The San Francisco call., 1898-01-09

TT HERE was one costume at
 Worth's which was almost the
 most gorgeous material I have
 ever seen. The front or petit
 coat" was of heavy white satin brocaded in a wavy, uneven pattern of green ivy leaves, and the train of the gown was of green satin, just a shade paler than the leaves which traversed ir. As the front and back of the skirt so the decOllete bodice correSponded only there was a pink bow on the left shoulder, a cluster of pink roses with their foliage on the right shoulder and bit of creamy lace between the two. The green of the train was attached to the white of the petticoat by narrow green ribbons run through rhinestone buckles at intervals. Then there was a pink satin embroidered in pattern of silver iris, the neck and sleeves of the bodice completely surrounded by pink roses half yelled in lace
 One of the characteristics of a true Parisian ball gown is that it shall have no two sides alike. As many ma- terials as can be conveniently used and these arranged so that one sleeve : be plain, the other ornate, fits the Paris fancy. Many of the newest even ing gowns continue to have long trans parent sleeves with the low-cut bod " ices. It is pretty arrangement, which enables the wearer to dispense with gloves and be all the more ready for applauding.
 A lovely pink brocade I saw at WOrth's was half covered as to skirt with graduated founces of pink chif- ion, rounding aprOnwise up from the front, and making the back of the skirt deliciously full. The long sleeves were of cream lace, covered by narrow puffing of pink chiffon laid on in lat tice-work pattern.
 A white crepe stuff was made up over white silk, and fairly framed with ruffies edged with cream lace. Of course there was the inevitable gray. so popular among the well-dressed of . Paris. One lovely gray brocade was elaborately embroidered with cut steel which is now an absolute rage for trimming. It looks rather dowagerish though.
 In serviceable party dress saw 2 really blue silk under black tulle em- broidered with jet sequins and paillots but the most surprising gown of all had a room entirely to itself and was mounted on a pedestal in state. It had long sleeves, resembling the angel" sleeves our grandmothers used to wear, and such long, long trainl It was of bright blue velvet, opening over a pet ticoat of white satin, and the sleeves, corsage, petticoat and train alike were embroidered in the most marvellous and complete way with gold and ex- quisite imitation jewels, diamonds, seed pearls and emeralds It must nave cost fortune, for the work was as line and regular and perfect as any tewelry in it's setting. Yet it was gown which only showed it's immense beauty upon close inspection For a casual glance a good passementerie would have served almost as well. It was for an English lady's court dress, they told me! Well, it is just as gor- geous as any of the fancy. costumes at the Duchess of Devonshire's ball. Yet to my poor and simple mind, it seemed, like Lady Clara We're de We're, mot one to be desired"
 The wearer of all that magnfficence would feel something as did the woman who tried to wear a million dollars worth of jewelry and found herself weighted almost to extinction.
 l. saw few handsome street dresses at Worth's, but they were mainly grays ana greens. A gray broadcloth, strapped" with narrow bands of the cloth, and these carefully stitched, was among the best, and a green pe-