The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-03
Corresponding The St. Paul Globe.

Correspondence The St. Paul Globe.
NEW YORK, April 1.-Easter will
bring forth the new shapes In capes
which are making their appearance in
the showrooms of the most exclusive
houses. Their variety is bewildering,
and every woman will look we'll in
them If she selects the cut adapted to
her figure. Once upon a time, and
only a very short time ago it was,
capes were possible only for the slen-
der woman with slopIng shoulders.
Now the Paris artist has devised a cut
that gives elegance to the square
shoulders and height to the dumpy fig
ure. Don't ask me how. I don't
know. l can only assure you that 1t
has been done. A study of the wraps
worn by the fair maids we have drawn
for you this week will convince you
of the truth of my statement.
The first wears a cape of black satin
covered with jet spangtes and caught
in at the waist by wide band of vel
vet passed through openings in the
sides. The sleeve portions are finished
with three f1ounces of black mousse
line de sole. The second wrap is a
CREAM clOln WIN enDrOlOery, upper
parts and. f1ounces edged with ruchings
of silk. The third wears a cape of
brown fancy wool trimmed with satin
ribbon of the same shade gathered and
put on in a pattern. 1t curves away
from a front of biege cloth trimmed
with bands and appliques of the
brown. The high collar Is lined with
tan. The fourth cape is one Of the
new shawl shapes selected by the ultra
Shinn9h1a w will
anything adopted by the many 1t is
of cream-faced cloth embroidered in
arabesques. The fifth is a satin
crossed with ruchings Of white
mousseline de sole. Puffings of the
same cover the revers and the high
collar. Black mousseline de sole is
used by the putting and knife pleating
on the edges.
The mantelet with long ends hanging
in front by the principal figure in the
Easter parade is an example of
style which, like the last two de-
scribed will remain the property Of
the exclusive, for this year at least.
Petticoats, The word has ever a
fascinating sound, has it not? Her
feet beneath her petticoat, like lit
tie mice steal in and out" sings Sir
John Sucking, in that hackneyed yet
ever new and beautiful ballad of a
bride; and from time immemorial To-
nance has clung to this portion of at
tire. To begin with, it is an essential
ly feminine garment, and knickers-be
they of tweed, or satin, of never such
excellent quality-though they may
find favor in the eyes of the new
members of the sex, will never obtain
the same hold upon our affections that
the fluffy, fusSy and ever womanly pet
ticoat has always had. They-the
knickerS-may be more hygienic, more
economical, more unitarian, more ev-
erything in one comprehensive word
than the frivolous skirts of feebler
minded women.
And am quite aware also that when
the disciples of the knicker urge that
1t is healthier and safer for cycling
than any skirt ever yet invented or
likely to be- we adherents to the pet
ticoat have not a word to say for our
selves, and are perforce dumb New
ertheless, in spite OF all this-perhaps
because of tive hug the filmy fragil-
ity all the closer, reckless alike of the
fact that it is more expensive and not
half as enduring.
A batch of model jupons from a big
Paris house which l was privileged to
view the other day were in themselves
sufficient to make even the strongest
minded daughter of Eve forswear her
bloomeresque cult and return to skirts,
so ideally lovely were they. Many of
them had as is the fashion in Paris
corsetS and matinees, or as we call
them here, dressing jackets to match
The first that caught my eye was COM
posed of white glace silk, sprayed over
with the tiniest imaginable green ap-
pies and leaves. This model had three
fiounces, set at equal distances from
each other; these were edged with deep
lace and stuck out with a fluff1ness OF
effect absolutely charming and indie
scribable.
Upon examination I found that three
f1ounceS were set into one heading, a
piped one of pale green silk, so that
in reality, there were nine f1ounces al
together, not counting an underfrill OF
lace, or rather ruching Of the latter