The evening times., 1897-12-28
LATEST PHNGIES,
FASHIONS WHIMS
Gowns and Stpfs Suggested
by thRs Season.
Champagne-goio Irish Pop,in
Among the Novelties-Chate-
LANES and Gtrdles.

! pleasing IiurTy IN Iasnions, ann 70 iauies VI
high de gree and long purses the CHIEF mstter
| or moment is the gentle but abs ir ily Iuxu-
rious fancy for fur gowns. From an "co-
nomical standpoint these novelties IN COS
travagant outlay that can b. made IN dress.
| a fur toilet is d thing of bea lty. { nd in
the KIondike regions no doubt 1t would DE a
! joy forever: hut 1t is a princely indulgence
to a woman OF otfr temperate zone Never
theless, those exhibited 50 far have found
| purchasers at once, for in place OF jewels or
new furniture or pair of carriage horses
fur gown is the sort of a gift many
woman wishes 10 find in her Christmas
stocking. Whether the spoileil beauty de-
sired one OF mink, Persian lamb or noire
! broadtail Is or no Importance.
| 1t surfices TO say tnat all fur gowns are
I rich and sumptuously splendid in appear
| ance beyond any. costumes yet from the
d:essmaEer's hands. and that they are Lot
| likely to consist only of a skirt and ,oat
| basque. The skirt Is usually quite plain,
rather widely gored; in mink the stripes all
| convege prettily to the whist. snd lend
| any figure infinite grace and slen ierness.
| Some OF the broadtail petticoats have deep
| vandykeE or ruby red or pansy 2ur,ie vel
| vet let in about the bottom, but all he FUR
| basquessare coat-shape that is :hey PCS
| sess waistcoat OF velvet most often. over
| which revers of fur roll and button, or
| turn back, as the wearer goes in and out
! doors.
But where are these astonishing frOcks
worn! is the ma tiiraI query of the unsophisti-
Gated wonan. who does not yet aspire
To go clothed like the wild ones OF I he woods.
| Well, they are used On the very Cold
days for shopping, for driving and short
| calls, and it is 10 eNagseration, but n
| plain unvarnisbed fact, that a good fur
| gown Ccsts it's owner, or her indulgeni
| husband. the very best part OF s coo
! check.
Apropos of fur and 20 complete discussion
| OF the subje with bit Of new ws. ii may lie
| told that q II this winters bridal cortegcs
have yeIy furry expression indeed-that
| Is. the feminine half of the immediate
| articipators in the procession to the
| altar.
1t is tretty whim of those young ladies'
who marry in the month of snow to have
| their attendant maids dressed all in white
| and then to trim the lily gowns with white
| fur. Daughters Of rich parents adorn :h-ir
| bridesmaids dresses. with ermine and white
fox and wear white felt hats with fur
| edged brims, besides carrying big white
| muffs Even the bride herself now tre-
quently has her train trimmed with fur.
| and il she and her naios cannot afforl
| fur. they do ALMOST as well by themselv p
| In adopting the ever decorative and lovely
bordering OF comparatively inexpensive
! swansdown
Sometimes even in fashio rs, Conimonse lse
! has her own way ,andevery womanisrnick-
| ling with glee over the de feat of the great
| Partisan dresSrna kers who wish to do 4 va y
| utterly with crinoliIIes. Two months ago
! those great ano gifted men, Worth, Douart,
! Pingot and their ilk, cut new skirt ith
| just four straight seams, actually slolad in
/ at the foot and left tn. bott,m as limp IS 4
wetInolding Leaf. Rightroyalythey oftie ed
! this to be worn, and the secret leaN ii .'ut
! that Greek dfaperies were to be our uo'iels
for the coming aif-dozen years. With one
accord the women have flouted, scor:ied and
rejected thu new skirt. and until further mo-
tice crinoliue, nair cloth, or what you please
| 10 use st;ffening, will BE- worn to a depth
| of six irches at every skirts foot.
| There is no denying, though, that the
I French ruling as TO the length of evening
Costumes is followed everywhere. Great is
I the JOY OF the small women over the arrival
| of the train, and their stout sisters re io;ce
! with them, for train ma kes long lines, and
equally fervid self-congratulation should
| stout women express at the marked ad
rance in favor ofthe bla ck nd white gown.
| All manner of striking nd prett ysctemes
! of mixing black and white are now
| carried out. Black lace in draperv is
rarely laid over white, but If anyone
| happens t. have an old black In 20 shawl
or flounce let her carefullycut the patterns
III the act and group effectively on white
silk or even a white cashmere ground. A
dress, very gorgeous in appearance = nd yet
not bit costly in make, is often thus
| resurrectcd from apparently hopeless ma
terials, and IL there is a little jet added
here or there the result will he aston
ishing.
Here is skirt of whatever YOU VIII
poplin, MORE velouTs, cashmere or liberty
silk. II is whita with lace patterns ta cked
on it. The waist is white chiff i'll, accor-
deon pla tied, and the little bolero is
made of two frilIs Of hiac lace. The long
sleeves reflect the skirt, ami there, ~
wa OF variety, the blck satin belt LISTENS
on one side and lets fall, far down the
drapery, a double wreath of n;stletoe.
There is a knot OF mistletoe and nolly on
one shoulder; these last touches we're put
in by the gowns designer in honor cf il S
first appearance ON Christmas eve, and
because shoulder knots and sash trails OF
flowers are worn On all the pretty evening
dresses.
A word to the wise is always enough,
and IL you wish to turn your last years
Eton coat Of fur, that, of course. fits tight
and Is therefore hopelessly out Of Etyte, lop'
out your sleeves down toevithin .wo inches
and a half OF the wrist, th,n go 10 Il .urrier
and tell him to turn the bulge OF those
sleeve tops into a pOuched front and to
cover your arms with velvet or silk. ,fslk
lay on plenty of braid; mohair of good
quality; use the wrist end of your fur
sleeves for cuffs, and there you Ire as smart
as possible in u Poland jacket.
Iftiie jackeSneeds.n new lining, a plaid silk
or satin is the correct thing FOR -ef,Irbishing,
because everything now that can. c de-
Gently So colored and striped, even TO silk
stockings and house slippers, is plaid.
Perhaps the p ettiest tartan odtlity Yet
seen in liberty silk and silk muslin is the
gay Royal Stuart stripes, and bars, and
these dancing goods, as they may he cor
rectiy called, make up into lovely even
ing suits Tor young ladies'.
Every week the silk blouse proves its elf
true garment of Proteus. 1t is literally
never the s3me thing whole fortnight
through. Now wehave all of soft silk. pref
erably satin surah, or even heavy quality
Of China silk accordion plated throughout
Let none but thin women, though, aspire to
this phase. ~ g