The herald., 1897-03-28
SPRING ATTIRE
Covert Coatings, Serge in
Fetching Arrangement
Killed SKIRTS ARE IN FAVOR
NO MORE PERFECTLY PLAIN
GARMENTS
Proper Hats and Fashionable Plumes
The New Straws - Easter
Styles in Jewelry
speoial correspondence to The Herald

found to please, for there is such host
of pretty things, and quite economical
too. For once the long purse will not
have everything its own way, and those
of us with moderate-very moderate
incomes can wear clothes that are just
as pretty and stylish, If not as costly, as
our more fortunate sisters.
Plain cloths and covert coatins still
lead the van. 1t seems as If nothing
could be found to take their places al
though the dear old blue serge has
strong hold upon our affections. There
are rivals to these, however, in the form
of canvas and the new variety of crepe.
The canvas bears a close resemblance III
point of texture to grenadine, and the
modiste who is up 70 date trims skirts
made of this material with rows of rib
bons or little frills set in groups of
threes about the hem and the knee. AS
for the crepe, well, II is worn about the
same way as last year. In fact, there
is not enough difference in style SO far
as that material is concerned to be
worth mentioning.
Here Is a skirt that is going to be a
craze. In fact, it already is in a
measure-the Killed variety. This skirt
Is wide at the base and narrow up at
the waist. 1t possesses very little full
ness, just enough to achieve its pleats,
and very scanty at that. 1t is all the
fashion to kilt skirts in cloth and in
serge for the stret and the house, and
In satin for evening wear The craze
has gone so far that Killed skirts have
really been made out of crepe du chine,
and on this skirt were sewn little frills
of lis<e al three inch intervals from the
knees.
These are the things that tell us to say
good-by to the plain skirt-that Is, the
perfectly plain one. 1t appears to be
settled fact that this season even the
simplest of cloth gowns will show some
decoration. There will be rows of braid,
series of pipings, or, if nothing else,
innumerable machine stitchings will ex-
tend their influence to a depth of about
quarter of yard While there is a
wide latitude as to shades, the dress
makers say that for the ordinary skirt
and coat the lightest are more popular
either in gray or in drab. The major
ity OF this seasons coats reach to the
hips, with decorations of braid. The coat
to the waist is favored by many, and
really looks we'll when cut into very
broad tabs, fastening over at one side
of the front with large pointed revers.
the revers being usually covered with
lace or embroidery in some form.
coat of the sort mentioned, looks very
charming with the revers and collar
faced with satin or some other stuff of
that sort, and then worn over a wiast-
coat made of some pretty. light material.
The worst of the popularity of braid is
that it is likely to make us spend more
money than we want to. Really. though.
fail to recall any fashion, any new one.
that was at the same time both charm
ing and cheap. The braiding, as a rule,
needs expert manipulation The most
attractive boleros are now to be discov-
cred entirely covered with braidings,
and finished at the neck with a Medici
cellar.
l have talked of founces before, but it
has become almost an established fact
that fashion is going back sixty years
in regard to these same founces. 1t
looks very much as IL we were going 10
have the shoulder scarves and many
frlled skirts with which our grandmoth-
ers managed to array themselves so
charmingly. Beyond question: there
will be a revival of the fully gathered
and draped lace flounces as trimming
for skirts. In many cases the skirts
will be covered with three deep flounces,
the top one being lightly gathered at
the waist, and the others, of course
growing wider and fuller as they near
the hem. One costume which / have
seen, while, of course, very expensive, is
so pretty 1 cannot help saying a word
about 1t.
1t was made with a glace silk skirt
In rather bright shade of green, the
color being most becomingly subdued,
however, by the three founces of fine
cream lace which covered the silk slip
entirely from waist to hem. Each f1ounce
was headed by small ruche of forget
me-nots, and at the waist there was a
very narrow bard of forget-me- not blue
glace ribbon, folded so that it came to
a slight point in front, and finishing in
big bow at the back The bodice was
OF the green glace silk, covered with
fine cream lace, accordion pleated, and
arranged with very pretty berthe and
shoulder straps made entirely of for
get-me-nots. There was. the tiniest
apology for a sleeve in the shape of a
frill Of lace just falling lightly on to
the bare shoulder.
The paradise plume for hats is not go
popular this season as 1t has been,
but the long curled osprey is decidedly
In favor. OF all the feathers, the os-
trich is perhaps the most patronized.
Feathers of this sort in violet, red and
green, are often used to decorate the
chiffon hats. Sometim the ostrich
feathers are shaded, and, contrary to
the mode Of olden days. the tip Is darker
hats are made of chiffon, tulle and can
vas, all of the latter boastirg open brims
and crowns Of no Importance. The can
vas hats look their best. perhaps, when
decorated with shaded ribbons of three
shades of the same color twisted into
wonderful bows and loops and rosettes.
They are also trimmed with scarves of
chiffon and wings.
OF the new straws, there is one neatly
plated which resembles satin. There
is another very rough looking one, which
suggests cocoanut mat, and then there
is our old friend, the chip. The black
chip hat trimmed with black feathers is
very popular indeed. Besides all these
there Is the hat for cyclists for the wo-
man who pedals is now entitled to every
bit as much consideration as the wo-
man who walks. The main essential
to the successful cycling hat is that
there should be very little of 1t. 1t should
be well poised in the middle of the head
so that 1t remains in its proper position
under adverse circumstances. The plain
sailor hat promises to be a favorite
with those who ride the wheel AS one
of my friends said beauty unadorned
will adorn the beauty.
1t is likely we shall see the lace trim
med handkerchief in favor soon for
every day use. For long period the