The herald., 1897-04-11
New and Novel Method of
Robing
BoLERo COAT FINDS FRIENDS
SOME FETCHING NEW SPRING
MANTLES
A Smart Style in Cashmere-Clever
Designs in Ladies' Boots-The
Transparent Variety


NEW YORK. April 5.--A bright mind
has evolved new idea which promises
to become very popular, and deservediy
80. 1t is called picture dressing, and Is
the result of careful studies made by
modistes of portraits of women painted
bv famous artists. There is no partic-
ular style that governs this newest
method of selecting costumes, except
the individuality of the person who Is
to wear what is sought
The effect is invariably successful.
recent instance of this was the case
of a very graceful young woman VINO
wore q dress copied from one seen IN
painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Inis
dress was yelled in lace, and boasteo
of a train cleverly disposed like a regai
mantle of red velvet, deep Venetian
royal red that matched the liquid light
of rubies. One very pleasant feature OF
this idea Is that 1t enables the use Oh
costumes worn ever so long ago and
which the owners had possibly believed
to he SO thoroughly out of style that 1t
would be hopeless to try to utilize them.
II is a. fact that any style, if it is only
vided 1t is becoming and has resulted
in many fashionable woEaen saving
half her usual wardrobe expenses.
There is nothing difficult about fol-
lowing this fashion. All that one needs
to do is to visit the portrait section of
some art gallery and there find the pic
ture of some lady of long ago robed in
q fashion that will be truly becoming to
the visitor Then she can say when she
dons her new gown even though 1t be
an old one fixed over, that she had 1t
made after the style of the dress worn
by one of the ladies whom Sir Joshua
REYNOLDS had painted. OF that 1t was
the exact copy of the attire of Gains
borough beauty. Certainly 1t is very
clever fad, ana as this 10 the season
of economy, or rather the year of 1t.
every woman should hail the idea with
extreme satisfaction.
1t looks more and more as II embroid-
cry was going to play more important
place than ever in evening dress. Plain
skirts will surely look conspicuous. The
embroidery is filing up the hiatus be-
tween the absence of any trimming at
all and draped and trimmed skirts
which are coming our way, slowly 1t
may be. but surely. The effect af .tRass
UP the seams is excellent. 1t gives
height to the figu e and Importance to
the skirt, part of our dress which dur
ing the epoch of voluminous skirts was
somewhat neglected. save only so far as
fit and cut were concerned At present
the balance is much more equal, and
this is greatly to our advantage. 1t
Is fashion, too, that is kind to women
who are not tall, and is not altog .ther out
of place with those unfortunate persons
who are inclined TO stoutness. while they
lack In weight. OF course there is a
wide range in embroidery, and dress
may be maLs as costly as one pleases,
but the idea is capable of being utilized
by all of us whose purses are as short
as our wants are long
Then. too, there are many effective
substitutes for embroidery One of
these. which can recommend is chene
gauze ribbon. The design may be out
lined and jeweled at home, and the ef-
feet Is all that could be desired Then
there are Jetted and jeweled gallons,
which may be used over and over again.
1t is said. too. that before long tapering
sprays of embroidery will be sold, all
ready to apply to the seams of the even
ing gowns. There are already these in
lace, which can be wrought with bril-
liants at intervals, and thus be made
exceedingly effective.
The bolero coat has really become ex- |
tremely fashionable. It may be that |
this popularity will prove its death, but |
just at present 1t promises to be worn as |
generally as the Eton jacket was in Its |
palmiest days. Everywhere 1t is In evil |
dence. made in the cheapest as well as |
the most costly materials. While 1t is |!
not strictly new as an article of wear.
1t Is quite so as fashion, which, as 1 |
have said, amounts at the present time
almost to craze. 1t is In fact one of
the curiosities Of clothes because II is
something exceedingly trying to any but
the neatest and daintiest Of figures.
For the woman who wants to wear
what Is called smart coat. there is one
Just beginning to be worn of the Ches-
serfield shape. that is exceedingly com
Portable and stylish at the same time.
The skirts are not lined, so that while
warm they are not heavy. The top por-
sion does not fit tightly for 1t just fol-
lows the lines Of the figure The seams
are all strapped and that around the
waist Is not straight but curved upwards
over the hips and pointed downward un-
eer TWO buttons at the back, and again
eSVUASS sAAS PoShCtS III front. This Is
clever device to give due appearance
of length and slenderness to the figure.
The skirts are wide and there is thus
plenty OF room for the dress beneath
The collar is strapped and faced with
velvet and the cuffs are gauntlet shane
and piped with velvet. The garment
can be either single or double breasted
the former being perhaps newer and
smarter TIL body portion is lined with
very fine woolen KerSey
Among the new spring mantles is a /,
In black moire mirolr with a |
pattern Of silk grenadine applique and ,
edged with sequins Large volants ,
form the sleeves. edged with lace fall
ing over puffed cream chiffon. The
hat should be of straw with bouquets of ,
primulas and foliage. as we'll as high ,
bows in green and mauve. A very smart !
cspe is black poult de sole, the tight :
fitting bodice with the fine guipure en- !
broidery on linen. The volants are of !
killed black lace and grass lawn. The
collar Is high and made OF plisse ana :
lace. The jabot is of black Isle with
cream guipure applique The hat which
accompanies this cape should be OF
nauve satin straw, the crown encircled 9