The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-10
BY HARRIET HAWhEY.

Military effects predominant in the
simpler velvet suits. especially in
those intended for street wear. The
deep shoulder capes and epaulettes.
the cordings and strappings, the gilt
braids and buttons all verge on the
thing extremely fetching about it all,
and the girl who is weary of the
severity of the strictly tailored cos
tune is delighting in colored pipings
and elaborate braidings.
Gilt buttons have a wonderfully
vivifying quality. A velvet of a dull
shade can be relieved from sombre-
ness by the addition of a half dozen
or so.
A chic little velvet suit in the shirt
waist style is trimmed with many tiny
gilt buttons and narrow gilt cord.
The skirt is of the sensible length,
which just escapes the ground. The
seams are stitched to within a foot
of the bottom hem. and finished with
old crescent shaped tabs of the vel
vet edged with f1ilt cording. Below
this fan-shaped pieces are inserted to
give the requisite flare. Gilt buttons
hold the tabs in place.
The waist is cut on the lines of a
simple shirt-waist, but it is a likeness
with a difference. There is a
yoke cut out into tabs of vary
ing length, each edged with gilt
cord. Yoke and sleeve are in one
piece, the sholder seam of the yoke
being continued down the sleeve and
adorned with the gilt buttons. The
line of buttons is therefore unbroken
from the neck to the cuff, thus giving
an extremely long shoulder effect.
The cuffs themselves, as they appear
beneath the sleeve puff, are tight-fit-
ting, only moderately wide and are
edged with cord.
The suit has a dainty collar trimmed
with an insert of gilt and white passe-
menterie. Two of the velvet, cord
edged crescents give pretty finish
at the front, and long cord edged ends
of velvet are drawn through these and
hang down almost to the waist line.
The suit has a low girdle in place Of
belt, thus following the latest fash
ion dictates.
Gilt is also prevalent on the more
elaborate reception gowns of velvet.
So are the tinsel paSsementeries, and
the embroideries in gilt and color
which are imported from India and
Persia.
A charming creation of chinchilla
velvet is trimmed with black and gilt
braid. 1t is happily combined with a
blouse front and jabot and loose I'M
dersleeves of white lace. The use of
some sheer fabric for at least the un-
dersleeves gives a touch of lightness
to the heaviest winter gowns. The
hand and wrist seem more slender and
graceful when appearing from a mass
Of white or pale hued ruffies, while a
glimpse of white at the throat is soft
ening to the face.
The chinchilla velvet gown has the
skirt laid in fine pleats running from
waist line to hem. A smooth panel
effect is left in the front, graduating in
width from the top to the bottom. Its
shape is emphasized by ornaments of
the gilt and black braid, which out
line it to a depth of ten inches below
the waist line. The same braid is
used over the hips to give a yoke eff
feet. Diamond shape braid orna-
ments are set at intervals around the
haring bottom, and again at gradu-
ated distances above. These trim the
hem and simulate a flounce. The
faint sparkle of the gilt amid the black
braid redeems the ornaments from a
too funereal character.
The waist is more elaborate. The
yoke is laid on separately and is edged
with two-inch banding of the gilt
and black braid. The same braid edges