The San Francisco call., 1897-10-17

Illustrated IN last sunday GALL In these
co umns. Another girlish costume, par
ticularIy chic, had skirt and square blouse
OF plaid.
Over body of plain colored silk, the
blouse was opened at the left side and held
by straps OF velvet with fancy buttons.
Silk pleatings Of the shape designated as
caps extended over the sleeves at the
shoulder, the neck being finished with
stock of fancy velvet and ieweled buckle.
The latter detail l did not quite approve
OF for a child of IA. A simpler one would
have seemed more appropriate. Other
wise the gown was charmingly suitable.
Theater-waists and ball-dresses are diz-
silly resplendent ii The shopper elects 10
buy what she sees imported for the pur-
pose, together with the trimmings and
accessories that clamor for her attention
at the counters. S2tiE is the usual body
for covering of various fiimy stuffs, and
velvet libbon-thaa which nothing can
be softer or more becoming will
reign over everything else in the way OF
trimmings. The most elaborate evening
gown that hes daZzled my eyes thus far
this season is just corn pleted for
local society leader not long since
made bride, who will migrate
to Washington, D. c.. this winter. The
skirt of rich satin orocads was cut at the
knees into the flaring shape now in vogue,
and lined throurhout with a delicate
shade of blue taffeta, haircloth facing 1t
some ten inches from the bottom, which
was finished, or rather faced, in the custo-
mary way with pink velvet to match the
| 4 -
was square, with high collar at the back.
the sleeves small puff tied with velvet
bows at the outer arm. where the long
gloves met them. Pink ostrich tips
finished the neck, richly ieweled belt
clasped the waist, and the fan was dainty
priceless affair, wedding gift.
spasmodic and let-us.pray unsucce.s-
full effort is being made to bring the
demi-train into street use, where now it
prevails for carriage and calling gowns. /
refuse TO think that any woman who reads
her CALL will countenance so idiotic
fashion. Trailing skirts upon the streets
are an unsightly insult to common sense
and the cleanliness which ranks so near
godliness that l am inclined to the opin-
ION it goes above it. Who has not recoiIed
in disgust at 81 ht of a woman whose
clothing is gathering up the citys refuge
into an unspeakably dreadful mass as she
goes her way2
A silken-teXtureG moire a vast improve
mens upon silk, with a genuinely silken
rustic and staying qualities that silk never
aspired to, has made its appearance for
sklrt-lining purposes. Haircloth is still
the material depended upon for stiffening,
but is ofGen substituted by feather bone n
the number of rows desired, when light
ness OF weight is the aim. Both are quite
generally used in the making of skirts,
each having virtues of it's own 10 recon-
mend ii. Sometimes the entire back
breadths will be lined with hairclotn to pre-
serve the gowns shape and "set." while
featherboKe in several rows stiffens the
| front and sides. A pretty mode is the in
sertion of V-shaped pieces in each sea M
of n skirt, where the fare begins, at the
knee, the VS. being trimmed with braid or
otherwise elaborated over any contrasting
material to the skirt that nav be desirable,
Blue is favorite color in new materi-
ais, the shades bi ing called Nausen blue,
Hippique, Pervenche blue, Chantiily,
Jockey Club. Derby, LongcAamps and
Auteuil. The darker shades are ROYAL,
Marine and Matelot. In red we have
Geranium, CoraiI and poppy-red called
Coquelicot. Violet effects are distn-
guished as Parma, Pen.ee, Lllas and
Anemone. The yellows are Creme, FailIe,
Sun-ray, Ivoire and Nacre. In grays there
are Chinchilla, Argent and Mongolie.
Prettiest of them all. l am inclined to
think. are the green's, especially the leafy
shades, which remind me of the dead
summers emerald beauty. The different
greens are Verdoyant, Muquet, Palmyra,
Siberian, Russo, Nile and FeuiIlage.
Other schemes of color are obtained by
:he artistic com bination of these new
shades. Some OF the green's and grays are
ideal com panions. Turquoise and azurine
blue lend themselves daintily to com bina-
tion with other colors as also do the new
variations of pink camellia, rose, bengale,
roi, princesse, tulip and terimere.
Silhouetted in my memory is a mourn
ing costume which passed me on Mont
gomery street the other day, the wearer
of which | am told is a cent arrival at
one OF the hotels from New York, where
she has long been considered one of the
best-dressed women in society. The ma
terial was drap d'ete, the trimmings con-
sisting of folds of black silk in the dull
surfaced quality employed exclusively
for mourning use, and laid upon these
folds was a narrow fold of Grape. The
bodice was similarly treated and the tout
ense mble the perfection of good taste.
With this elegant yet unobtrusive gown
was worn black felt hat. rather wide as
to brim, with dull-black pins and upright
bows of the silk used in trimming the
costume. Black undressed kid gloves and
black seal liatner purse and cardcase,
each without ornamentation, were the
finishing touches to an artistically con-
ceived toilette.
Walking hats are the prcttiest yet pro-
vided for us; bit masculine, it is true,
but refined in their notification of the
shapes worn by men. Felts OF demure
hue are enlivened by plaid bands and
bows. Sometimes a somber little bird