The herald., 1897-10-31
STRIPE SKIRTS
Cut With a Bias Seam
Down the Center
NO FULLNESS AT THE HIPS
FASHIONABLE GARMENTS WILL
NOW BE CUT NARROWER
NO FULLNESS AT THE HIPS
Novelties in Shapes of Sleeves-Bod-
ices and Skirts Need Not Match.
Collar Bands

NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-Stripes are to
be the feature of the new fashionable
skirt. This does not mean that they
are to be in convict fashion, either round
about or perpendicular, but that they
will be utilized to bring about all sorts
of charming effects. Indeed the cos
tunes so far constructed on this idea
have given some of the most fetching
designs conceived.
The style most favored consists in
making the skirt with a bias down the
center of the front, the stripes forming
VS.. In order to secure a contrast, the
stripes at the back are run very nearly
straight round. This requires no spe-
cial design, the method of cutting the
material in order to form the V-shaped
appearance practically bringing about
that effect with the stripes in the rear.
Like the blouse fad, this is intended
largely for slight women, for if anything
tends to the effect of stoutness it is the
striped gown, unless, indeed. the stripes
are narrow and run straight up and
down, and these are by no means the
fashionable fancy in the way of striped
effects.
Another notable feature of the season
is the general return to what is known
as the eel-skin skirt Therefore, all
skirts to be fashionable nowadays
should be so cut as to be very tight on
the hips, and narrower all the way down
than heretofore, only flaring little at
the bottom. This flaring effect, how
ever, is mostly confined to the back, as
+;,,tr t1,,,r li,r1,t
fullness that there is left is gathered into
a very small space at the extreme back,
and stitched down a foot or so from the
top of the garment and then allowed to
flare.
Dame Fashion has still another nov
city by which the newest skirt is char
acterized, and that is a general tendency
to cling to the form. Crinoline and hair
cloth are banished, very little stiffening
being used in the bottoms of the skirts,
the preference being given to a rather
narrow band of muslin. Skirts are cor-
siderably longer than we have been
wearing them, too, especially in the
back. In costumes for visiting and
dress wear slight trains appear, though
as yet they are not intended for walking
toilettes. This style is accentuated for
evening and ball dresses, the trains be-
ing moderate in size, measuring about
three-quarters of a yard in length. The
clinging draperies combined with the
short trains are very graceful and prom
Use to be very popular.
The novelty in this seasons sleeve lies
rather in treatment than form. In other
words, the general shape of the sleeve,
when completed does not differ widely
from those we have been wearing this
summer, the change lying rather in the
trimming and in the treatment of the
material. This is particularly true re-
garding the sleeves of dresses for Or
binary wear, as more latitude is allow
able for evening costumes where fancy
may roam comparatively free. For day
wear, most of the sleeves are made with
out pleats, or else having the outside
portion cut little longer than the arm
and full enough to make a small putting
at the top. Puffs are also set on tho
sleeves instead of being cut in the ma