The herald., 1898-05-29

nothing that was patchy in its appear
ance. There was nothing of the skirt and
"blouse bodice about it; and when l saw
the hat destined to put the finishing
touch to its charm my admiration for
Madame deepened rather than lesseneds
This, too, was of grey, a crinkled, satin
like straw, with a moderately-size and
very straight brim that turned up sharply
at the back, under a mass of cornflowers
OF just the identical shade of the gown.
Again you see no pervenche near the face.
in front the hat was draped with grey
chiffon in a somewhat darker tone than
that employed for the vest, but the origin
al material was almost hidden by steel
paillettes. At the back rose grey wings,
also pailletted and a smart upright bow
with innumerable ends, the latter wired
cunningly to Keep them erect
And then, by way of bonnie bouchc
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 Undesirable, or
nearly so. Simply lace and chiffon and
knots of steel embroidered satin ribbon,
apparently blown together, for not stitch
was anywhere visible, and with the hap
piest touch of the pervenche in the shape
of big bow at the back of the collar. In
cut the capelet was of the very newest,
viz, V-shaped at the back but only reach
ing to just over the shoulder line ana in
front to the top of the bust. 1t fastened
by means of tiny steel buckle, and
thence fell long ends of steel embroidered
ribbon.
My praise, which had the merit Of be-
ing sincere, was unstinted and pleased the
goood-natured coutouriere vastly; so
much so, indeed, that, after superintend-
ing the safe packing of her precious model,
she volunteered to show me another Il
thing which, a rule, the really high
class dressmakers are shy of doing.
"This for une blonde, ct tres chic" said
madame, withdrawing a dazzling mass of
orange-hued satin from reams upon teams
of tissue paper.
This time I was silent, my ideas upon
the subject of what would ans would not
suit blonde and brunette having received
@ severe shock in the shape of the above
described pervenche gown.
"'Orange for blonde-impossible!' you
say-is it not SOP and madame laughed
good-temperedly, If with very pardon
able air of pride, as she threw the new
wonder over a stand.
ooh, but I am ready to be converted l
assured her, and then turned my atten-
ton to the waiting gown. A toiiiette de
reception this, and even more lovely, be-
cause more original than that which had
preceded it. The material was liberty
sat-such a satin!-with hues like an
autumn sunset in its shadows. And 1t
was lined with-what do you think! Ima:s-
inc silk of the color of the palest Parma
violet YOU ever saw, and there you have it.
The long train was lined with 1t. and the
skirt was also ornamented with fiat APP
plications, set on to simulate wavy braid,
to lust above the knee. The ruche On the
inner hem of that train was something to
be remembered. 1t was formed Of huge
METALS 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 damented,
the effect obtained being lovely in the
IRENE. In width this ruche was quite an
inch and half or two inches across, so
leave you to imagine the amount of pa
tient labor it represents. The bodice was
q banded, or, rather, should say, sashed
one, since the latter was the form of or
namentation employed at the waist.