The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-22

1t is very difficult to predict at the
present moment exactly what the pre-
vailing styles for sur2nleg gowns are TO
be. We are pretty we'll ssttgs on tae
spring garments. yet evzfy say sees
some new thing put forward c~acteusly-
That is just the way of it. No Il c can
possibly foresee what one special gar
raent or style will catch the public fan
cy go AZ to become q rage.
st the present time the tunic over
skirt In its varied phases seems to have
caught on But there will be other
things. / noticed among some of these
novelties a tea gown whose voluminous
folds and great sleeves reminded one of
the draperies of the Roman matrons of
old.
I do not think that this particular
style will be much of a fashion,, but the
loose peplum, with its heavy balls at
h corners, may come in for favor, it Is
SO odd and so classical. It can be ar
ranged to add new grace to a slim fig
urs and kise the TOO generous proper
tons of the plump one. If THIS Is to be
used in summer wear, 1t would have to
be made of soft silk or yelling or some
similar material.
None of the separate waists now so
popular would permit Of any sort of
pepfum which is draped up to the bust
line and her left to hang as it will.
The summer frocks are now out in
force, and IN q week they will have
/. disappeared as suddenly as they came.
Those Of wash materials have a skirt
plain or with rufies or application of
lace. One style had three narrow white
batfste ruf1es set at the lower edge.
The upper ruf1e vas put on in loops
n s%callops, and that made a very
dressy trimming. The skirt was Of
mazarin blue lawn, with white figuring
in broken scrolls. The waist was with a
belt and Tapped In surplice style. 1t
was gathered at the shoulders and bot
tom, and a Topped ruffle outlined the
edges of the surplice. There was a v
shaped inset of lace over blue lawn and
a high collar of the same. The sleeves
were plain coat, with a white ruffle at
the wrist.
That reminds me to say one word in
regard to sleeves. Many of the summer
dresses have elbow sleeves. and others
have them about half way between the
elbow and wrist, a most trying style
unless the arms are very fine. Nearly
all the thin wash dresses have the
waists made with yokes of lace or some
other material. One pretty pompadour
pattern had a yoke of one design and
the lower part Of the waist like the
skirt and sleeves. Around the edge of
the yoke was a scalloped bertha made
of white linen edged on the scallops
with a self ruff1e so small that one won
ders how 1t could be made and still
more how the ruffie could ever be
ironed. There was a triple rufle of the
white linen to this skirt too. 1t just oc-
ours to me that there is a good deal of
scalloped trimming.
There was a dark blue Russian duck
with great white polka dots as large as
a quarter. Around the entire skirt there
was a wide band Of white linen ap-
plique. like renaissance lace. Above
and below there were three narrow lines
of black velvet ribbon. This dress was
supposed to keep clean all season.
A pretty organdie. with delicate pink
flowers had three lace ruff1es around the
bottom. These thin skirts are cut
sheath shape as well as those of firmer
stuffs. One dainty lavender blue de-
sign was made with a lace founce set
on, there being a doubled shirring of
the muslin sewed on the lace in seal
lops- The lace is arranged under this
by rolling the edges SO as not to cut 1t.
1t has the appearance of a double skirt.
There are many double and triple
skirts in thin goods rs we'll as in heavier
material. Avery handsome design was
developed in wool and in cotton, and 1t
was difficult to say which was tie more
attractive. The dress itself was plaid
wool and Bingham, while h pinafore
o~ershirt and waist were respectively OF
plain cashmere in one instance and
dark blue linen in the other. This was
cut so hat the overskirt reached to
within @ foot of the bottom of the dress,
and it was open all the way down from
the bust line to bottom and laced with
narrow ribbon. The front was slightly
pouched, n there was a ribbon belt to
match the darkest stripe in the plaid
tied in a small bow.
The sheath skirt is very popular II
England, France and this country, but
much less so in Berlin. from whence
some of our finest designs come. Wen
ma, too, is sending us some graceful
ideas.
The princess shaped overdress is cu1
away at the bottom so as to form a
deep, sharp point in front and the
sides, while the back falls in a demi-
train. The under part is Of some con
frasffng material.
An elegant model had the princess