The record-union., 1897-02-07

hand painted and sticks of mother of
pearl or onyx set with gems, are car
ried with full-dress toilets With some
of the lovely "art" gowns are seen
some very dainty fans of hand painted
gauze, with silver sticks covered with
Spang1eS, and these hang from the
waist in chatelaine fashion, suspended
from slender silver-linked chains These
often match the gown, and many young
ladies this season, with a nice taste
for art, have decorated the satin
plastron, ceinture, slippers, modchoir
nluff and fan with handsome embroid-
cries, or painting and spangles, the
formation of the fine floral or ither
pattern being chosen with special refer
ence to each article, but corresponding
in design throughout.
Serge is almostimperishable, and with
stands with credit those very severe
tests which even children invariably
put 1t to. AT one time the material was
only to be had in black and various
shades of brown and blue but soon the
manufacturers introduced new dyes and
also patterned serges, and now almost
any color desired can be procured.
Many women like the rough serges with
an under weave of black intermixed
With blue, gray. etc, but there are
others who prefer the one color fine
silky-surfaced serge that repels dust
moisture, and does not catch every stray
mote that shows so plainly on a dark
surface There are also new double-Warp
cashmeres, much like drap d'ete, that
are greatly liked. These by some mer-
chants are called "Zeppour cashmeres'
and are of fine Chudda wool This
sounds Oriental. but the fabric so os-
tentatiously catalogued is really a soft
heavy cashmere with a surface that
bears a fancy design. Fashionable as
are the boucles and other rough-sur-
faced cloths, it is found that their wear
as a rule is disappointing. Even when
OF extra quality and evenly woven, the
loops and rough bars which cover the
surface are so many traps to catch any
loose or flying fragments, and then
comes the drawing and straining of the
texture surrounding it. Even when the
loop is cut to release the tension it is
nearly impossible to restore the threads
to first position" The stylish rough
ness that first pleases the eye shortly
becomes so pronounced as to make the
fabric resemble nothing so much as a
currycombed blanket Women who
study economy are wise in avoiding
goods of the description named. Serge,
vigogne. cashmere, ladies' cloth, the
smoother qualities of camel's hair, or
even all-wool armure, all wear admira-
bly,, and seldom or never disappoint the
Wearer, if a firSt-clasS quality is Sc
lected. Costumes of this description
are far more popular with French
women of fine taste, while the rough,
shaggy. hairy. coarse-g grained textiles
flourish among their English neigh
bors.
Nearly all the elegant buttons are
now shown in three distinct sizes de-
signed for one costume. Many of the
smaller buttons are veritable Jewels in
their artistic beauty of color and de-
sign. and they are set exactly like
actual gems on low mountings of
" Whitened silver or pure gold or pearl.
Jet. plomb-colored enamel and bronze
buttons are set in riveted points. are all
familiar styles. Some of the handsome
jet and iridescent cord passementeries
have buttons to match which are not
intended to have any strain upon them,
burt are merely used as decorations all
over the cloth or other costume
4 stylish skating costume of soft
English wool combines green and chest
nut brown with hair lines in black and
gold. The prevailing color is green;
hence green Melton cloth is used for the
coat, the second color. brown, appear
ing in the fur trimming. The coat is
lined with tartan silk The skirt opens
at the left side, revealing a simulated
underskirt Of the green cloth, the open
ing framed each side with the fur The
back Is arranged in two large box
pleats. The green cloth muff OF ample
size is bordered with fur and lined with
the plaided silk y fur toque completes
the suit
Evening bodices are either worn with
long transparent sleeves of tulle, chiffon
or mousselaine de sole, with frills of the
same or of some exquisite lace falling
over the hand almost to the finger tips.
or otherwise. we have only an apology
for a sleeve in the shape of a shoulder
strap Of leaness roses, a jeweled band or
may be cluster of lustrous satin rib
bon loops. Extremes meet in this mat
ter of full-dress sleeves.
English whipcords with round threads
closely twilled. forming a nearly smooth
surface that repels dust, come in light
spring weights and in delicate shades
Of brown, heliotrope. several beautiful
tints in green, and in silver gray, doe
color and black. New golf costume
cloths have a genuine Highland air, and
show beautiful -blendings on the
sample cards. Domestic silks copying
these effects will be sold for Innings
and accessories. These will no doubt
find a ready purchase. for while not
expensive they are of fine quality and
closely resemble the high-grad tartans
The fullnesS of the latest skirt is
carried we'll to the back and they are
narrowed and ilatter at the sides; con-
sequently they hang better than did the
skirts cut completely on the bias or
in circular form, which generally got