The record-union., 1898-03-20

Some Of the more expensive woolen
dress fabrics just brought to view are
so woven that an effect is given Of a
surface alternately plain and corded,
the heavy reps looking like a tiny tuck
taken in the cloth as narrow as it
could be stitched although no stitch
ing is shown. This material is used
for entire costumes, jackets and capes,
or it is employed for panel-fronts,
vests, yokes, cuffs, revers, and collars
these accessories being bordered with
handsome silk cord passementeries.
Natty little Eton jackets still appear
as portions of the gown on newly i'm
ported models, those in velvet CLOTH
drap d'ete. repped silk etc, to be worn
with skirt to match, and a shirt-waist
of Roman-striped taffetas. silk-dotted
Liberty satin, tartans of brilliant col
oring in gros-grain, and satin weaves
or of plain shot surah. The familiar
shape is retained for most of these. the
greater portion of which are slashed
or cut out low in the neck all around;
revealing the upper part of the shirt
waist A newer effect is given to 9TH
ers by adding a short, narrow pOstil-
lion back like that of a close habit
bodice.
Decided favor is shown to all the new
spring weaves in dress fabrics that are
light in weight and soft and smooth of
surface These dainty pliable woods
lend themselves most gracefully to all
the fashionable modes of manipulation
slight draperies, shirrings, frillings.
puffs and pleats; and being all wool
they are quite as protective and COM
Portable as the heavier weight mater
ials in rougher woods, in silk or colored
flax mixtures.
The most popular of the new bustles
are light, pliable and diminutive.
*
One can do but feeble justice to the
present exhibit in the various import
ing houses of the city of the latest eff
fects in French silk and satin petit
coats. The majority represent the
extreme limit of present fashionable
luxury and the rage for aggressive CO.
lcring and bizarre combinations The
skirts of the past winter, With corsets
to match, were fit, in richness and
beauty for the wear of a queen. They
We're formed, for instance Of beauti-
full jardiniere brocades, small lovely
Marie Antoinette designs on grounds
of cream color or cameo-pink satin, or
they were made Of soft mauve or paler
rose satin brocate1le or of pure white
satin brocade etc. The latest mod
els are of the most striking Scotch plaid
patterns or of vivid orange yellow, With
trimmings of black and white lace and
insertion; of the brightest emerald
green or cherry-red silk; crude ag-
gressive blues and purples decorated
with seemingly miles of accordion
pleated frills or ruffles and festoons of
yellow lace. Entire windows in the
largest stores in the city are filed
with these very garish, very expensive
French creations" only about one in
a dozen having any genuine attrac-
ton for a refined woman, no matter
how costly in price, or by what famed
atelier. they are made. The excep-
tional models are indeed beautifully
and wonderfully made, some of them
of white corded silk trimmed as only
n French artist can trim them, with
insertions and edgings of daintiest
lace. Of soft. lovely shades of mauve
taffetas. with knife-pleated, scalioped
founces and friIls, edged with real
Valenciennes lace. the full-back
breadths kept in place by shirrings
headed by narrow openwork lace in
sertions run through with bebe satin
ribbon the color of the silk.
Changeable effects still appear among
silks. satins. velvets and fancy dress
goods in silk and wool mixtures, not
withstanding their greatly extended
lease of favor
GRAY gowns are greatly in evidence
this season, many wholly gray put
formed of a combination of two hand
some fabrics like repped silk ana drap
d,e+e. but more youthful looking cos
TUNES show a melange of nuns or opal
orav with a rich, beautiful shade of
earani1ln red or a changeable mater
;ol in gray and rose color, with added
accessories of cut-steel gimps or more
elaborate designs for gray SILK passe-
menterfe en- applique.
Some very graceful and exceedingly
.,,7or+ hasoue bodices are added to The
now snring costumes. many with open
fron+s and white satin plastrons ana
,a,,ars trimmed with lines OF me goid
hyoid Some are made with rounded
fronts; others are cut straight ane
square In the meantime, the uniall-
tous blouse-waist is kept exeeedlngly
attractive by the quaint and ODD e1-
fects in trimming that are CONSTANTS
multiplying upon it. and the niue tan
or Jacket bodice by its numerous go -
,,osts and nretty belts, buttons, ana
buckles.
Black taffeta silk gowns are every
where in evidence at all the import
ing houses of the city. They haFs
quaint. very old-fashioned appeafahGe'
with skirts frilled to the Wals,. -
straight rows. or arched to sinuia's
rounded or pointeds overskirt. oof'is..
the ruf1es are pinked at the euss, 49,
ers finished with lines of velVet fia's,s...'
sometimes wide. oftener very narrow
Other vary exnensiye black taffetas ar