The record-union., 1897-05-09
the earrings at either side, with
handsome belt of ribbon.

the earrings at either side, with a
handsome belt of ribbon.
1t is but repetition to chronicle the
fact that during Jubilee Year" the
prevailing fashions of the Victorian
era are to be largely manifest. In one
way the styles will be modified to suit
the requirements and tastes of modern
times. The poke bonnet, for instance,
which comes up among the prominent
revivals Will be less pokey in its out
lines and the trimmings will be
daintier, the strings not the f1nger-wide
ones of the olden days, and altogether
it will be a much more attractive and
becoming creation; but there is SO
much extravaganza shown in most OF
the reproductions of bygone modes,
that of actual similitude in this direc-
ton there is none. It is true our an
cestors both men and women, paid in
comparison far higher prices for their
elegant dress fabrics than we of this
generation but this was real economy,
as when purchased it was intended that
the garment made of these valuable
fabrics should last for years-Whlch
they did, as witness the hundreds OF
handsome gowns still in fine preserVa-
ton which We're once owned and worn
by our grandmothers and great grand
mothers. Once purchased and made,
the greatest care was taken Of each
gown and yard of costly garniture; and
what was intended in those sensible
and practical times to last for almost
&c p6
in a season In no direction, however,
is foolish extravaganza as apparent as
in the modern silk petticoat, showing
bewildering mass of flounces, frills and
fiimsy furbelows-a heap of heterogene-
Gus fabrics hurried together with fly
ing machines, electric cutters and
f1uting and pinking irons to form the
most ephemeral OF fiounces. A study
of a dozen of the latest French "crea-
tions" will show them to be quite
worthy of the disordered brains of
coterie of lunatics. 1t is vain to at
tempt a complete description of the
skirts just sent over. They transcend
anything in the way of color, fium-
merry and absurdity that has ever be-
fore been described as excessive and
Haunting. They are as absolutely Vul-
gar and unrefined as they are ex-
pensive. Who without seeing would be-
lieve that a skirt was offered for sale
marked S45 that had gored-foundation
breadths of ecru and black plaided taf-
feta, with cherry red-silk flounces, ac-
cordion-pIeated, then slashed with in
sertions of the large plaid set in in
fan-shape, these f1ounces alternating
friI Of Ioin Gil
edged with black lace and caught up
here and there with bows of flaming
red ribbon? This is a mild example,
for here are Magenta skirts with Gam
boge lace trimmings and purple petit
coats and vivid green styles and yellow
silk ones broadly striped with black
satin that would make the wearer look
like a huge humble bee. Other models,
shot and brocaded in several different
colors, serve as foundation for frills,
fiounces and filigrees of as many more.
The box-pleated Norfolk waist reap
pears among costumes and toilets for
spring and summer wear, and forms
part of utility gowns of tweed, shep-
herds check. plain and fancy mohair,
cheviOt and serge. as well as the waist
portion of linen, duck, pique, chambray
and daintier toilets of taffeta striped
and dotted summer satin, foulard gren-
adine and very many more hot weather
textiles On utility suits and also on
not a few of the more dressy costumes,
the new Norfolk waist is made with a
deep square yoke that fastens on the
left shoulder, and the graduated pleats
below the yoke are applied and not cut
in one with the waist.
Added to the great number of summer
waists made in surplice fashion, the
folds loose and easy or drawn as close
to the figure as possible, to suit indi-
vidual requirements, are plainly fitted
waists with novel fichu-like arrange
ments of lace and null, of lace, net and
insertion, or of material matching the
dress. On some of the French models
the shawl points are tied in very large
bow at about half the length of the
waist; on others they are simply cross
ed at the belt and there fastened: and
again, very long scarf ends are crossed
on the figure, carried to the back and
tied in loose bow.
The so-called "art linens" manufac-
tured in Donegal are now made into
stylish tailor costumes, plain, braided,
finished with handsome white linen lace
insertions or facings and vest of white
duck, the skirt completed by bias rows
of the duck in graduated widths. Vest
ing of heavier linen than that used for
whole suits comes in basket weaving in
red, green, ecru, cream, etc, with lines
or dots of dark brown or black. The
Galatea twills are now made into
cycling, boating and seabeach morning
suits for women as we'll as children.
The ''sunray" dress skirts are likely
to prove very popular wear this sum-
mer, as Fashion has set her unqualified
approval upon the style. 1t seems
pity, however, that the dominating
taste for immoderate decoration will
not leave even these new graceful mod
els untrimmed. OF the latest accorde-
on-pleated skirts, no fewer than thir-
teen plisse-frills are arranged.
The really handsome zephyr ging-
hams are found in more beautiful color