The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-09-25
GOWNS THAT
BUTTON AT THE BACK

NEW YORK, Sept. 1s.-(special Corre-
convenient, we must accept the inevitable.
The gowns of the immediate future. espe-
cially for day wear, will fasten. many of
them, at the back. Some of the princesse
gowns owe most of their charms to this
arrangement. but demand a beautiful flg-
ure. The girl who possesses one viii soon
be in evidence. with her cloth or home
spun tailor-made nodded to her form at
the sides and back, but not, In all cases. in
'front.'. A blouse Is permitted there, or a
bolero. or circular ruffles. which should.
10 be strictly correct. call the rufrle zen
orme.
This giving prominence to fastenings at
NE back Is not confined to the waist por-
don, but II made a feature Of cloth skirts,
10th plain ana plaided These are fastened
behind by two rows of buttons. laced
tcross by gold cord. The buttons may be
rold and the cord Black II preferable. This.
" course. makes the skirt At like a sheath
light around the hips. defining the figure
n q way not always becoming.
Buttons are certainly to play an import
INT part In our dressing this year. For
tailor gowns there are, besides the gold
buttons. fancy metal and inlaid ones; II
antique, so much the better. For elegant
costumes there will be others. We must.
N fact, prepare for wonderful buttons.
The return Of cameo to favor Is illustrated
n this direction. Large stones. canoes.
smeralds, amethysts. ETC., are surrounded
BY paste ornaments. and not only round
bncs, but diamond-shaped, oval and square
buttons are to be used as time goes on.
A beautiful model gown saw the other
day showed this. 1t was Of cinnamon
brown cloth, with a smooth surface and
had a plain skirt and coat. which can best
be described as n glorified Newmarket.
This opened in front over a brown velvet
vest. decorated with large rectangular
metal buttons. These were really only for
decoration, as the front closed with hooks
and eyes beneath a talbot Of age-yellow
lace. This color. by the way, Is the only
proper thing In lace-not cream or butter
color. but the peculiar tint taken on by
lace which has been in existence many
years.
The tea gown and tea coat are to be rem
dered more fascinating than ever by these
artistic buttons. Here is n charming
instance Of what I mean A skirt Of ac-
cordeon-kilted gray yelling was mounted
over pale yellow. and worn with tea coat
Of gray and yellow brocade. the shaping of
tho latter following the fashionable direc-
toire lines. the fronts rounding off grace
fully to a coat-tail back. Large pointed
revcrs turned back the top ana revealed a
vest Of old lace, Immense and very beau
tlful topaz buttons surrounded by dia-
monds found q home on the front and
sides of this unique creation. You can cas-
lily imagine how much these decorations
added to the effect.
The era of the slender woman has ar
rived. Dressmakers revel In the fact A
noted one said to me recently: lone can
always make a figure where It does not
exist, but one cannot unmake It," which
was logical. though. perhaps. not over
elegantly expressed. To begin with, the
slender woman, II dressed with due regard
to the concealment of her bad points, has
q far better chance Of looking her best
than her stout sister possesses. AS rule,
too, unless her face is also very thin, she
looks the younger of the two-no inconsid-
cradle thing with q woman. And. then,
careful dressing will do much-there Is no
end to its possibilities. Even the grand and,
I admit, main difficulty of evening dress
can be got over with a little care. and.
though many things modistic are Of neces-
sity forbidden fruit to the thin woman,
abe has yet her compensations. II she only