The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
Table Bows in Gauze,
Chiffon and Net

chiffon and net bows in place
OF the ribbon bows which were so
long popular. The fashion was started
last season by woman OF original
ideas in the fashionable circle OF New
York society It Immediately found
favor with all who saw 1t, and this
seasons luncheons, teas and small din
ners have shown that 1t is to be one
Of the most popular styles of the win
ter
The effect OF these light. airy, fly
away bows is greatly superior to that
of the heavier ribbon, which was al
ways too ostentatious to be In thor
oughly good taste. The bows used
last season were largely Of malines,
doubled, of course, and made into huge,
full bows for use at the corners of the
table or on the baskets filled with
flowers which were so popular. This
season, however, gauze and net ribbon
is being used with excellent effect, and
is not so difficult to make up as the
malines The ribbon Is almost all in
plain colors, but some of the very new
est are appearing with a light design
in white on the colored grounds. Pale
colors are perhaps the prettier In this
ribbon, as the soft green, pinks, Law
enders, blues and yellows give an
elusive hint of color that is more
charming than the vivid tints. Two
tone gauze and net is also used for
this purpose, but this must be care
fully done or the effect will be tawdry.
The flower baskets are no longer
particularly fashionable as table dec
orations, as they were rather too pop
ular last year to carry over another
season. The decorations which have
so far been brought forward as spe-
cially new are light and delicate in
treatment and rather scattered, in
stead of the heavy masses, which in
elaborate decorations have been popu-
lar A tendency among some very ex-
cfusiye florists seems to be to return to
high decorations, which have been for
so long tabooed. since they have inter-
fered with the guests at a dinner see
ing one another. For change, how
ever, the florists have been more or less
driven back to these, and to some ex-
tent they will mark this seasons styles
in table decorations.
One such decoration was most bewi1-
dering, as shown In the plan drawn
out by a fashionable florist. At each
end of a long oval table were groups OF
very tall palms, set close to the edge
of the table, so as to bend over it. In
front of these palms rather long
stemmed ferns and feathery white
plumes were banked. Garlands of the
flowers and ferns were carried to the
center of the table and crossed there
there being no centerpiece. Another
decoration in which high piece was
used was of yellow orchids and ferns
maidenhair, palm ferns. etc. This dec
grafton was In the center and consisted
of q most gracefully arranged piece
pyramidal in general form, but so skill
fully intertwined with ferns anc
branches of vine and orchids that tho
shape was hard to define. the genera
effect being that of a rare exotic nat
ural growth OF orchids. This rose from
a fat base of ferns. and a large wreath
of ferns and orchids was placed outsids
of this base. Other wreaths were placed
at intervals on the table
A decoration which II Is possible fol
amateurs to arrange is made oil rope
of flowers and vine, snilax, ferns. Ivy
etc, which is carried from one end oi
the table to the other in the form of q
letter S. The rope is made fiat on tbs
under side, so 1t will lie nicely on the
table. and should be made branching
a feathery white blossomcd flower, nov
used great deal by the florists as 4
foundation, are most attractive for thi:
purpose; ivy and red roses are nice fol
a dinner. nlnideuhair ferns and pink
roses for a luncheon. In each twist ol
the S Is placed a fairly good -sized low
ing cup full OF flowers. Loving cups
may also be placed at the coraers If one
wishes. If you have no loving cups
punch bowls or other glass or silver
bowls are suitable Cor this purpose.