The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-04
Lusterless Fabrics and Simplicity of Style
heFirst Requirement of ofMourningDress-
White Mourning for Out of Towm
Wear Lingerie and Neglieees.

permissible in the form. of broochts
they are never worn in the shape of
rings. Dull Jet and gun metal brace
lets are worn by some women but
they are not considered in best taste
by authorities on mourning dress.
Shell pins must be banished from
the hair, if one wishes to be correct
to a nicely in the little things" of
mourning garb and pins and combs
of dull jet substituted. Hatpins must
also be of dull jet, and dull Jet pins
must be provided for the pincushion.
Gun metal is permitted to the wearer
of mourning; and very effective with
the mourning costume are gun metal
mesh purses, gun metal trimmed hand
and travelling bags, gun metal tipped
umbrellas, gun metal lorgnons and
the like. Slippers for, evening wear
in the house may also have gun
metal buckles, but the formality of
first mourning requires buttoned boots
in the street
Gloves And Boots Important Items.
OF course no woman of sane mind
would be guilty of wearing tan boots
with mourning costume, but equally
heinous in the estimation of conven-
ton is the crime of wearing patent
leather with mourning garb. The
boots should be of dull calf with but
toned tops of the same leather or of
black cloth. Black suede boots are
perfectly permissible for wear with
afternoon or indoor gowns but black
satin boots should not be donned The
same rules apply to pumps worn about
the house and to slippers for the
evening. French heels are not barred.
If one is, welded to them, but best
taste would suggest the more mod
crate Cuban heel on the street boot
keeping always in mind the unwritten
law; "dignif1ed and unfrivolous effects
in street mourning garb." With all
white summer mourning, now much in
vogue for out of town wear, white
boots of course are worn. These
should be Of buckskin and in the but
toned style-which is the requirement
for all formal and conventional Co.'S
tunes. White buckskin pumps with
covered buckles may be worn with
piazza frocks. Silk stockings are per-
missible-perhaps the only article of
apparel with glistening surface that
Is allowed the wearer of mourning.
Black suede gloves are worn with
most exclusive mourning costumes but
black glace gloves are permitted
fortunately for the woman who must
dress economically for nothing grows
shabby more quickly than black suede.
In warm weather black silk gloves
may be donned though these are real
ly not absolutely correct with the
mourning costume because of the
luster Of the silken texture. With
white mourning. gloves of white suede
or doeskin should be worn.
The Requirements or The Street
Costume.
No matter how simple the mourning
costume is, it should conform to fash
ionable lines and should be built of
good material. With these qualifica-
tions it can scarcely fail to be dis
tinguished and becoming. Shabby
black is atrocious and it is wisdom to
have few costumes and those the best,
during the mourning period. One
soon discovers, also, how ones cos
tunes dovetail each other-so to
speak. The black gloves and boots
match everything; so do the neck ac-
cessories and the handsome sash of
dull silk or crepe. The housegown Of
handsome crepe de chine, il provided
with two bodices. one made with a
transparent black net yoke and elbow
sleeves, will answer for multitude of
occasions. And there is a certain
sense OF comfort in having to provide