The record-union., 1897-09-26

At an importing house this week
small crowd of coming -and-going ad-
rnirers were continually grouped
around an effigy of young lady at
tired wholly in black velvet-the gored
skirt untrimmed. but elegantly hung,
and lined with damask-red taffeta, the
waist a belted, shOrt-skirted Russian
blouse fastened on the left shoulder
and down the left side to the waist, and
there trimmed with full frills of black
accordion-pleated mousseline de sole
and beaded rbsettes of black satin bebe
ribbon Of the narrowest width. The hat
was a large wide Rubens with broad
dropping black ostrich feathers on
crown and brim. No color of any de-
scription appeared upon the hat, and
no other trimmings were used. AS a
whole, the model presented remark
ably rich, elegant and distinguished APP
pearance quite in contrast with the
light. pe1-ishable and pale colored toi-
let's of summer still exhibited in close
juxtapcsition to the one described, and
nearly every woman as she passed in
review received a personal inspiration
for the designing of a new cold weather
costume. all black and all velvet, and
grafton, and with not q particle of
overdone "coloring" or tome about it.
It is generally admitted that the very
best dressed and smartest appearing
women in the world Of fashion are the
tailor eowned women. The English are
addicted to an extremely severe style
in tailor costumes, but the French Wo-
mans tailor gown is a thing of beauty
on which every possible opportunity
for decoration is employed. The tailor
gown Of the American woman partakes
Of the features Of each of these two
distinct styles, and we have as a re-
suit an almost perfect gown. On some
Of the latest models we see an entirely
plain skirt and a beautifully fitting
jacket bodice, with small circular
basques, plain or tabled; trim, grace
full i,avers overlaid with fine applique
ornaments that closely resemble braid
work; q standing collar similarly trim
med. a perfectly shaped vest tucked
across. with rows of braid alternating
the entire garment lined with taffeta
silk. : second costume is of dark-green
Venetian cloth, with a vest of green
and gold brocade. a cloth jacket COW
of braid high battlemented collar the
tabs edged with lines of the braid, and
a jabot Of creamy guipure lace falling
over TIE vest. The circular skirt is
lined with green and gold-shot silk,
and boreered with seven rows of the
green ard gold bracade. Out of a
representative group of stylish French
models but two of the exceedingly
smart designs show basque bodice
without some sort of belt, girdIe. cein-
ture or belt effect from the sides only.
Triple caps of braid-edged cloth finish
the tops of many Of the very close-fit-
ting coat sleeves. Some of the new
Russian blouse costumes have the full
fronts that fasten on the left side, fin
ished with a coquille arrangement of
pleated black chiffon and ribbon that
graduates in width from shoulder to
belt.
The beautiful material called gros
de Tours will form one of the fash
ionable silks for dressy autumn gowns
the fabric having a sOft-finished corded
surface, slightly heavier than taffeta
but much less glossy. It will be used
in exquisite tints Of rose, Parma vio-
let. Nile green, cream. cameo pink and
forget-me-not blue for evening toilets;
and IL very handsome shades Of gray,
fawn. doe and biscuit color. brown.
green and also in black for church and
calling costumes. etc. Some of the fig
ured Patterns are striped with satin in
bronze. black or green, then brOcaded
with small quaint oldfashioned de-
signs.
The overskirt continues to put in
claims for favor this season. and mod
els pointed in effect and quite as long
as the underskirt before they are
draped appear among approved fash
ions for the fall and winter.
Ode effects, combining features of a
fancy short-skirted cket-bodice and
a slashed bolero, appear upon the new
est gowns for autumn wear
In the elaborate display of autumn
millinery, the hats decorated with all
the various deep or brilliant shades of
red seem to put all the rest of the ex-
hibit in the shade. so to speak. The
color, once so tabooed, and used 50
sparingly, even as a relief to other dark
or DlaCk dyes, seems season after sea-
son to have gained little more in gen
eral favor. and lost as gradually the
prejudice against it. Fashions as wei
as customs change with times and
cITTnes." and al the summer resorts this
year all shades and tones and semi
tones Of red. from gorgeous poppy and
brilliant cerise TO deepest damask, ma
hogany and nasturtium, have so ragged
in millinery among jackets, parasols,
dress fOulards. chifons. muslins, etc.
that a woman wearing this once most
conspicuous and showy color now at
tracts little more attention on that ac-
count than if she wore blue or green.
There are hundreds of people, however.
whose dislike to the color is so marked
that nothing viii change their prejudice
against it, but a constant and contin-
ued sight Of red in every possible shade.
season after season, for several years
past, has greatly modified the general
dislike for garments, millinery, and
trimmings Of every description made of