Year: 1879

Notwithstanding the prevalence of
trimmed skirts in the present styles,
some of the richest and most elegant
costumes worn on Fifth Avenue have
plain skirts without single Hounce.
These skirts are plain and round in
shape, consisting of five breadths, viz:
q gored front breadth, side gore en-
each side, and two straight back breadths
of single-width goods. They are usu.
ally lined throughout. and are sitter
than trimmed skirts are, as they need
to be kept firmly in place: the edges of
the skirt are turned up two inches on
the facing instead of being bound with
braid. Ladies who are weary of the
weight and the expense of founced
skirts welcome the revival of this SIM
pie fashion. At present thick, self
supporting fabrics are most used for
these walking skirts, such as corduroy,
plain satin, cloth or velvet, but the
same simple cut is also seen in striped
goods, specially silk, with stripes of
satin or of moire. Both very bouffant
and very plainly-drsped overdresses are
seen with such skirts. For instance,
black, plain sort of silk in half-inch
stripes alternately of silk and satin is
worn with black camei's hair polonaise,
cut In Marguerite shape behind, while
the fronts slope sharply open from the
waist line to disclose the striped skirt
front lis entire length. A gayer costume
has very dark wine.colored satin skirt,
entirely without founces, above which
are very short bouffant psnier over
skirt and basque of tine new tan colored
nous cline de laine. A black broad
cloth suit of the finest luster has plain
skirt with short apron overskirt that is
held high of the sides by buttoned
loop or strap on the cloth, and has two
panier drapings of clustered plaits be.
hind. The edges of this overskirt are
simply stitched; the basque is very
short all around, and is single-bressted,
being sleped open sharply below the
waist line. Correspondents who have
asked how to make cloth travelling suits
and asnnel dresses for yachting and for
the country win do well to use this trim
design. There is no effort to conceal
these plain skirts by long overdresses
on the contrary they are often worn with
polonaises that have scarcely any front
below the wide belt worn at the waist.
Corduroy plain skirts are worn with
long straight paletots or redingotes that
have no drapery either front or back ;
these redingotes are of light drab or tan
colored csmeps hair or cloth, or else dark
seal brown is chosen. This costume Ii
very handsome for travelling dresses, and
is liked for its severe style.


Plated skirts are the popular and
universal fashion, while plain skirts are
as yet only worn by leaders Of fashion.
These are the regular kilts, beginning at
the belt, or else attached to yolk, and
the preference is for loose looking plaits
suspended from the yoke, without being
mounted on plain round skirt; tapes
at intervals pass around the skirt and
hold it in place, and many thin wooler
kilts, such as mousseline de laine and
bunting, are lined throughout with
paper muslin. .Large-looking kilt piait'
are more stylish than small close ones
Sometimes large plait and small one
alternate, while other skirts are box


plated all around. In all these skirts 4
wide box plait is in front from the wais'
down, and many skirts that are moi
plaited all around have the front widtl
laid in & eat box plait, with side plsit'
turning back from it. This is q grea1
deal used In the black silk skirts thsi
women of small means use with
various over dresses. The religious
plating OF tine small plaits tha


whole length of the front is also mucl
used. Wooden kilt skirts--and this fash


ion is most appropriate for wool goods


have border of tae trimming thre'
inches wide placed near the bottom


Where greater economy 10 considered


and the weight of q kilt is too great, boa


plaits of wsol goods, Of satin or of silk


are set at wide intervals down the whol'


length of the front Of the skirt, and thes'


are shortened on the sides and back.


The Gounces most used are shIres
lengthwise, plated and festooned. Ther'
| is also fancy for q pyramid of marrow