St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-03-22
Some New York Fashions.

The various spring openings held at
present are most attractive, but Just a
trife bewildering in the quantities OF
different gowns that are displayed.
There is no one particular style OF gown
exhibited, but there are street gowns,
house gowns, evening gowns, and gowns
for every known and many unknown oc-
casions-each and all Of which are fas-
chatting in texture, color and design.
Undoubtedly the fashions for the spring
and summer of 1899 are more alluring
than usual. The fabrics that are used
are so many and varied that too much
monotony is prevented, and although, OF
course. three or four different distinctive
colors are particularly fashionable, as is
ALWAYS the case, there is wider range
than usual, and this makes more variety
of choice. The new styles as regards the
change in the cut OF the skirts is very
marked-too marked altogether to be
safe for the generality of people to at
tempt; and, indeed, too much cannot be
said as to the danger OF adopting the
present extreme styles without due con-
sultation as to ones shape and size, for
there is danger of graceful, almost ar
tistic fashion being made caricature OF
by amateur dress.making and poor taste
combined. There is no reason why the
present exaggerated style of skirt should
not be modified to be becoming to every
body. but unquestionably most OF the
STYLES are intended for slender people,
and consequently are quite unsuitable to
stout or short women.
There are more midsummer gowns, as
they appear to be, exhibited at the first
openings at the modstes than there are
OF any other kind except the tailor made
gowns The reason for this is, probably,
that people like to get their summer
things out of the way very early IN the
season. Judging from what we see ex-
hibited, it is to be a great year for the
wearing of wash materials. Last sum.
mer's intense heat seems to be taken as
a warning of what we are to expect
again, and everybody is busy preparing
for the worst. There are great many
more materials, such as are worn by
people in tropical climates, now being
exhibited. There are pineapple gauzes,
muslins OF every texture, dimties, Ma.
dras suitings, ginghams, percales and
lawns.
Many of them are so woven that they
look like silk, and are of color dark
enough to wear in the street even for
hard wear. The piques are to be as
fashionable as ever, and are even lighter
in weight than they were. Pique is a
material that has stood the test OF public
criticism, and is firmly established as a
good material for hard wear. 1t is to be
used in the jacket and skirt costumes
that are sold ready made. Some of the
skirts are circular, Others have the at
tached hounce of last year, and still
Others are gored. The jackets are all
short, on the blazer style, and are to be
worn open to show the shirt waist or
false front. The jacket finished all
around in scallops, with scalloped revers,
is very smart. There are, too, the fly
front coats that were seen last year, and
also the always. The dark piques are
trimmed with bands of the same materi-
al, or with white duck or linen; some
times with black duck or black linen.
The smartest are trimmed with the same
color as the costume [Harper's Bazaar.