Year: 1876

| worth Whlle speaking OF spring IAsnlOns, rs
involving any great change in the actual
character of clothing. Heavy cloth suits,
prepared for season something like the
preceding winter Of 1874 in intensity and
severity, have in many cases not been
brought ont, the silk. cashmeres and light
birges worn in the I Il, having seemed so
much more suitable What is really need
ed, therefore, among the majority OF ladies,
are the suits for demi season composed Of
standard fabrics, and for these there is al
ready very active demand. The New ma
terials, 20 far as they have made their sp-
pearance, present few novel features. They
are in checks, clear plaids, and stripes, and
the larger meshed net and lace patterns
which we're so fashionable last year. The
stripes are used to composed entire suits,
and are trimmed with plain material put
on in bias folds. but the checks are gene
rally used for trimming for sleeveless basque
and ,oyerskirt or princess tunic without
sleeves, the latter being still made Of the
same material as the principal skirt and
different (when the dress is composed of
two or more materially from the bodice


The pretty striped cambrics and percales
are most suitable for making up into sum
mer suits for young girls for country wear,
and need only be supplemented by white
linen or pique suit, summer silk for
church wear. and beige or alpaca, to be
all sufficient for an outfit.


Many economics are intr1fuced now
however, and adopted by people of preten
tions to style and elegance. which would
not have been thought OF few years ago.
Certainly q much more honest and healthtul
spirit exists now than then. for they do not
hesitate to avoid the methods. by which
they secure very good effects at compare
lively little cost. Pink AMI blue batiste Is
used, for example, under muslin or tarle
tame. for evening toilettes. instead of silk
and is not only as effective, but most use
full. for when the tarletane is gone, the
ba,iste. instead Of being soiled and worn
like silk. is good as ever, and makes the
prettiest Of all summer morning dresses.


Batiste employed in this way Is particu-
larly useful for summer evening dresses for
the country and watering place wear, where
silk suffers severely. and may be alternated
with a pretty costume of ivory barege
trimmed with garnet ribbon. or covered
with lace bodice and tablier oyerskiIt.


THE PRINCESS DRESS.


The clinging style of dress which still
prevails, and is likely TO DO so for some time
TO come, has revived the princesse dress,
and the prIncesse polonalse.


The design is used in modified forms for
very simple and very elaborate toilettes, for
elegant dresses of ceremony made of rich
silk. satin, and velvet, and for mourning
dresses of cambric, linen, or simple print.
The more costly fabrics are enriched
by beautiful hand embroidery, by lace, and
other trimmings placed upon the front,
down the sides, and a. hOunce at the
back, but the plain morning dresses are
finished with a gathered hounce only or
what is known as the Spanish hOunce fJrm-
ing part OF the skirt, not put on merely as
trimming.


well-cut princess poloneise forms a
good model for an ordinary morning dress,
to which fiounce can be attached, and
which it elongstes Sufficiently.


The princess polonaise Is not considered
- dress, - it is an article for lsglgs and IS a
good style foT checked beige. and other ser
yic,able woolen fabrics. Later, It will be
used for linen, bsti-te. and pique with an
appendage at the side employed for the
double purpose CT looping up the SKIRT and
holding the m


This novelty has the appearance of a
chatelaine, to which pineers are attached
concealed under small, ex4uisitely form
ed hand. 1t IS composed of double chain
and double agraie with a hook at the top
and is made in gold OF FURNISHED silver OF
gilt. he form Of polonaise Is one particu-
arly desirable for simple, summer mg
terials, and IS in harmony with the present
adherence to strict forms. 1t IS good form
for jeilIng, that is, covering with some
thin lace-lIke fabric. and will be selected on
that account by ladies of Iehnei, intelli-
gent taste.


For summer morning OF indoor wear
princesse styles are prettilY made up IN
white muslin. OF Victoria lawn. the seams
brought together on the outside and cover
cd with narrow insertion, and the whole
garment made up without lining Ssshe,
will not be worn with these princesse 81 les
because the line Of the waist must not be
broken. but el0ngste naturally and smooth
il into the fullness OF the hips but new
belts are making their appearance, consist
ing OF broad bands Of velvet or leather
which fall below the waist line in the Me
die7al styles. are drawn through a large
buckle upon the left hip. and have the
chatelaine attachments or the new dress
holder suspended from the right.


STRING HATS.


Ivory straW-, chips and psnamas trlh.
smaller perhaps, but not msteri lily differ
ing in shape from the winter hats, are the
styles which are most prominent among
the early importations. A faYorite trim
ming tor straw and chips consists of ntttec
silk handkerchiei- arranged to cover the
crown. two points falling in scarf ends al
the back. he brim Is turned up on one
side with an elaborate bow OF natti ribbon
with a tilagree clasp for ornament


Scaris OF cream colored silk, or cashmere
lace, are very much used for trimming
with flowers arranged in bouquet and tran
at the back. and 3 wreath, OF bouquet
mounted upon band in front The thick
natti ribbons ike satin woven IN basket
pattern, are very rich. and work up beau.
tiiully rs trimming upon the delicate tint
OF the straw fabrics


The shapes snow signs u 3 return % the
tongue models. than which We have had
nothing prettier-


HRAIDIAc AND EMBROIDERY


Ii the early promise Is fulfilled a great
deal OF trading and embroidery will bt
expended upon suite, and every description
OF spring garment. A novel application OIL
needle work is made upon morning dresses
and children's suits of white pique, and
gray or brown linen, by enclosing in a
braided design which forms a double Dor
der, flowers, butterflies and birds marked
out upon Turkey red cotton, sppliqued on
and the material then cut away. leayiag
the figures in relief upon the white ground
This Is not difficult does not take great
deal of time, and is very effective A great
deal of this applique work will be done
upon black Brussels. net to form jackets
and tabliers, and in this case 1t is executed
in black silk and is called Turkish embroid-
cry Costumes in birge intended for spring
wear are some of them covered with braid
ing, and look well if executed in fine braid
in delicatelv traced, and veined patterns
but very badly, il large patterns, and coarse
braid are used, and the work done iu care
less manner.


NICK WEAR


A caprice which has gradually seq uirtC
high favor is the addition OF square or al
round collar in contrasting color or ma
terial, to morning or indoor dresses. and
basques. When the collar is round it i,
all round, and headed BY a narrow stand
ing collar, inside which the linen collar is
placed, it, small corners trimmed down il
front. Ii it is square il is deep and narrow
extending only to the shoulder seams of the
dress, the small standing collar forming
the actual finish. Dark blue upon brown
looks well in linen for sailor suits for boy:
and misses. or grey upon dark blue in fan
mel for dressing gowns or children's suits


Collars of linen and embroidery or lace
are made in these two iOrms tor children
wear but for lingerie ladies still prefer for
ordinary use, and wear, the convenient anC
neat little standing collar, the corners turn
ed down over the necktie, and the plai1
linen cuffs matching except that the cuff
are buttoned at the back and the corner!
cut off instead Of being turned down. Neck
ties are almost universally ivory white, the
ends edged with corners of cashmere ol
torchon lace, the length sufficient to form
somewhat large bows in front, which arr
not fastened by pin or broscb as former
ly, but left loose, jewelry being no Longer
considered good taste in the street. Indeed
so strict are some very high authorities il
this matter that they will not allow theil
watch chains to be visible, and consider
bracelets with linen cuffs as the last sin o
ignorance and vulgarity.


Small a matter as The linen cuff seems tC
be, it has exercised a remarkable influence
upon sensible fashions. Ii has Kept it