The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
BUCKLES, BELTS, AND GInDLEs.
Gorgeous Productions That . woman Must
Have to He In Fashion.

n " ~ tn ahhion
Buckles. belts, and girdles form a very strik.
ing part of woman's attire this fall. The dis
plays at the dry goods stores. silversmiths, and
big jewelry stores are gorgeous. To keep up
with the dress parade at all a woman must
don a belt or girdle of one kind or an
other. The young woman with the slender,
trim waist, the matron who has TO begin
to look for her waist, and the elderly
woman who has lost hers forever are all strap
ping in their garments either with a snowy
narrow band clasped with q jewelled buckle or
a gorgeous girdle that attracts the eyes of every
passer by. The blouse craze Is responsible for
this demand for belts. for the blouse is a gar
ment that needs holding in, and then, too, n belt
gives 1t q finished look.
Girdles are TO be worn not only with gowns
and fancy waists this season. but also with fur
and cloth coats. and they are made particularly
handsome for this reason. 1t would never do TO
wear a cheap article on a fine coat. The prices
of these bejewelled belts range from the inevita-
BILE marked.down article at ffty.eight cents TO
those set with precious stones and worth thou
sands OF dollars. The ma iority Of women will
be content with the handsome imitation girdles
obtainable at the department stores. for they
are neither cheap enough TO become common nor
sufhciently costly to be out of reach of the aver
ago wcll-dressed woman.
Cut steel Is the most fashionable material at
ftSothl' nhu cht vi lilt NtSlkH5 u u ElEuIf
is worthy OF description. In the first place it
can be used as Il family affair. for it will MT the
m msifS or since n s!f f, IS an s eEte or e@a1 belt # made nss s opsT
woven wire. The squares OF cut steel which
form the belt are connected by tiny steel chains
at top and bottom, and between the squares
there are huge round mock turquoises. The
buckle is a huge affair. broad in effect. and set
with tur9uoises. The price of this girdle is
$500. 1t looks just as stylish on a light fancy
SIX waist as on a Persian lamb Russian blouse.
and this is a distinct advantage.
steel and anunnl rDmhtnad ara .nrch ,,Sal fnr
belts. A notably pretty one is a chain belt with
the squares Of steel emhellished with enamel and
worn over ribbons of different colors or over
handsome feathers. There is a fashion Of wear
ing marrow bands Of velvet around the waistthis
year; but woe TO the stout woman who tries it.
for velvet Isl clumsy material and very difficult
70 manage for those who have lost their glrlish
lines. These velvet bands are fastened with
magnificent buckles. and some OF them are COM
posed of four pieces. For instance. a belt OF
purple velvet clasps with a huge cut.steel
buckle set W III an amethyst as big as a dfty.
cent piece and has a piece similar In design TO
the buckle, only smaller. and set with a smaller
stone on each side and at the back. Turuuoises
are used with pale blue velvet. oliviues with
green, garnets with red. and SO ON. The price of
Another jewelled Eirdle, calculated to make a
plain gown or coat quite resplendent, is made Of
together with gold chains. All the pieces and
the tremendous BUCKLE are thickly studded with
imitation, amcthysts. ~olivines. pearls. brilliants,
opals, ana topaZes. The effect Is dazzling.
The very newest girdle, designed 10 be worn
with a, coat. is made OF triple plate, enamelled
10 look like the feathers OF a peacock, Each
link represents a feather. and Is set with a large.
curiouslv shaped mock sapphire. surrounded by
bronze and green enamel. The clasp is an imi-
tation of u feather. The girdle Is worn over A
narrow band of velvet of any color desired,
jet belts and girdles are also exceedingly fash
lonable., They vary In price from So up. The
ored ribbons, and the girdles are linked like the
a effect. Chain belts OF white metal.
treated with applied cut steel and enamel. are
worn "ith street gowns. and narrow satin bands,
clasped with rhinestone buckles, are the Thing
for fancy house and evening waists. One is fast.
ened with q large rhinestone tieur.dc-lis. and has
one on each sid" and in the back. Tho buttcrfv
ana various flowers and grometricAl designs are
also fashionable in rhinestone and imitation
pearl buckles, which are more used than ever
before. Color and richness form the KEYNOTE I'm
the matter OF belts. buckles, and gfrdlcs. and
the most elaborate desi ms will be used Ia
tighten up winter garments, both for street and
for indoor wear.
The silyersmiths have brought out elaborate
designs In girdlcs made OF solid silver, exprn.
sively enRmrlled. They are set with imitation
jewels but some Of them bring their weight in
gold. The jewclrv houses are not behind. and
some OF them are displaying belts and girdles
similar to the cheaper ones described, hui made
Of precious metals and gems. The styles in these
things change 50 frequently that IL does moi nay
those with limited allowances to indulge in ffbSs
very expensive girdles.