The herald., 1898-10-02

shrunken and refinished before leaving the
store. The era of mooth-tinished materi-
MS ID here, and 1t Is we'll that really good
cloths can be bought for from Is cents per
yard up, and, as they are 81 inches wide.
the cost is not prohibitive. These suits Will
have in many instances fitted basque,
pointed in front, and opening with double
row Of buttons and revers over linen
fur capes. The REFER coat will be used,
however, for tho majority.
This Is what we are coming to. For the
present moment we are wearing combina-
tions Of plaid and plain, quite the smart
est of which Is plaid skirt OF rather
large and friant pattern. worn IN conJunc-
ton with sacque coat OF PLAIN cioth'
whose color harmonizes with that Oh the
skirt This Is an English fashion, ano'
though It can hardly be called new mode'
1t Ia, for the moment, very well worn.
What is more, 1t will not become common.
American women have never taken en-
masse to the saoque coat. 1t Is only the
smart woman that adopts 1t, and even she
avoids It II short.
In shape, these plaid skirts are, as the
newest mode dictates. Of sealskin-like fit,
the fullness at the back being transformed
into a huge box pleat. and the said box
plsat bearing some two dozen buttons.
whose size may vary according to the
within of the wearer, set on at intervals
from waist to hem. Personally, think this
mode was invented by some one anxious to
prove the truth of the proverb, I'll faut suf-
frir pour etre BELLE" for they certainly
must be unpleasant upon closer acquaint-
Ance, and when to this is added the difhculty
of sitting down in anything like comfort
in the eelskin gown with which we are
threatened, It will be seen that the lot OF
the fashionable woman of the immediate
future Is not likely to be a happy one.
l saw this week at the rooms OF a fash
ionable ladies' tailor some charming model
Jackets, both In cloth and light materials
They were. almost without exception, OF
three-uuarter length-another mode which
u emphatically not becoming save to the
tall--the exceptions referred to being the
tailed coats, cut away in front, and having
directoire revers; though, In this connec-
ton. It IL notable that the tails" are grow
ing longer daily while the revers are get
ting proportionately smaller. One really
exquisite garment Of this class was built
Of black silk velvet and lined with cream
colored satin, the revers Of satin being COW
cred with Irish crochet lace. and the satin
cuffs turned back and similarly adorned.
Most Of the new coats, though, are Of start
ling severity as regards cut. and nearly all
have the long basque added a la New
market, and depend solely upon the fancy
shape Of collars, cuffs and revers for dis
tinction. Satin, or a new and rather heavy
make Of satin merveilleux, seems to be the
fashionable material for smart coates for
early autumn wear. A great deal OF piping
Is noticeable on these models, but they de-
pend more upon the absolute perfection of
their cut than anything else, though some
with bolero-shaped backs, are rather I'M
common. It would, however, require a
slight figure to carry a coat off success
fully.
In evening frocks the princess gown
seems to be the leading favorite. but this
again, is a mode only seen to perfection
when the wearer is tall, and, as the French
have It, "fausse maigre." I recently saw
IN exquisite instance, which had been pre-
pared for some of the early autumn fes-
tivities, The material vast satin duchesse
Of a pale coral pink By the way, pink of
every shade, from palest salmon to deep
sst Du Berri, Is still as fashionable as
ever, The train of this gown was very long;
indeed. trains, both on day and evening"
gowns, are getting longer and longer.
However to 60 back to the princess gown.
Each seam OF this, from the hem to the
was outlined In passementerie
IN cut glass and coral of rather deeper
shade than the satin. This glass passe
menterie is lie dernier cri, and has quite
elsa from naStA
The decolletage was rounded
one and exposed the whole of the shoul- |
ders. having for all ornamentation Few
folds Of the softest tulle. coral pink IN nue.
The sleeves were conspicuous by their alb |
sence; indeed, as regards the newest mod
els. sleeves may be said to be. for the
nounce, non-existant, a strip OF velvet or
roses being used in lieu of them with adj |
mirable effect In the present instance.
sprays Of the palest mauve orchids occu-
pied the place Of honor, and were attached
10 the folds of the tulle before referred to.
with here and there an invisible stitch.
Another evening gown seen at the same
atelier established the rumor before spok- |
en- Of that the polonaise Will ere long De |
amongst U.S. The underskirt OF this model |
was Of orange velvet; at least, SO much as |
could be seen Of It, which was only the
merest glimpse, the polonaise itself being
carried out In .merveilleux OF the same
shade. and trimmed with-what 90 you
think ?-orange silk fringe. II that does
not sound like return to the modes OF the
co.'s should like to know what does. New
ertheless am I forced to own that the ef-
feet obtained was distinctly good, even IT
a trifle bizarre. In cut. however, I am
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