The San Francisco call., 1896-02-23

ornamented with gauZe of the same
shade, and gallons covered with ruby,
black and steel spangles.
like little dress for evening wear
which is worn by one of our bellies. 1t is
OF a pale pinSy heliotrope crepon. The
blouse waist is quantity cut, and with ex-
cellent effect, into points at the top, each
point being finished with a cut-steel heart
shaped button, and the top is filled in with
a yoke and draped collar of white lisse
over white satin. This girl has very thin
throat and being aware OF this Il wish
others were equally sensible) always
wisely covers it with some becoming lacey
fabric. The skirt is full and godeted.
Numerous are the lovely crepe blouses
with black-velvet touches, which are
being made at this season. They will
tide many of us over the few weeks that
remain OF this winter and are such COM
tort 20 wear with our black silk or satin
skirts. An exquisite blouse of Oriental
silk in tones of palest blue and pink and
darker blue was at the concert Monday
evening. it was trimmed with dark blue
velvet, which exactly matched the dark
figure in the silk. Wherever used the velvet
was edged with narrow frill of black
lace.
A handsome dinner dress, worthy of the
admiration it excited not long ago, is COM
posed of a very rich silk, one that can
stand alone; the ground is of ivory white,
and the surface is covered with the most
artistic blue morning glories They are
not arranged in lines, but in graceful clus-
ters, and are of an unusual shade of blue,
neither dark nor light, but a luminous
shade. The dress is en- princesse, the front
being of the same shade as the flowers in
plain silk, and this is completely covered
with unusually fine creamy lace. The cos
tune is lined with this blue silk, several
rutf1es completing the dress around the
foot. The square-cut neck had curious
reveTs of the lace over the silk.
Many white satin gowns have done ex-
cellent service this season, and if they are
the best quality their usefulness is not vet
q thing OF The past, for | have read OF one
such frock which was purchased for large
ball by an Eastern belle with limited
means. She wisely paid 81 a yard for her
satin and gave up beautiful set of rose
garlands for her corsage and skirt, as they
were beyond her means, and used instead
trimming OF natural ivy leaves inter-
spersed with asparagus vine. The next
season she was great success in the same
gown, draped TO perfection with yellow
chiffon in the early season and with white
later on. The third season she had the
skirt draped with pale blue Brus-
sells net and she wore a high empire belt
of blue velvet, which covered all the
bodice, except the velvet and lace en-
placement, wrought with pearls, and tie
SIeeNes HeTe uIdpeu Will Dlue also ana naQ
lace epaulettes. Last summer the same
gown turned up among the smart ones at
the Newport Casino, covered deliciously
with clouds and frills of rose pink nous
seline de sole, corsage bebe, chic bows of
pink satin ribbon and long sash. Now in
its fourth season it is returned from the
teuturiere, lovely cerise, and is charm
ingly rebuilt in black tulle, skirt ruched
on the bottom, black velvet bodice, grand
decollete de cour, off the shoulders, with
shoulder straps of Strass on black velvet,
and panaches of cerise ostrich tips, and
across, from armhole to arm hole, black
roses, crushed closely together. An aigrette
of cerise velvet. studded with diamonds, is
in her hair. Black velvet throat band
clasped by three diamonds.
These ideas are good and what we might
expect from bright American girl, so we
may come to the natural conclusion that
in the end a good white satin is not bad
investment, but remember that no ignor-
ant. clumsy dressmaker can be allowed to
have anything to do with it in any stage
OF its existence or it will be wreck.
l may be mistaken, but here it seems to
me that many people allow their dresses,