Evening star., 1898-03-19

queen Elizabeth as far as the waist: she
Is TO DC the serpent woman of sulphur
novels from the waist down.
The plas.ron is the strong point OF the
Eiizaoethan share of this crazy patchwork
The essence of the plastron is stiffness
The softest, most "clinging" stufrs are
those through which the sinuosity of the
rest of the figure is expressed The re-
suit in some instances suggests a chimera
Win ine top or man in armor and a
snakes tail
Both ends Of this combination are studied
out In fine material. The pointed stomach
er, which came into vogue under the
pomaded, perfumed and painted Henry Ill
OF France, and grew sitter, more gayiy
coiored and more brilliant with gold and
jewels until Ravillac stabbed Henry ",
was never richer or more dazzling in its
ofnamentation than II is permitted, even
encouraged to be, at present. The die
away draperies of sentimental heroines or
the sheath-like" robes of the leopard and
panther creatures of melodrama have never
given better chance for the display OF
languorousness" or "litheness'' than do
some of the newest skirts. now dangled be-
fore everyday, breakfast-at-eight human
ity.
Means 10 the End.
The way to look like the veiled, float
ing figure on the cover of a seaside shocker
is to have your skirt lined with fine soft
wool. instead of silk, and to swaddle and
swathe it so closely that you can't step.
1t is necessary also to have your dress so
long in front that you tumble over il ard
to leave draggle-tail behind to twist it
self about your feet at every movement,
as II you had put on by accident the gown
of your taller sister.
The serpent woman is apt to have red
hair, although she may be dark-skinned.
Her favorite color is gray-blue, contrast
p Will rrtv7 r1nt CaG1
favorite color of the sentimental heroine
is forget-me-not-blue. Because of these
things it happens that the shops are full
Of blue. No color but yellow. dear to many
serpent women also, approaches it in popu-
lGrity.
The serpent woman likes glittering scales
therefore the jetted and spangled nets and
gauze which were declining in favor have
been restored to prestige. Here is the
common interest of the snake and the god
dess fortified behind damascened armoT.
The plastron lives by tinsel work and span
giles.
A Bizarre Combination.
The plastron flattens the front of the
figure. 1t Is distinctly a northern or
western fashion, just as the swathing
draperies are eastert-Cireek, japanese. |
Hindu. With clirging rcoes the orientais |
give freedom to the upper part of the |
figure. The woman of the west and north, |
whatever her skirts, has always prefer |
red high corset with 'busk' front, |
incrusted with oTnCmentation. To have
this fashion come back is usual: to COM |
bine scanty draperies with it is bizarre. !
Elizabeth wore farthirgale with her |
stomacher. The fiattened front bodice |
rresupposes hoop skirts. hustle or pam
niers. The tendercy of the moment is 10 |
throw aside the hip pads and bustles which |
have been in lse lately: but as prece- |
dent is never wholly disregarded heavy |
fiat panniers are coming into vogue, this !
fn nr,E E...v,a s,,tz
fering at all with the winding sheet idea
Modelled From "a Picture.
1t is not to be supposed that fluffy waists |
will go out Immediately. Fortunately,
there is no longer the fashion; there are |
fashions. One design. which with indi- |
vidual notifications promises to be popu- |
lar is close copy of Mary Queen of 1
SCOTS costume. In one of her best-known |
pictures Mary Stuart is shown wearing a |
princess dress open down tine entire front |
and with short train. The dress is of |
velvet and has tight sleeves with turned |
back lace cuffs ard a very little fulness \
at the shoulders. 1t is worn over a bro
caded underskirt and a pointed bodice |
such as the shops are full of at the pres |
ent time. With the exception of the small |
rum and of the headdress, modern ele- |
gantes are following this model in de-
tall The underskirt is ruffied to the waist |
In some cases. In others the overdress
call 1t overskirt or redingote or princess
Is made double, the enc skirt coming to
the ground. the other stopping at three
quarters length, like polonaise. In al
most every instance the underdress is of
different material.
The Pointed Overskfrt.
Another idea which has a strong fol- |
lowing is to wear a pointed apron over |
skirt. real or simulated, of the same ma |
terial as the waist; the underskirt offer |
ing contrast. A French model, for ex- |
ample. has waist and overskirt of black
lace over white silk, collar band sleeves. |
sash and underskirt being of a new shade |