The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-16
STRIPED SATIN AND BLACK wHIPcoRD GOWNS.


l know that the retail houses put color
ID fabrics into their great show windows
when making their fall displays because
they attract attention quicker than if
they put in the black goods, however rich
they may be. The black dress materials
have never been so rich or so perfect in
every way as they are this fall, nor has
the line ever been so diversified as now.
All this goes to prove the assertion of
the importers and dealers that black will
be the most stylish Of all outdoor wear.
It always has been and always will be
the most elegant. 1t is the true gentle
woman's dress.
In black garments a stout person looks
far more. slender aud unobtrusive; a slen-
der one, graceful. An old lady looks
stately and imposing in a black garb of
good quality. and it goes Ear toward re-
fning the hopelessly plain young woman.
Black is suitable for old or young, ac-
cording to the way it is made and trim
med. One never makes a mistake in
wearing black anywhere, but colors some
times are positively vulgar.
After this preamble | win tell you all
about the new black goods which have
called forth such enthusiastic eulogy.
Most of them are handsomer than silk
and better adapted to be generally worn
thar silk.
The first of all, because the most beau
tiful, is the silk warp eudora. This is
the finest twilled goods possible to weave
It has a cashmere surface, with silk
warp and welt of Australian wool. Why
that is better or finer than any other wool
/ cannot say, but / know it is. | have
seen the process of making the beautiful,
soft California blankets, and they are of
Australian wool too. The head of the
factory told me that the fiber of the Aus
tralian sheep wool was the finest, longest,
glossiest and most flexible in the world.
So these eudoras and silk warp henri
ettas and also certain Grape cloths, drap
d'alma and melrose are all woven of
equal parts Of silk and wool, both dyed
in the yarn. They become what we call
dead fine" and are firm and strong be-
sides. They drape well into full, rich
folds and nave a luster and bloom equal
to the most superb black silk, and they
have the advantage that they will not
grow glossy after wear, as most heavy
silks unfortunately do.
All these mentioned fabrics are of even,
smooth, but very fine cashmere surface,
far closer and finer than any cashmere,
however. They take trimming in a most
satisfactory manner of almost any kind,
though this season pa~ssementerie in very
finely wrought designs viii be most fash
ionable. All these goods are also adapted
for mourning garb with the addition of
Grape trimmings.
After these come the all wool stuffs,
such as wool drap d'ete and drap d'alma,
800 E.-Ll--- A-AN- - - =
Eeecy luck. These are more often used
for wraps than dresses, though both are
desirabi4 for winter. Nuns v~eilings make
soft ana clinging house dresses, and with
a little judicious admixture Of color they
are very tasteful for young ladies. Cash.
meres are in jet and blue black. They
make refined and handsome gowns for
street or home.
Velvet and jet, also satin folds and
sometimes fancy patterns wrought with
ribbon, are suitable trimming. The Jet
shade Of black can be used for mourning
for more ordinary occasions than call
for the eudoras. There are three weights
of cashmere. 1t is always wide and is
like all these mentioned goods of the best
wearing qualities. Indeed / have known
of occasions where these dresses were
soiled, ever eudora, and were taken apart
and washed and ironed. They looked ex-
nctiy like new after the operation.
There is also cachemire de rinde. This
is not so soft to the touch as the others,
but is preferred by many because of its
evident value as an Indian weave.
Broadcioth and venetian are also among
the black goods and are too well known
to require words.
There are dozens of black novelty"
fabrics where there are brocade weaves
of 50 many designs that / could not
mention half. The brocaded designs take
the form of zigzags, stripes, dots, 1ow-
ers, algebraic figures, stars and rain
drops, and al are black upon black, the
weaving giving 1t the appearance of sew
eral shades of gray in certain lights.
There are black crepons without end,
the most popular just now being those
called s'blister" crepons. These are of
wool and nohair, though ! think some
of them nave a little admixture of silk.
In purely wooden fabrics the camel's
hairs. pruBellas, sateens, s~oleils, whip
cords, diagonals and are be-
ycnd compare the best. Imperial serges,
surah rwills, cheviots, coveFts and esta-
menes with cheyiot finish are all treated
by some process which renders them abb
~soIutely ~rainproof, and this without al
fering the appearance OF the goods in
the least unless it is that it makes them
softer to the touch and richer IN appear
ance. 1t is not rubber that is used, but
some way that the yarn is treated and
dyed. These are called cravapettes, and
they have taken place now among the
staples. In time every piece Of WOODEN