The record-union., 1897-12-19

of ribbon bows, brilliant flowers, pleat-
ed lace, big buckles, fur bands and tails,
and an armful OF wild west feathers.
The bow Of the great size so long
worn at the back Of the heck is now
replaced by dainty lace pleatings,
''twice-around" Directoire scarfs, high
silk or velvet collars or the Napoleon
stock, much affected by women with
long necks. The scarf is put on in folds
like the old-time black satin stock, car
ried TO the back of the neck, then
brought around, after first being caught
there with a jewelled pin, and tied in
a soft, fluffy bow under the chin. These
ties may be formed of net, silk muslin.
India null. or silk in gay colors, or
plaids of rich Roman stripes. Other
pretty fancies IN neckwear are little
Paquin points of linen lawn, embroid-
cred in the center and edged with lace,
and odd blocks of hemstitched lawn,
with cuffs to match. These are to be
worn with dressy tailor gowns or by
those who find the hard bluewhite lin
en- colors so unbecomng.
The chroniclers of fashion whose
fashions good, bad, or Indifferent, must,
just at the moment, appear to have
bat single thought and text, i. e., the
omnipresent Russian blouse. No one
yet appears to have tired or wearing or
purchasing this chic little article of
dress, either for day or evening use. 1t
is now presented in any number Of ma
terials and with some very pretty va
ria tions of style but its identity is
never doubtful. In a wonderful array
of handsome tailor gowns recently inn
ported as models to be copied for din
ner, visiting, carriage. church, recep-
ton, theater, and promenade wear,
nearly every dress was made with
| Russian blouse in one of its slightly
varied forms. The general details were
there in each instance the same pouch
ed dropping fronts, the side-fastening
and decoration, the standing, arched
j collar, and straight or pointed girdle.
Velvet, brocade, cloth velours, Russo,
drap d'ete, or ribbed silk and wool ma
terial formed these costumes severally
and fur braiding. silk-cord trimmings
en- applique, guipure lace. gimp, or vel
vet ribbon. the garniture. In very
many instances the skirt was made of
|
sort of trimming completed it. This
was, however, not elaborate in the ma
jority Of cases. A fawn-colored model
purchased by very fashionable up
town modste to copy from had mar
row band of dark brown fur at the hem.
The small sleeves were of cloth, the
Russian blouse of brown. fawn. and
blue satin brosade. parted down the ex-
act front, the fulness turned away to
show a narrow vest of cream White sat
in covered with guipure lace. The collar
and cuffs matched this vest, and these
and all the edges of the blouse were
finished with a narrow outlining border
of fur. The very smartest and most
dressy of all the styles were the blouses
cut low in the neck and edged with fur
on gittering galloon, with guimpe
above formed of white cloth, trimmed
| with circling rows Of white or gold
braid, or both, While the close fore
arm of the white cloth sleeve was also
circled with row upon row of braid
There were likewise entire coats made
| of seal, mink, caracal, Persian lamb,
and chinchilla.
A new and stylish model for home
wear is the Carmelite tea gown-a de-
mure and lady-like dress made of
soft and beautiful shade Of dove-colored
| India cashmere and dove-colored rep
| ped silk Folds Of the silk hang
| straight from throat to skirt hem in
| front. but these are held in trinity be-
low the waist by dehcately wrought
cut-steel girdle. Over the shoulders.
front and back, is laid a deeply pointed
yoke of gray silk bordered with cut
steel passementerie. This yoke holds
a full narrow Watteau fold which Is
laid at the back The drapery is OF
the cashmere, and falls straight, not
being held by the girdle, which goes
beneath the Vatican pleat. The gown
on each side of the pleat fits the figure
snugly, but is not tight. The skirt has
wide hem at the bottom. The pretty
little sleeve fits the arm snugly below
the elbow, flaring at the wrist where
each tab is edged with the steel GAL
loon. At the top is a small, graceful
puff of the repped silk. The silk col
lars III high at the back, curving down
into long, slender points that form
revers which frame da.Tty little vest
of rose-colored crepe de chine, laid in
tiny crossing folds. This collar is lined
with the pink crepe. and it's tabs edged
with the steel trimming.
y
This season is nothing If not daring in
its wonderful mixture of colorS, the
most startling arrangements being in
violet and ciel blue. pink and crimson,
and scarlet satin. mingled with fur,
and lace amber and peacock blue, green
blue and purple, etc. These mixtures
sound crude, but it is just in the very
skillful balance of colors and the knowl-
edge of how far to go that the secret
of the difference between style and vul-
garity lies.
Satin brocades retain for the season
their share of the winters splendor.
The same may be said of black water
ed silk which to a considerable extent
has been supplanted by black MORE
velours. This is softer and more pill
able, and follows more the tendency to
ward the use of lighter fabrics, while
the genuine heavy antique has too
much body and stiffness to accord with
that tendency.