Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-29

than that employed for the vest. but the
original material was almost hidden by
steel paillettes. At the back rose gray
wings, also pailletted, and smart up
right bow with innumerable ends, the
latter wired cunningly to keep them
erect.
A BONNIE NOUCHE.
And then, by way Of a bonnie nouche
Madame showed me the dainty cape, or
rather capelet she had provided, which
was also charming in the extreme. An
airy trifle, this latter, mounted on glace
silk OF the same shade as that used to
line the gown, and composed OF nothing
but rows upon rows of accOrdiOn-pleated
chiffon intermixed with tawny lace, the
edges of the latter outlined with gray
velvet baby ribbon. The collar was in
descrbable, or nearly so. Simply lace
and chiffon and knots of steel embroider
ed satin ribbon. apparently blown to-
gether, for not Il stitch was any
where visible, and with the hapDiest
touch of the pervenche in the shape OF
a big bow at the back of the collar. In
cut lhe capelet was Of the very newest
viz, V-shaped at the back, but only
reaching TO Just over the shoulder line,
and in front TO the top of the bust. 1t
fastened by means Of tiny steel buckle,
and thence fell long ends of steel en-
broidered ribbon.
POUR UNE BLONDE.
Ny praise which had the merit of be-
ing sincere, was unstinted, and pleased
the good natured coutouriere vastly; so
much so, indeed, that after superintend-
ing TIE safe packing of her precious
model, she volunteered TO show me an
other, thing which, as a rule the really
high class dressmakers are shy Of doing.
This for une blonde, ct tres chic" said
Madame, Withdrawing dazzling mass
of crange-hued satin from reams upon
reams Of tissue paper. This time l was
silent, my ideas upon the subject OF
what would and would not suit blonde
and brunette having received a severe
shock in the shape of the above de-
scribed pervenche gown. Orange for a
blonde-impossible! you say; is It not
SOP and Madame laughed good-tem-
peredly, If with q very pardonab!e air
OF pride, as she threw the new wondec
over a stand. "Oh, but L am ready to
be converted" l assured her, and then
turned my attention TO the waiting gown.
A toilette de reception this, and even
more lovely, because more original than
that which had preceded it. The mate
rial was liberty satin, such satin, with
hues like an autumn sunset in its shad-
ows. And it was lined with--what do you
think? Imagine silk of the color
Of the palest Parma violet you ever saw,
and there you have it. The long train
was lined with II, and the skirt was also
ornamented with fat applications, set on
TO stimulate wavy braid. to just above
the knee. The ruche on the inner hem
of that train was something to be re
membered. 1t was formed of huge petals
of orange-velvet roses, in a rather fainter
shade than the rest of the gown. There
must have been thousands of them, for
they were sewn as closely as possible,
and each and every petal was diaman-
teed, the effect obtained being lovely
in the extreme. In width, this ruche
was quite an inch and half or two
inches across, so L leave you to imagine
the amount of patient labo: it represents.
The bodice was a banded. or rather,
should say a sashed one, since the latter
was the form OF ornamentation employed
at the waist.
THE BODICE PROPER.
However, to revert to the bodice proper.
At the back this was plain and tight
fitting, and in no way remarkable. The
charm lay in the front and in the clever
manipulation of the mauve and orange
satin. To all appearance, this front, which
was composed of equal portions of
the mauve and orange materials, the
upper half being mauve, the lower
orange, had originally been pouched. The
pouch had then been drawn up to the very
centre of the bust, where the pleats were
kept in place by a huge knot of old lace
drawn through an antique clasp. The
way these folds were arranged, and the
air OF grace they even impaired to the
dummy which served TO show them off,
was absolutely charming. BY the way
l must not forget the decolletage. This
was quite round and clean off the Shout
ders, two broad bands OF velvet finished
by smart little bows doing duty as Shout
der straps, and helping to keep the
sleeves in place. The latter were long