The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-03
COARSE LACES ARE TO LEAD
No Spring Gown Will BE Complete
Without Them.
The Dress Skirt of the Future VIII
Have a Dip Front and Trail at the
Bnck - TuIIe. TinseI Gauze. and
Flowers VIII Supersede Straw.

Flowers VIII supersede Straw.
With Easter will come the reign Of the
coarse laces. The fine delicate points and
duchesses and valenciennes and their imi-
tations are TO be banished, except for
evening occasions. and in their place the
coarser laces will be worn.
There are lovely coarse laces. Point
d'Araby being a favorite. Then there are
Persian laces, which are very heavy in
deed and touched with gold threads, bh
by far the most popular of the heavy laces
are the Russian lace varieties that come
in three or four colors and are adapted to
every outdoor occasion. Tan and black,
white and cream arc the selections, and
you can generally get lace in these col
ors TO harmcnize with your gown. When
in doubt choose tan" is a good rule, and
one that should be more generally OBJ
served for ii cannot be denied that many
a costume has been spoiled by the use of
clear white lace when a shade of tan
would have been much better. Remember
that lace should tone" to quote our
French cousins. and not contrast.
Beside the Russians. there are heavy
Belgian laces and also some very good
ones from New England, domestic laces
that are precisely as well-made as those
that come from abroad, and of more ar
tistic design in many cases. While the
salesman is by no means supreme as far
as the selection of a woman's gown is
concerned. still his taste is to be respect
ed, and if he assures you upon his honor
and upon his position that certain lace
Will not grow slinky. pull nor spot, by all
means get it. if you like it, and be ready
to reproach him with it il IT loses its
stiffness and air
All dress skirts will be made with the
dip front. This is variously called by diff
ferent modistes but it refers to the sharp
V-shaped incision. which is made in the
middle of the front of the skirt. This is
nicely bound with silk braid. and when
put on is designed to fit over the big silver
hook which adorns the front of all corsets.
II not there the modish woman speedily
adds it. This makes the skirt long and
keeps ii long. FOR it cannot slip up. The
skirt viii fare that is certain. The
shaped ruffe accomplishes this around the
foot. 1t is very deep and is beautifully
fitted to the skirt. 1t flares so that it
sets out fun around the feet. No matter
what may be the trimming of the skirt.
and just now the panel is in again, This
flare will be noticed. IL is often made by
the cnt Of the skirt and does no; depend
upon q rUffie around the foot The skirt
tight for comfort. Ladies' maids will
complain this season that they must
nightly watch the side seams Of my lady's
skirt: for the skirt is fitted SO closely
around the hips and abdomen that the
seams burst out and gap just as they do
in the waist if the latter be TOO tight.
The skirt must be fitted just like the waist
and must set in 10 the figure just as af-
fectionately. Lower down il may flare.
The panel is so fashionable that nearly
all skirts boast it Many shapes are seen
in the panel designs. One of these Is the
pointed panel which is wide at the foot
and gradually tapers toward the belt Il
is stitched on beth sides and again il is
stitched fast to the skirt. IL is of the
same material and the same color as The
skirt.
One OF the new ideas in spring MILL
merry is TO combine straw braids and tulle,
the latter being also introduced into the
trimming says the Millinery Trade Re-
view" For instance, one-third of these
braids is covered with three or four folds
of gossamer foften in as many colorsl;
then they are sewed together, broadside
against brcadside. the edge uppermost.
Sfraws so treated are called wolfe" An
other idea is 10 sew narrow straw braids
on tulle or net foundation. either side
by side. so as TO touch. or with a narrow
interval between. For this purpose very
narrow bands of satin straw are used in
stead of braids. They may be laid on fiat
or only caugi down at intervals of lit
lie less than an inch. so as to form loop.
Being set very closely together. the gen.
eral effect is that OF fancy satin straw
shape; it is only en- close inspection That
the tulle foundation becomes apparent
Gold tulle may be used a founda
ton for such an arrangement
of gold-colored satin straw. Straw
spangles. brought out last year as trim
ming. are now pressed into the service
for covering the whole or a portion of net
shapes. In the latter case satin bands are
mixed with the spangies, the latter form
ing simple pattern.
The use Of net as 2 foundation enables
milliner to build up an arrangement of
thick straw braids, OVERLAPPING each other
without increase OF weight, as would be
the case if these were second pleat un-
derneath. The fashion of introducing
braids placed upright alternately with fat
ones is maintained
Straw, so far as the production of smart
millinery is concerned, has a formidable
rival in gossamer. Of these, the most in
request for the opening season viii be
mechlin tuIle: lisse which has figured
pretty largely in the late winter millinery,
will be used also but very much less than
tulle Some toques have much the APP
entirely composed OF number of narrow
gathered frills OF tulle each bordered with
fine gold or silver cord. Others are made
of frills of tulle. on which are sewn gold
lace, alternating with cToss-cut folds Of
iisse.
A certain proportion of the new models
have no apparent shapes and are made up
entirely of the trimming, a foundation for
this being provided in white-wired net In
many cases this support assumes diff
ferent forms best suited to the circum-
stances: for example. if oyerlaid with
large fiat bow. the crown will be rooted
In by wired plateau. extending over its
sides and on which the loops will rest
Also. since a great many of the hats and
toques are lifted Oh the left side-not
necessarily turned up-there Is a sub
structure on that side which now mostly
straight at the bottom and curved at the
top bent into a half moon. This. more
often than not receives sufficient trim
ming TO conceal il entirely. but not al
ways. when a portion of its covering
sill. or velvet put on plains 10 be seen.
flowers are most frequently chosen as
.1eir trimming. particularly the very
fashionable rose with large. loose petals
surrounding a tulip shaped center. spe-
ciaily favored in cream. white and black
few leaves are added. but one blossom
IS sufficient.
The Rocking Chair I'm Germany.
In the missionary work which the