The times., 1898-12-18
SPANGLESREIGN SUPREME
Dame Fashion More Resplen-
dent Than Sheba's Queen.
SKIRTS A La MODE
MODE
They Fit Like n Tire to n Wheel as
Far Down as the Knees-Lofty
Cofnures Adopted by New York
Society Queens-The Vice Regal
Sleeve.

New York, Dec. 16.-It was a novelty
at the beginning of the winter for those
who wore sober green and brown street
gowns to dash in the necessary high
lights by the use of brilliant breast
knots of natural flowers. Vi6lets 'lsed to
be the chosen walking flower, but now a
woman, muffied to her ears IN Persian
lamb or sable, pins on her left breast a
fiat bouquet, as big, nearly, as a dinner
plate, of purple orchids or scarlet carna-
tions, backed with widespread fan of
maidenhair fern. A great deal of atten-
ton is given to the method of pinning
these in place. A rosette of ribbon, echo
ing the tints in the flowers, is usually
SO placed as to wholly cover the stems.
In the evening spangles still reign su-
preme and golden sequins on black
or white transparency is the highest
achievement of the dressmaher's art. But
not by the use of spangles alone is one
entitled to front seat among the we'll
dressed, for the spangles are only one ele-
ment in the lavish ornamentaticQ OF the
goods sold for evening wear. Spangles
and pearls, spangies and cut crystal
beads and ribbon trimming, all three APP
piled to wide meshed silk net. OF spangles
wrought in with white velvet ribbon and
gilt braid, are among the favorite combi-
nations. An exquisite evening dress des-
tined to be ultimately worn by Mrs. As
tor was of white satin, over which tell a
skirt of black satin muslin. At intervals
the muslin was cut out in spaces as large
as the palm of ones hand, ;ind patterns
of black lace heavily worked with gold
spangleS and gray pearls We're let in. An
other costume for an equally fashionable
woman was of willow-green satin gar
nished with raised flowers, made ali of
ostrich plumage stripped from the stem
and fastened down with embroidery
stitches. The pattern followed was that
of Virginia climatis. and as the wearer of
the glorified raiment moved. about the
petals, if one may so call them, of the
flowers waved and vibrated at every
step.
Ii would require the aid of a colorist's
brush to convey genuine notion of the
splendors of some of these modern even
ing gowns and yet they are not all by any
means as costly as they sound. Spangles
are more radiant than expensive, unless
one undertakes to wear the new pacettes
that are lately over from France. These
are of all sizes and are colored different
ly on either face. Most beautiful are
those called amaranthine, a strange
greenish-gold on one side and deeply pur-
pie on the other. They are not attached
to the fabric by means of holes through
the center, but must be so set on that
at every motion they swing about. show
ing first one side and then another. A
black velvet costume resplendent with a
vine motif worked out In amaranthine
spangles is one of the sights that would
have filed King Solomon with humble
astonishment.
In discourse on evening dress it
would be incomplete not to mention the
new arm decorations that go by the title
of the vice regal sleeve. Lady Curzon her
self originated this fashion, which comes
to US from India, where the less sleeve
you wear the greater your physical COM
fort
Inside the arm, from the shoulder
strap down, passes to the wrist a band
of teweled lace, or painted muslin. or
embroidered satin. 1t is only two inches
and half wide, and it is held to the
arms by means of a lacing of pearl
strings, or gold cords, or ribbons that
catch in eyeletssA3epg either edge of the
outside Of the arm. This forms a lattice
work, through which the round, smooth
member shows prettily, and at the back
of the band the strings of pearls, or
cords or ribbons knot in long bunch
and fall over the fingers.