The times., 1899-01-15
Spring Styles are Based on
FlOunces and Frills.
0VERSkIRTS AND. TRAINS
Collars Continue to Grow-They Are
Already Past the Ear Line and
Flare Half Way Up the Back of
the Head-A Smart Black ~own.

if not distinct novelties. What We have
kept over from last year are chiefly trains,
long tight sleeves and high, tight col
lars but on these things the dressmakers
are going to exercise an improving influ-
ence. They are pledged to cut every gown
en- train, and even the pretty muslins and
dimities and the adorable chiptzes that are
glorifying the January openings, and they
have sworn themselves not to make an
other silk or cotton dress without an over
skirt.
These draperies will at first be only the
long skirts of the coat-shaped dress waists
such as are already seen here and there,
but il does not require very prophetic
soul to see that by Easter time the full
fiedged overdress will be enjoying undis-
puted reign. For the present it falls from
the hips in what is called peplum form TO
the knees in front, and longer behind
though the popularity OF the Louis XIV
fronts is unabated. The study of the tall
ors is always after long, perpendicular
lines and nothing short and bunchy is al
lowed about the hips.
When the time comes TO discuss wash
goods it will be found that all reliance is
10 be laid on the long-tried virtues of the
ruffie Just now we are still too much oc-
cupied by woolens and furs TO think with
out q shiver of cotton and linen, but it is
as we'll to know that the present latitude
of fashion allows a dress waist TO be cut
with knee-long tails or short off at the
hips.
Where a close basque is adopted it is
invariably cut in a series of seven grace
full scallops about the hips. These curves
are not ornamented with anything. and. In
fact after q season of frivolity, the tailor
dress is regaining its old tidy simplicity
of outline.
At the start of the year number OF
handsome new tailor frocks have been no.
ticed and chiefly in periwinkle blue
Their waists fit. back and front, without
wrinkle. the skirt is fully trained, Of
course, and a pronounced tendency is to-
ward a renewal of what used TO be known
as a complete suit; that is, waist and
skirt, and then 4 longish coat of the same
goods.
With such costumes the elevating infiu-
enee of the smart jabot is mostly keenly
felt. There are jabots and jabots, but the
one that now has the longest train OF fol-
lowers is the largest 1t is either very
wide limosine ribbon folded twice about
the neck and tied in q really gigantic bow
in front or it is a long piece Of white satin,
laid twice around the throat, tied in four
in-hand or Ardsley knot in front and let
ting fall couple OF lace-edged ends nearly
a collar that has turnover, hemstitched
bands is worn, and smart little pin is
thrust through the knot of the. bow. But
terfiy bows of white, pale blue and Nile
green tulled or chiffon, fastened TO a stock
of the same, are still seen broadcast among
the women whose winter coats are dark
and button high. These airy nothings the
tsilors themselves not only recommend, but
make.
In spite of the prejudice, women con-
tinue, more or less TO use certain types of
plaid goods. The Mackenzie. Macdonald,
Forbes and Campbell checks still brighten
our landscape, and the quite simple skirts
are made up with a bias seam down the
front. Such skirts in the dark green, blue
and violet Macdonald plaid are purchasable
at the January sales, prettily made up on
silk foundations and the proper thing to
wear with one is coat body of solid green,
blue or violet cloth scalloped over the hips,
clasping the figure snugly with small plaid
faced revers turning back just under
the chin and chiffon jabot Towering out
on this.
Absolutely simple, comfortable sleeves
are typical of all these dresses. The wrist
is long, but cut off plainly round the hand,
and the one bit of coquetry the tailors as
sumo is more or less decoration on coats
by the aid of small bullet-shaped enameled
buttons. These buttons, by the way, are
peculiar TO 1899 and are different from the
colored crystal ones that are still in good
fashionable standing.
If you question both tailors and dress
makers as to collars, they will say that
excelsior is still the cry in that direction.
By constant wear of very high neckbands,
women are destroying all the beauty OF
their throats and giving their heads q
stiff, naughty poise. fair share Of col
nf Ei MI =
ed on the stiffest buckram and cut with
points 10 fit behind the ear. Newer thar
that is a collar cut with the ear points
and then third higher peak directly in
the back. This rear peak often runs hall
way up the height of the head. and some
times il is split open down the centre ant
revers spread away, faced with bright
color or lace.
The seryiceable gown. the toilet that fits
into every breach and is admissible on all
occasions is still black. II has an under
skirt and waist of black silk, that, by pref
erence, is not taffeta, but that is cut to fl
and appear like a Princess slip, tight or
the hips and wide at the foot. over this
falls rather coarse black silk hOneycomt
Russian net, garnished in either Of two
ways; with spangles or with three sizes o.
black silk braid. The braid is rather the
smarter OF the two and ii describes large
fanciful figures over the drop-net skirt
anu boAE- SuGu Il gown Is
fndesructible, and displays a richness o.
effect that is always agreeable. If it /,
made up so that the sleeves can be re
moved and the top Of the waist lifted ou
# can serve equally well as grand din
ner or sober church costume. With gown
like these, and they are tremendously pop
ular. women wear necklaces Of the bright
est outfit, with some jeweled pendan
string on the lowest chain, and they pu
tall black spangled tulle wings in thei
hair.
The serviceable evening gown for
young girl is par excellence a Tosca ne
in black, made over second net skirt o
pale blue, or green, or yellow, which il
turn is hung upon an underskirt OF sof
silk or sateen the same shade. The blacl
top skirt may be hung with spangles, bu
something more economical as well a
newer is a net skirt with designs worke,
out on it in threads OF colored chenille
Such dress wears well, is proc
against crumpling and is wonderfully
youthful. After being squeezed into
heavy trunk a shake dissipates the wrin
kies, and while the bodice may be high il
the throat, ii must by no means have an
sleeves. if il is designed for evening veal
All women who wear these cut gowns
and they are almost universally popu,a
perfume them carefully. so that at ever
motion the filmy floating goods will cas-