The times., 1898-10-30

coming azure-tinged tones, and to put off
blue seems to be impossible. Cornfiower,
turquoise, gentian, Abbess, Russian violet
and royal are some of the blues that made
up-in cloth, silk, velvet and fowers-a
most attractive show window in New York
and the women all buZzed about the corner
where perfectly new and entirely lovely
shade, named Marie Louise blue, was eX-
hibited.
All these gay colors of cloth make a
horid and not ineffective show on the
ponds and in the Kinks. where the whirr
OF steel on ice rises on the frosty air. A
plain skirt, ankle long, with a vivid fan
mel or velyeteen bodice, is Just about the
most graceful and becoming thing skat-
cr can assume. Camers hair serge is
what the skirt is made of and the most
startling combinations in color prevail
until the Kinks resemble carnival gather
ings. The biggest and brightest buttons
fash on upper as well as neither garments
and some of these are huge polished pew
ter buttons, such as are made and worn
by Dutch men and women on the frozen
canals of Holland.
Pretty skating costumes from Paris are
reSplendent with fur or fancy braid and
gay with silver buttons that are in reality
tiny bells, jingling out fairy music at
every motion of the wearer. The skirts
somewhat full below the knees, enabling
| the wearer TO move with freedom and ad-
ding greatly to the sum of grace. Tur-
hans of astrakhan broad tail and Persian
lamb are what the smart skaters wear.
These are round cap shaped things with
| a tuft of bright feathers like a shaving
brush stuck up in front and held by pin
| of Russian silver.
Every other woman, whether her frocK
lfY,rr frnrf fh.a
rear of her basque a species of tail
| which is bound to excite interest If not
applause. 1t was fully ten years ago that
basaues resigned their rear appendages,
| but like Mary's little lambs they are back
in fashion, every one with tail behlnd
il. Sometimes the tail is mere bunch
of ribbon ends, scarcely larger than the
sort of thing a rabbit wears, again they
are beetle wing shaped and fall nearly to
the knee Coatee, habit, postillion and
swallow tails are the species most fire.
uuently seen at present, and whether they
are pretty or not is another matter; the
tailors say they have come to stay.
Dressmakers give assurances all along
the line that velvet dress will command
as great popularity as last year. touch
or two will bring them quite up TO the
mode of the moment and those who are
| having new and very rich gowns made
|
embroidered dots done in a contrasting
shade. 1t is in these velvets especially
| that one sees great use made of the new
color known as pigeon blood ruby, and
| a gorgeous color 1t is to be sure. On some
of the very new gowns velvet Is trimmed
with velvet and ornamental buttons,
! large and glittering, do shine out now
and again on these handsome toilets.
The middle aged woman, who is not
20 oil har a n
beauty by gowning herself permanently
| in black and yet feels her dignity some
| what above most of the frivolities of such
articles of dress as have been enumerat-
| ed above, is finding n good deal of atten-
ton given to her needs this season. For
example a gown advocated at the thea
ter and calls. for a mother of grown
daughters, is of gray green MORE with
| vest of white satin and green cloth
| cape relieved by touches of satin. The
bonnet that went with this suit was made
of forget-me-not blue velvet, in a modi-
| fed coronet shape with tuft of pink
roses at one side and a little fan of tiny
| pure white wings in front. Three close
set straws of black velvet bebe ribbon
formed the bonnet strings, for such is the
fashion of the moment, and the whole
| toilet was safe key note by which any
woman, just on the shadowy side of for
ty, could attune her whole wardrobe.
| For house and morning gowns the mid
| die aged woman can wear skirt of
| mauve silk having three tiny frills at the
| hem and with this blouse of fine white
| lawn over an under waist of sky blue
| silk. The blouse has little gold studs
| down the front, lace stock at the neck
and rolling cuffs of lace, to relieve any
suspicious of relationship to the younger
| woman's shirt waist. Such is the cos
| tune in which a smart Partisan matron
would receive her morning callers hold
! committee meetings at her house, etc.
Black corded silk and violet velvet,
| often in careful combination. are the ma
| terials most frequently used in the max
| ing of gowns for brides mothers and al
| most wholly to the use of the middle
aged woman Is given the handsome APP
piled trimming of chenille and jet of
which SO much is seen. Good TASTE after
playing truant SO long, is driving ladies