The times., 1897-08-01
ELEGANT SIMPLICITY.
The Revival of Cunning Needleworlk
on Clothes.

queen TO dress as dairy maid, and pos
terity remembers her better for histravesty
than perhaps for anything else she did.
1t is a success that may well inspire the
dress amateurs once in generation or
so, and they have certainly bethought
themselves of it this year. For simplicity
is now the fashion, and rustic effects are
the top notch OF the chic
Muslin gowns. hemmed and tucked, and
tied behind with sa sh with long ends, are
being worn by the most elegant women
in France. 1t is delightfully."- naive. One
is reminded of Mary Smith and Jane Davis
coming into JonesyiIle TO zee The circus.
Peanuts, please, and pink lemonade.
Somebody asked N. Doucet how all this
came about, and here is what be oTacu-
larry said: The ia shions are thus because
they were not so last year, and they Will
lie otherwise in autumn, because they are
thus now-and NJ. Douoet is one of the
seven sages of Paris.
The reader may ravel this enigma to suit
herself. The plain fact remains great
many white musins ale worn, and the col
ored muSins are in such simple tints as are
u be found at the village store. \ straw
berry red gineLam, tied with a white sash.
makes a fashionable dress. This dress may
be tucked or ruffled or have some Insertions
OF cluny lace, but the thinning must Lot
impose: there must always remain the sim
pie contrast Of the strawberry red gown
aad the big white sash
It is the general effect only that must
vigorously be rustic and simple; the max
ing may he as difficult you please As
L have said in former letter, the material
may be tucked and appliqued, and other
wise needleworked as though it were trous-
seau underwear Thus a gown being worn
by the Duchess dUZes is certainly OF white
muslin tied with sash, but the skirt is in
two overlapping parts, each one tucked
vertically, with the lower part of each left
loose to form a 1ounee. The blouse is in
crustea with lace, the sash OF yellow Grape
end in fringe, an the neckband OF yellow
Eatin is appliqued over with lace. i white
DTganCiie just made for Nine. Achlile Fould,
wife OF the rich banker, is trimmed with
rucheS Of white tulle. This trimming is
novt.ty and is used o n hats as well as on
gowns TIE ruohe is box plated and full,
and measures about three inches across
But plain OF elaborated the general
idea is the same, and there is just as
much style in a tucked gown as in an
embroidered one, if it conforms to the
type.
More costly gowns are Of black chan
tlly lace over white faille or over
color Very pretty gowns are made
also OF black tulle. One being Worn by
the Baroness de Barye, OF black tulle
over rose is trimmed with narrow
black satin ribbon. The skirt has clus-
ters OF rows at intervals all the way
up the skirt, and the blouse is made to
correspond As a novelty, may be cited
also a gown made for the baroness de
Frlcourt, Of iron-gray corded grenadine
trimmed with gold galloon.
The color tendencies noticed in my last
better are confirmed; it is the eprimary tints
that have most vogue. Yellow is much
worn, and elegance in This erection is ex-
ernplified in a gown OF yellow foulard
printed with white palm leaves, with
yellow hat trimmed with white and black
plumes and a white gauze parasol with
yellow stick.
An the materials and the forms and
colors above mentioned may be relied
upon as suggestions for evening dress
when cool weather comes For the first
evening gowns are always a modification
of summer dress, and when NJ. Doucet said
that things would change in the autumnh he
was spea king hyperbohcally, merely to
round out his isenigmaticspeech. The fashion
may 20 steady by jerks, but ii follows the
high road all the same.
For elegance in this sort OF dress there
are certain conditions that remain always
the same. The materials must stand wear,
and there should be simplicity and char
acter in the forms. The problem is special
The materials being used aIe English
WOODS, serges, homespuns and twilled
flannels. A good many costumes are all
white, good many are in fine checks, and
l have seen at a great dressma ker's a
masterpiece in chocolate trimmed with
white braid.
The costume may be made with q blouse
or a Jacket The blouse droops rather
low over the belt all around; il is open
down the front, over a plastron, and has
large square revers ana standing collar.
This blouse may be tucked or trimmed
with braid One in chocolate has q plas-
tron OF white flannel. and the revers and
collar faced with white flannel 1t is
covered all over with narrow white braid,
ia lines running round, the lines looped
at intervals. The loops coming one under
the other. form a pattern running up and
down. The sane patternin the same W hite
braid runs over alI the white flannel.
The sleeve is braided 10 match on the upper
part, and there is a turnover cuff OF
white flannel A little basque siashed
at intervals In braided TO Slatch, and the
skirt is left plain.
Among the Jackets d good many are
made with fitted hack and loose front.
II the front is doutde-brea sted, it is fin
1Slied down both sides alike, to give a
plastron effect. Thus a brown and white
checked jacket has wide band OF brown
lfbbon stitched down each side and the
nBt.on is striped with narrow white braid.
The ogtSi5e OF the standing collar is of
the plain brcwn, striped with white,
and the saIae striped trimming borders
square epaulettes and the foot OF the
skirt wk!ue satin faces the collar and
lines the JACKIE Throughout, and when
the fronts are open and turned back there
is an effect Of long white revers. The
House furnished with this han dSoule cos
tune is Of brown ana white plaid lawn.
A model in white serge has a loose
jacket reaching below the belt: it Is open
in front and under each edge is set short