The herald., 1897-03-07
Not So Very Novel, but Beauti-
full and Charming
PRINCESS ROBE IN FAVOR
Red Is q Popular Color When Combined
With White
Drocsded Pstticoats to Bs worn-Ths Blouse
Bodice Prime Pavorlte-Lacs
In Demand

Especial Correspondence to The Herald-)
NEW YORK, March 2.-According to
the almanac 1t is spring. Therefore, If
We were to be strictly technical we
should have to don our best and newest
gowns In honor of the season. However.
as the church kindly steps in with the
Lenten days. we are absolved from any
such action until after the Easter lilies
come. And then, ye gods, what an array
will be visible. The dressmakers tell us
that 1t has been an exceedingly long
time since variety of costume and beau
ty OF material have been so charmingly
combined as in the constructions of the
dressmaker already planned for the
Easter days.
The truest of all things that can be
said about the Easter designs Is that
while they are novel they are not strict
ly new. We are often told that in
dresses for women there is never any
thing new under the sun-that history
merely repeats itself. Now oftentimes
this Is an atrocious slander. Our gowns
are novel and new, and in my heart
have always believed that the reason
they were said not to be was because of
that Innate jealousy of man who Sc
cretly fumes because his clothes are
never anything but worked over styles.
This year, however, we must confess
that the novelties are as few as honest
men in politics, and even women know
what rarities such things are.
There is no intention to recall a sin
gle word of praise said of the Easter
costumes. They are just as pretty as
they can be. and the woman who could
not find something to please her among
them Is really too particular for this
world. 1t is just feast to go ana look
at the fashion plates, and If you know
come milliner, some swell one. well
enough to get in behind the scenes, your
breath Will be fairly taken away by
what is shown you. Probably you will
not have money enough to indulge in
the beautiful creations you see, but then
you know there is always the satisfac-
ton OF realizing that the less expensive
gowns are nothing In the world but
combinations of ideas gained from other
gowns whose cost has a terrific effect
on a bank account or lonely purse.
Skirts are not going to be so full Not
that there is going to be an approach
to that abomination known as the pull
back" but the voluminous has been re-
tired and the gowns will not contain
yards of material that Is of no more use
than would be bouquet fastened in the
middle of ones back. Sleeves, too, have
really diminished and only a compara-
tive fullness is retained at the shoulder,
q modification of that style known as
"leg O. mutton" The skirts are more
trimmed than last season, and are gen.
orally quite flat in front They have
wide tabliers and gored back breadths
mounted In two or three hollow plaits.
There are some of the creations of the
dressmaker which dispense with the
belt. The bodice comes over the skirt
and ends in points back and front. This
however, need not be taken as meaning
that the belt Is vegetating. Not at all
Just 80 long as the bolero exists belts
will continue TO hold their own. Incl
dentally the duchess of MARLBOROUGH,
whom everybody will remember best
as Consuelo Vanderbilt. is credited with
the intention of making popular the
fashion. the effect of which will be far
reaching. II has been the custom for
very long time to wear belts only with |
tailor-made gowns or dresses intended |
for country wear. With rich evening
gowns the belt was never seen. 1t was
noticeable. however. that when the |
duchess gave a reception in honor Of |
the. prince and princes of Wales few
days ago a magnificent belt OF emeralds |
and diamonds encircled the waist of her |
white velvet dress with sable trim
mings. The success of the young duch- |
ess' innovation was that her example |
was followed by no less person than |
the Princess Charles OF Denmark, whom |
the world has hitherto known as |
Princess Maud of Wales.
The belts. by the way. which are sup |
posed to be OF the sort which will be- |
come popular are composed oftentimes |
of bands of ribbon describing down. |
ward point and an upward point, the |
latter much more defined than the for |
mer. three large paste buttons adorning |
the middle. while others are buckled at |
the side. Another belt is high In the |
back and narrow in front, with paste |
or q cut steel buckle as fastening. 1t Is |
an unquestionable fact that the trim |
med skirt Is making its way into fash |
lon. So far the skirt trimmings of day |
dresses are not too obtrusive, but even- |
ing skirts are much more elaborate.
The blouse bodice, in it's many varie- |
ties. is still q prime favorite .and likely |
to remain SO all spring and summer. |
One charming variety is made up of red |
wooien fabric. trimmed with black gallon |
twisted into macaroons. The blouse |
bodice opens over q chemisettc of gem |
embroidered white silk, filled in with |
white velvet, the collar being of the |
same. The waist is confined by a belt !
fastened with buckle. The sleeves, |
adorned with braidings, are puffed at |
the top and frilled with lace at the |
wrist.
The princess robe, In all its simplicity |
OF rne, seems again to be popular, or |
rather achieving popularity. The style |
OF other days has been slightly modified |
to suit the requirements of the present.
An up-to-date robe is composed of red |
cloth with strapped seams. the seams
being finished to correspond. The drap-
ed iapels In this particular robe
are Of white satin. yelled by cream-col-
ored guipure. Then there Is lace cra-
vat and lace finishing to the sleeves.
This is one Of the very swell robes. but
Of course the style is maintained in
equally striking but much less expen-
sive fashion. Braids, or gallons, as they
are sometimes called, are to be used In |
conjunction with velvet. moire cloth and
wooden materials.
Fashion says we must be anarchistic
this season-fortunately, however, in
Dolors only. This red Is to be combined
with white. a tribute to the popularity
that color has maintained throughout
the winter season. Red designs ON
white will surely be fashionable for cot
ton washing crspes and for artisticalIy
printed eateens and muslins. Just by
way Of fact, however, 1t Is only charita-
BILE to say that while red Is very fashion,
able, it is most suitable to fair children,
girls. and quite young women. The
only other people whom 1t improves are