The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-10-10

Extremely pretty silk umbrellas IN
ehangeable effects in all the pretty
color mixtures of the fall season, wine
and amber, blue with gold, black and
dark green shot with a number OF very
handsome shades, are shown at New
York importing house; the umbrellas
marked at the very low price OF %
each The silk is of excellent quality
and the umbrella is rolled very mar
rowly into a silk case; it has a para
gon' frame. etc. The novel attraction
of these umbrellas is the addition or d
tiny car-fare purse that bangles from
a silk cord that is fastened to the
pretty handle. The purse is made OF
silk matching the umbrella, and the
silk cord matches the purse in color
Among the small wraps of fur to be
worn before the genuine winter-wear1ns
garments are donned are double-breast-
ed capes, short on the sides, and point
ed front and back below the waist line;
Russian blouses in several styles, vaI1-
ously hemmed; and double-breasted
Etons. decorated with fur collars that
contrast with the jacket in kind. All
these short, diminutive wraps distinct
" favor women who are tall and slen-
der.
Already many of the merchants are
opening UP their fall and winter stocks.
The handsomest goods yet displayed
are the tailor cloths, satin cloths, and
the fine ladies' cloths, in very tempt
ing autumn colorings. The richness
and beauty of these materials cannot
be described. Next in deSirability are
the fine elegant silk and wool novelty
goods. those in Jacquard or raised eff
fects being a conspicuous feature or
the season in lighter fabrics; there Is
a~variety of quaint antique shades that
form no specially pronounced color, but
are made up of two or three dyes so
intimately blended that the identity or
each is lost. Aside from the taffetas,
the bulk of the first silk importations
is of soft reps and gros grains, with
distinct even round threads of various
sizes and adnirabl luster. In both silks
and silk and wool fancieS many of the
block-patterned plaids and highly col
ored tartans are immense in size; and
at a large importing house one immense
window is filed with nothing but huge
block patterns in black and white tat
feta silks.
Subdued colors among autumn fab
RIGS in monochromes and also in the
display Of figured materials were prom
ised but a. glance at the exhibits this
week at all the high-class importing
houses shows an array of dress goods
that are positively startling in their
color mixtures and brilliant effects.
These effects are pre-eminently gorge
Gus among the checked and plaided
materials.
The double shirt is not becoming to
many women 1t shortens in appear
ance a figure to which every inch is
distinct advantage, and, worn by a
taller woman, one gets at first sight
the impression of a. schoolgirl who has
Outsrown her petticoats. A skirt that
has a second edition, which reaches to
lust below or is on a line with the
knees. will prove decidedly more be-
coming. if double skirts are to become
general.
Fashion seems totally regardless of
the amount of work she lays upon the
shoulders of those VINO carry out her
high behests. Dresses entirely covered
with braiding or jet embroidery are set
forth among the extreme elegancles OF
the season. How the work is accom-
plished it is hard to determine, but
dress of accordion pleated satin was
literally overspread with a design of
leaves and flowers worked apparently
by hand in fine jet. A dove-gray satin
was very lovely embroidered in steel
sequins and tiny mock emeralds. Al
though an amateur may not feel dis
posed to undertake such an elaborate
task as the embroidering in beads of
an entire gown, a costume wholly
braided seems more reasonable. And
the decorating at least of panels to
alternate with killings, and braiding
on the revers, collar, and sleeves, or one
side of a. full Russian blouse, is quite
within the capacity of a diligent work
ser, and the labor would not prove at
all tedious. The thought of the charm
1ng results to be achieved would nat
nrally stimulate the braider and very
greatly tighten the task.
We might reasonably assume that
bodices would become less ornate as
skirts grew more elaborate, but as yet
there has been no such sign, except,
of course, the diminution of the sleeves,
which bid fair to become as meager
In their proportions as they were many
years ago. We may reach close coat
shapes wholly unadorned by next
spring, perhaps, but that all decorations
on the tops of sleeves are to be quite
diminutive seems to be inevitable All
the most fashionable out-of- door gar
1nents are made with sleeves of ey-
tremely moderate size, that decidedly
do not allow for dress sleeves that are
the least elaborate. Still there are
some concessions at the tops in the
way of little crescent-shaped puffs
decorated caps and points, triple frills,
bound or lined with a contrasting col
or, ETC., and these mitigate in no small
degree the ultra-severity of a style that
is like mousquetaire glove, with moth
ing to relieve its stiff outlining contour