The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-31

Attention is Just now given to the
charming costumes designed for holiday
entertainments of every description.
Merchants are exhibiting various ele-
CANT or serviceable dress fabrics attrac-
lively arranged in fancy boxes, appro-
pirate for Christmas gifts. Among the
evening models at the importers are
noticeable an infinite variety Of styles
and an exhibition of luxurious and
striking elegance never before sur
passed Although a certain compli-
ance with dominating modes is ap-
parent in every fashionable toilet there
is practically no limit to the artistic.
original and ingenius effects brought
out in the creation of gowns designed
for Christmas and New Year festivities.
The muff that will accompany the
costumes worn during the gay holiday
season is quite large enough to hold
jewelry, bon-bons. roses and similar
expensive gifts. For this special pur-
pose it is admirable, otherwise the
shape does not appeal to any but the
Understandable woman who likes
everything that is conspicuously new.
no matter how uncomfortable or unde-
sirable it may prove.
The new bonne-femme skirt, with
plaits or wider kits stitched two-thirds
of their length from the belt down, is
finding great favor among the many
women who objected to the fiat, un-
adorned, undraped sheath skirt of re-
cent universal wear
Costume satin and satin-finished
cloths are classed among the leading
fabrics for dressy tailor gowns for the
winter. Satin in all weaves and colors
has recently come into high favor, and
gowns from Paris formed of satin roy
al, satin duchess and the soft Liberty
weaves appear alike in exquisite tints
of mauve, tearose pink, maize yellow,
ciel and chartreuse green, among even
ing toilets, and in Russian green, gray
blue, black, dove-gray and plum-color
for elegant dress" costumes for after
noon receptions, opera matinees and
carriage calling, the decorations for
these gowns being skirt bands, revers
and collars of furs with dainty addi-
lions here and there of choice bits of
Venetian guipure or cream tinted
Flemish lace. Five out of eight of
these handsome costumes are made IL
Princess style. The most expensive
models have a velvet f1ounce on the
gored underskirt, giving the effect of
an entire velvet skirt beneath the long
overdress. In this case there is usually
not an entire velvet waist, but short
velvet bolero jacket or guimpe and
sleeves.
The latest edfct of the French re-
garding mourning attire is that many
weaves of silk with dull surface are
used in the deepest mourning; certain
furs are allowable, including Astra-
Khan, otter, sealskin, black fox mon
key and bear; and ermine, chinchilla
and Alaska sable, in half mourning
The first named furs are not consider
ed strict mourning wear, but even
punctilious people, in fashionable life,
now decline to relinquish them. ALL
white, in soft woods, is used for house
dresses, and black crepe de chine, with
lisse ruchings is employed for trained
gowns worn in the evening. Diamonds
are the first jewels admissible after
deep mourning; also opals or pearls
framed with onyx or black enamel.
Copying D. recent English wedding
scheme in its color effects, a trio of
young bridesmaids wore at fash
ionable church wedding during holiday
week white corded silk overdresses
above underskirts Of Richelies- red
satin, the cape collars md revers Of the
low cut bodices turned back with red
satin ovelaid with white Venice gui-
pure lace, and bordered with otter fur
The guimpes and sleeves are also Of
the satin and lace. They wore