The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-09
! saw a very beautiful gown at a Christ

/ do not KNOW WHeeHeI l viii eohAS !"
very fair thing to describe it, because
my hostess was one of those women who
sets her heart very strongly upon ex-
elusive models. once had a very odd
thing happen to me about her that | have
greatly enjoyed.
I wrote a letter describing two of her
gowns in detail. and my sketch of them
was published with the article. 1t was
~.republished in a leading Southern paper,
and when she went down to visit this
Southern town a month afterward and
wore both of these gowns, her friends
told her they recognized where she got
the designs for her gowns, suggesting
they had been cut from my article.
1t was very amusing and all Of us
laughed very heartily over the joke ex-
cept my friend, because when a woman
pays a hundred and fifty dollars for an
exclusive French model, she really does
not like to be told that she copied It from
a sketch in one of her friends letters.
However. | am going to risk it again,
trusting that in her busy lie sne VIII
never see this description.
The gown was a deep violet taffeta. a
rich glace taffeta that was quite beautiful.
First came the petticoat, that was ruffled
IN to the waist. Then came the upper
skirt. which was formed of two rufIles,
cut circular, f1aring a great deal at the
bottom of the lower one and sweeping
away into a train. These ruffles were all
superb violet brocade, worked out in
silver flowers. and the edge of the ruffles
was edged with an inch border of mink
They were lined with plain violet taffeta
49, -NAttsannf after the
old French manner
The bodice was plain in the back,
sloping into the ruffles with the lines OF a
princess gown; the front was rather fuil
Id around the bust three bands Oh
yellow velvet ribbon overlaid with fne
guipure lace and very small revers OF vel
low velvet turned back over a tiny
chemisette of white lace.
The very high, tight stock collar was
violet silk and edged at the throat with
a small piping of yellow velvet and a
white lace ruching.
The sleeves were of the brocade laid in
three plain folds at the shoulder, and each
fold was edged with a lace ruffle. The
folds were the only trimming; the rest or
the sleeve was very white and long. The
gown was simply superb. 1 think | have
never seen a more exquisite high-necked
dinner gown. 1t was intended for a
theatre gown, and she had worn it the
night before at a box party, with a violet
velvet toque. one of the new draped
touues. which had for its only ornament
q bunch of pansies and green leaves.
The two ruffles sweeping away from the
front of the petticoat is a very pretty sug-
gestion for any one who wants to make
a handsome gown.
For instance, if you have a black gown
which you wish to make over, nothing
would be prettier than to have a plain
skirt with a front of net, either in ruffles
or loose, or ruffles of silk up to the waist.
and then make the two great ruffies at
the back of brocade.
If you haven't fur to edge it with. you
might edge it with a triple fold of black
-EeIvetor some eolored velvet.
The bodice can be made either low or
high necked. but a particularly pretty
manner is a low cut bodice with ruffles Of
silk in the front and plain in the back,
and drawn up over it from waist to throat
a plain piece of fine black lace.
1t is caught up into a high black velvet
collar, and the sleeves of lace can be
either lined or unlined. If there is not
enough lace for the sleeves they can be
made of silk or brocade with three little
ruffles at the top.
BY the way, this fashion of lace on the
bodices instead of net is very popular.
One has grown a little tired of chiffon,
and lace makes a beautiful combination
with any silk. White lace waists over
colored silk or white chiffon, if you pre-
fer. are very much in vogue to be worn
with dark skirts in the house and for din
ner parties.
There is nothing prettier than black
chantilly lace over colored or black. and
the woman, who has not as lovely z
throat as nature might rave given, still
clings to the conventions of polite socie-
ty by wearing a semi-decollete dress by
means of this lace.
The one 1 have just described is the one
to be ~followed-the Eow-cut bodice and the
lace drawn up from the waist.
Be sure not to put a Transparent yoke of
lace or net in any of your bodices as we
used to do five years ago. 1t isn't con-
sidered dressy any more.
The lace or net which is intended to
show the skin of the throat and shoulders
through it must be brought up from the
belt over the rest of the bodice.
On pretty fashion I saw of this was six
inch insertion s%calloped, laid over in bands
from the waist to the collar. The inser-
ton was not stitched together and was
pulled up rather taut. The insertion was
not caught together, and, therefore, OPEN
ed here and there over the bes1ice as the
wearer moved.
1t was exceedingly pretty, and this gown
was especially artistic as it was mounted
over a pale yellow chiffon bodice. The
bodice was made in little ruffles and
caught in baby fashion around the neck,
and these bands Of black lace, which were
close enough together to form a bodice,
made a very effective combination.
Another device to help women who have
not beautiful Threats is the wearing of
the velvet dog collar. In place of velvet
women sometimes wear broad bands of
satin ribbon tied in a bow at the front
or at the sides or at the back, wherever
it is most becoming.
1 spoke last week Of the Roman pearl
dog collars that were held in place by
slides of brilliants. The woman who has
50 to spare can invest in one of these, but
even then she often puts it over a band OF
black velvet.
Baltimore shoe dealers say that the
women of that city are wearing larger
shoes. one woman taking number Fights.