Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-31
FASHIONS IN WRAPS.
Long CIoaks for Evening Wear and
Other Notes.
To be Continued.

Long CIoaks for Evening Wear an
Other Notes
OF all the expensive garments tina
go to make UP a well-appointed ward
robe this season, the evening wral
stands foremost in beauty of colorins
fabric, and design. Ball gowns ar
superb in the material used in the trim
mings thereof. Tea gowns are marvel
of beauty with their cascades of ric.
lace and long graceful lines. Recep
ton costumes of wondrously wovei
velvet and silk are handsomer thar
ever, but each and all fade into insig
nificance with the positively ''roya
robes" that envelop my lady en- route
| for ball, dinner or opera The frs
night Of the opera season the corridors
| and foyers of the Metropolitan Opera
house were even more brilliant than
the interior of the house, and when
! the women, in their long cloaks lined
and trimmed with fur, their hair elab-
ornaments stood waiting for their car
riages, the whole scene was like a
painting of some court entertainment.
| By far the handsomest of the cloaks
! for evening wear are those that are
! long, covering the entire gown. Some
of the most exaggerated styles even
have a slight train. They are not made
to match any costume, but are quite
independent both in coloring and tex
ture from anything with which they
are worn. There is no fixed law as TO
what material shall be used in the con-
struction, but the rule must be fol-
lowed Of having the handsomest and
most effective of everything-Ou
covering, inside lining, trimmings, etc.
BrOcades which this year are to BE-
had in an almost unlimited choice OF
pattern and quality, are excellent for
these eloaks; the larger the pattern the
more effective it is, for there is much
opportunity to display it to it's full
advantage. Soft fabrics are better
than the stiff ones, such as moire etc,
and if satin is used it must be of the
all silk quality, and the most flexible
that can be found.
In pale silver-gray brocade an ex-
ceedingly smart cloak has just been
made the pattern of the brocade large
silyery oak leaves ON a plain satin sur
face. This has the fronts lined with
ermine, high Medici collar faced with
ernine, broad yellow circle and girdle
to hold the fronts in place, and just
at the back of the collar is a full double
bow of yellow uncut velvet. Inside
the collar is a full frill of rich lace,
the ends of which are not caught down
in front, but hang in jabot fashion
over the ermine. The lace is quarter
of yard in width.
Uncut velvet in changeable effects
is quite favorite material also for the
long cloaks. There is a silvery SHIN
mer to it that is very rich and effective,
and in rose-colored or Nile green is
particularly attractive.
Sable otter and lynx furs are com.
bined with this material, but not to
the exclusion of ermine, the latter fur
having a new lease of life this season
especially for trimmings and facings.
One pale rose-pink uncut velvet cloak
resembles greatly a tea gown of mon
strous dimensions, to be sure, for the
width of the skirts, the size of the
sleeves and the breadth across the
shoulders are of exaggerated proper
tions-this to prevent any crushing Of
the ball gown worn underneath
This particular cloak is made with a
Vatican pleat which starts from a
rounded yoke that reaches to the
shoulders. The fronts hang loose. but
there is a little curve in ait the side
seam. Broad lapels are turned back
and faced with fur, and the Medici COL
lar has an exaggerated roll back, so
that it is apparently on line with the
revers. The lace inside the collar is
sewed over white horse-hafr net, which
gives enough stiffness to allow Of its
being bent in and out in flutes without
looking as though it were wired while
the effect given is that the entire gar
ment is lined throughout with ermine,
it is not, but there is lining of quilted
satin of palest rose-color, with The
quilted squares very wide apart, and
not in the least like the stiff checker
board quilting that used to be in fash
ion years ago
Bishop sleeves gathered in at the
wrist and made with huge armholes,
are the warmest for evening wraps, but
there are several other styles this win
ter, while some Of the newest cloaks
have no sleeves ait all, but are a little
ON the old circular shape. In this
fashion is one that is certainly very
! superb, of moss green velvet, with cape
collar of sable, and long stole ends of
the fur hanging to the hem in front.
Lined throughout with pale blue satin,
and wedding veil of tambour lace form
| ing fril inside the collar. and the
ends falling over the almost priceless
! sable in front this garment was quite
as expensive as the most extravagant
of women could desire.
Plush is not really fashionable now
and yet a pale heliotrope pink plush
! cloak lined with white plush and trim
med with deep-pointed cape of heavy
guipure lace and high Medici collar
faced with otter and otter bands down
the front did not look in the least
"old-timy. Harper Bazaar.
MAYBE NOT.