The record-union., 1898-07-10

ored pique, with often a skirt OF plain
pink, tan, blue, or white piQue, and
fitted blouse of striped pique in two
colors, the waist finished with a turned
down collar and a marine tie.
The most extraordinary combination
of colors are still a prominent char
acteriStic of all smart French and
American millinery. In most cases, it
requires all the skill of the trimmer
to make the result other than either
fiashy or dowdy, the claim for admira-
ton resting upon that very doubtful
quality now so frequently put forth as
a plea for liberation if not for admira-
tion-that it's beauty consists in its
unique ugliness. Uncommon, GER
tainly, very many of the smart" hats
look, and whether it be that what is
fashionable needs no further recon-
mendation in women's eyes. or that the
modern milliner has attained much
perfection in the study of crude, impos-
sible melanges, it is certain that colors
once absolutely hostile to each other are
now artistically reconciled.
Very handsome We're some cream and
cent fashionable gathering, that We're
made upon colored silk foundations
pink and green looking particularly well
as sheath slips. The narrow foot trim
ming, set on very full and edged with
narrow lace, was finished at the top
with tiny knots of ribbon matching the
foundation skirt in color, these being
spaced On another gown was a
~ IA-
tween the frill and the overdress, en-
phaszing the color at the hem. The
wide ribbon ruche is too heavy for most
of the diaphanous gowns, upon which
it appears.
There is no doubt that fashion favors
hight and slenderneSs of figure, real
or apparent. The princesse robe, and
also a modified form of that severe
style Of dress in the shape of the polo
naise, are before US. The latter is more
convenient to follow for women of small
means. The princesse robe, cut on its
familiar, strict lines, and not elaborated
with handsome laces, draperies, ber-
thas, and other decorative modifying
additions, is not suited to out-of-door
wear, however graceful and correct it
may be for the house. The princesse
dress does not lend itself gracefully to
any sort of wrap which again units II
for the promenade A cape worn with
it locks very odd, and a jacket contra
diets the long, unbroken lines of the
gown. The polonaiSe is more amen
able, and this garment bids fair to be
quite a favorite among gowns for GER
tain uses this season. and still more
popular in the preparation Of tailor
gowns for the early autumn.
While deploring the increased length
Of dress skirts for the streets, it is still
more discouraging to hear that the
very newest model-that endangers
both life and limbs a skirt which on
the front and sides is cut at least an
inch longer than the hight of its
wearer. This can hardly be credited
but it is true, and to walk with any
sort of ease or safety, a ''fiingertip"
hold of the skirt must be taken at each
side, and the parasol be left at home.
FlounceS put on straight all around
are equally as fashionable as those ar
ranged to curve upwards as they are
carried towards the back of the skirt
The latter style is less familiar and on
many forms more graceful. On a great
number of the gowns for general wear
this season the gored skirt with one
deep Spanish fiounce is extremely pop
ular. The gored breadths may reach
under the flounce, or may end where
the top Of the fiounce begins. This
style is much used for light silks, for
sheer woods, and every sort of wash
material, and trimmings are employed
which best harmonic with the sort of
fabric selected. Ruches, folds, and rows
of narrow velvet ribbon are used for
silk, and shirring and tucking in vari-
Gus widths for light woods.
Some of the expensive organdie
gowns made in Doucet, Hentenaar,
W ellie, and other French courturiers
have the skirts formed with deep hip
yokes Of white or cream -colored en-
broidery The wide flounce of organdie
is shirred to this yoke, and has only
a broad hem and a few tucks at the
bottm. The waist has long close
sleeves and a guimpe of elegant en-
broidery, or sometimes the guimpe is
omitted, and Marie Antoinette fichu
- the only decoration on the pain
bodice-this of the organdie trimmed
with frills of the embroidery. The
folds of the fichu cross the front in
surplice form, and are tied at the back
with long ends that fall nearly to the
skirt hem. These ends give a pretty
finish to the back of the gown, and do
not hide the pretty yoke effect of the
dress skirt in front.
Hats that turn abruptly off the face
are just now among the very fashion
able styles.