
and the expense will not be heavy, as half
yard OF he insertion is sufficient which
means IS cents and five yards of the lace
at 40 cents per yard will be all sufficient,
add 70 cents for white silk to line the vest,
and for So you can produce results that
Will be most satisfactory.
Dresses of twine-colored linen canvas
are very stylish East, and this material is
TO be bad 1t one OF our principal stores. [
have Just seen gown OF it, and am con-