The times., 1897-12-12
Partisan DressmakerS Say the
Body Shrinks Under Tints.
SOME MID-WINTER FASHIONS
GIorieS Of the Ballroom That A"e
Dazzling by the Light of Gas stars
and Electric Women Have
Replaced Their Ostrich Boas ny
Those of Polar Fox.

IGtlAG &HANtluSs thce So ~ 9ii'N NAiAN
vicIet and gray are the fayorite colors
Embroidery Is still the popular garnituTe
sIia infinite varieties Of the Russian blouse
have almost effaced everything else in the
way u hodices and jackets. All the high
necked, long-sleeved theater waists. for
Use with dark skirts, better known per
haps as fantasie waists, are made of
whatever silk, or satin. taffeta or faille
every ,yearer's fancy or finances dictate,
ald the fronts thereof are overIaid with
bIouses Of some eauzy goods elaboratels
decorated with spangles.
The ;.nful shopkeepers have the most
tempting fronts made up, fastened over
SIX covered dummy figures, ard thus the
eyes OF fenBinity are daZZled and 'hfT
purses betrayed. Such fronts as iiie shops
show are usually or chiffon or t"sca net
a liberty silk. and decorated with sun
bgrsts. scrolls or arabeSQucs Of oriental
design, done in spangies or every copr.
wax pearls pTrTiiv cOlored glass heaHs
OF cut steel buGles. Then again there are
fr,nts a.Htter with embroidery, done IN
god and silverthrcads OF big gilt and silver
threads. of bic gilt and pearl spider webs
with centers OF pearls or mock turquO,se.
AT fist SIGHT there is undenlably an air of
l;,ueIcss extravaganza about these fan
TASTES Of fashion. and yet they afe not
by any In,ans purchasablc only by the mil
llo1alr, women folk. One pretty trout
can L.. transferred from bodice 20 bodice,
and xiti an = kind of care win do bright
and beautiful service the winter through.
Everywhere il is plain TO see that the
slender WOMEN are irving L. force re
vivai Of the princess pattern, which rs
naturally abhorred OF the stout. siiOrg
sister. Many slhn~waisted girls and ma
irons are already appearing in darE ldue
OF dart-green granite OF sultana clotl-
suits, having the frCnt Of tie ba sque
tisHt fitting and decorated with braid
ing in straight lines that contihIe on
down to tie foot Of the skirt. Quite
es often. in place of the silk or wool
braid, the characterization is done in
narrow lands of silk or SAITH laid on
fiat, like uIaid, but edged with very
narrow tiusel cord. Tnis, say tie sharp
siressrla kers IS 10 be the univ ersal trim
ming Tor new tailor suits in the spring.
Clotn 20 WIS chiefly for al save even:ng
OCCASIONS. IL is really surprising how
little silk and velvet are worn by daylight.
Cloth appears on the Most exclusive 9nd
rashiona be backs for breaF lasts and lunch
eons, afternoon weddings and morning
musicals. and for evening concerts at y hieh
hats a re worn.
4 rue, II a. usually cloth richly adorned
with the novel anu handsome ton sur ton
embroidery, the flowers in the design being
of wool ard stuffed underneath, 70 as 10
give raised effect, while the leaves are
flat and worked in silk of many colors or
Just one tone. The skirts OF such suits ere
cut so that a seam runs directly down the
front and the fulness behind IS sometimes
laid IN two box plaits. The fact OF the
matter is that tie seam down the front
AMI the experiment OF cutting the cloth
on the bias is sure o become a very general
fashion before long. without exception
the plaid cloth skirts are cut so and in
cloth OF q scIfl color. The two plaits al thc
back are uSuaily ornamented their entire
length with traceries OF black or dark
braid. This la achievement III skirt cut
ting is really an vnEIxed blessing for the
stout woman, for whom fashions are SO
rarels designed.
Anything more frightful, for instance,
than Porily matron in a it.ssian blouse
is hard 20 ina gine, and yet in a bias s.irt,
with sligntl, braided rear panels, "a sque
with loose front, tight-fittiHg back and
sides ana square hip ta's falling below a
very narrowly folded waisUband, even a
fGIi-l,I0wn figure Comes forth an eNcelien;
proportions.
IL IS yet 70 be proven whether there is
any reason Ia il, but the dressrna kerS, echo
ing report from Paris, say tnat in gowns
OF certain cOlors, flesh seems TO shrink, in
others 20 expand, and over this smart dis
cover tbs stcut ladies are iublant \ sub
dued shlde of peacock blue, plum caior I ,
olive green. with black, of course, sre an
nOunced as the coIors under which 'iesh
seems least cStentatious, while we1gewuod
bice, pale gray and almost any shade OF
red are to he avoided seduIousIy.
Here are tie restrictions and permissiuns
made as e. wool goods. veivets ami silk :.
So far no latitude or constrant has been
given as u cottons, but in the way 5ftriin-
mipgs and light tints, orange, yellow,
light blue and cerise should not he ssed.
Mauve and the higher tints of green are he
two culors that in decoration about he
throat and shoulders are especially help .ul
IN diminishing the effect of flesh.
But, after all, for true beauty Of form
snd color, ne ey ening gown this season
f. the thing. Undeniably, for da ylight
use, the dresses even of the most OK
iravagant women are growing every year
more aud more sober, but after the gas
stars anu electric sun OF the ballroom IS
no the glores Of feminine costume appear.
IL is difficult 20 give a realizing picture
Of a vivid cerise under pettIcoat, for in
stance, veiled in cream net, on which
airy background three foamy ruchings
describe apron-like curves, above a tor
dering foot fTil, edged with cerise col.
ored baly ribbon. a roundly open bod
zee, veilsd with net and clasped with a
high foide,i waisJband of satin. drawn in t.,
e hie bow a, the left side. from which
depend double trails or popnies falling
70 the sis IN. must next be imagined. and
there yoC have a glowing, graceful, but
not in The least costly, dancing dress for a
miss under twenty
Ar effort again must be made to gather
a mental picture of a pink satin skirt,
quite round aud severely plain, save for
one big flashing artificial diamond fas-
tended in front, Just about midway be
tween waist and foot. From this, running
out IA every direction over the skirt. radiate
many waving lines OF silver snangles
u is ss simple scheme OF decoration as
can be thoughtof, Yet ittrrns plain petit
coat inrn very regal sort Of garment.
With 1t is worn a pink bodice, its waist
band Ora wa through mock diamond buckle
'n front, its open throat Craped in cream
lace, while on one shoulder is fastened
knot OF roses. from which, nearly to the
knees, falls white chiffon scarf, powered
with pink rose petals.
Blythe by this shoulder scarf effect is
repeated again and again on the lowell
est Of evening costumes A NET is the