The record-union., 1899-04-02

| favor Tor some time 10 come IHe
spring models are fashioned very mucn
on the lines of the winter shapes, the
more youthful styles fastening at the
back, the lacing or buttoning extending
we'll down over the skirt, and the up
! per portions cut away and very fre-
quently scalloped at the edges and nm
ished with a guimpe of some handsome
| textile.
| 1t has recently been said that there
| is really no such attire as Lenten cos
| tumes''-that the way that such an i'm
| preston has become so general is that
I during the Lenten season very many
new spring gowns are planned and
completed, hence they are called Len
| ten gowns. This is a mistake. Lenten
| clothes are as carefully planned for as
| Lenten teas and dinners, or the toilets
devised for more joyous occasions
Fashion is quite as familiar with SOM
Der suits for the Lenten season as with
brighter gowns for Eastertide. The
former are, moreover, universally
known and very generally worn by
those who give much attention to the
yearly religious observance-royalty in
cluded. AT high class tailor or dress
| making establishments one often hears
the special orders given by its most ex-
elusive patrons, and the details Of fab
rics, colors and styles of various ap-
propriate Lenten gowns discussed.
Many of the new checks and medium
sized plaids in all wool or silk and wool
weaves are diamond shaped, and the
trim little walking jacket of covert
cloth or fine wool diagonal, worn with
gowns made of these fabrics, matches
one of the prominent colOrs in the plaid
| or check. This is not a new combina-
ton, but the colorings and styles among
the shepherds checks and fancy tar
tans are so handsome, the jackets in
such graceful shapes and the cloth or
the fabric so fine in quality and so rich
ly dyed that the entire suits of this
sort appear almost like novelties
Straw hats dyed in many gay colors
will be worn and the round, moderate
ly wide brim is seen on many shapes,
but the sin of the milliners consists in
heaping up the trimming. Some of the
new flowers are of giant size, and one
specimen of millinery showed two cab
bage roses, almost as large rs the CEN
ter of a cheese plate. One was an alb
normal black, the other a very green
ish white. These two flowers were set
back to back, and formed a huge, ugly
decoration. The extreme elevation of
tiny crown is another unpleasing fea-
ture of many otherwise moderate hats.
Superimposed on the original straw
crowns is a spiral shape, which, par
ticularly in red or black. or both. in
stinctively reminds one of the wicked
looking headgear of Mephisropheles in
Faust"
1t has often been urged, but it seems
we'll to emphasize by much repetition
that women Of generous proportions
should invariably renounce all of these
round-waisted styles, no matter how
beautiful they appear on some Other
slenderer figure, or how universally tn.
rage for them increases Adopting
these waists is not a matter of age. for
the young, the mature, and the elderly
find them comfortable and useful. 1t
is simply matter of figure, and, for
women inclined to stoutness. there are
many close, trim and attractive models
which make them look better and slen-
derer than any of the round styles.
festooned with net, draped with lace.
and finished with circling ribbon. bells
and bows, which cut off the apparent
length Of the waist by two or three
inches.
Among the silks are some very pref
ty satin-fnished twills. while heavier
grades are woven in rather wide diago-
nails. Handsome new taffetas in fash
ionable spring coorings in monochrome
have petit pois dots Of a deeper shade
than the silk CT satin or chenille Love
ly white India silks are similarly dot
ted, while other patterns have narrow
satin stripes of golden green, with min
ute gold lines at each side. Taffetas
have mauve stripes outlined with dark
violet, and seashell pink with rose color
at the edge of each stripe.
The three and fve-piece dress skirt
models gain rather than lose in favor
in the fashionable world. Their ex-
tended popularity is largely due to tine
fact that in their general outlines and
effects they prove alike becoming to
stout or slender figures, to tall or short
ones; and they are most satisfactory
models for taffetas, foulards, woods for
tailor costumes, and light silks ana
summer fabrics of nearly everey de-
scriltIon.
Among summer fabrics of inexpensive
description are this season shown some
of the daintiest effects in pink, alone
or with cream, white, chamois-color,
faWn, or reseda- Even the sheer
French zephyrs and lawns in mono
chromes, or dotted, checked, or striped
In white or cream color, are quite as
effective, and in really softer tones Of
pink, than the taffetas and summer
silks of the same patterns.
Very dainty and graceful little capes
for this and the coming season are made
much after the style of the shorter
collarettes, and pei
crimes worn the past winter For
spring wear are models having the
rounded o41e-portion of plain corded
silk, armure, royal or satin-finisheG
faille, dotted with velvet or chenille, Gu.
in one With the high-arched collar, .hus
doing away with any seam about the
neck. Upon this yoke and at its edges
are laid very elegant applique orna-
ments and fringes in chenille and silk,
or special designs in cut jet, intermin-
gled with ruches of mousseline de sole,
full plaitings of chiffon, held by jew
elled ornaments, or artistically arranged
draperies of black Venetian lace. in
both wide and narrow patterns.
A smart walking suit is black cloth