SUMMER STYLES.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2083, 27 October 1880, Page 4

SUMMER STYLES.

The most foshionable colours this season are heliotrope and white. The white toilets are usually made in wool, fine India or dotted muslin, or soft silk. Nothing is seen of ths thick materials, such as Marseilles, and the striped cottons formerly worn. A thin white flannel and white armure cloth are in voguo for seaside dresses, and especially for overdresses over red, black, or dark blue skirts —the skirts made either of silk or satin ; and this also forms the round, flat collar and cuffs, beyond which is a thick ruohing of lacs. When the dress is entirely of wool, it is made with a plain, deep basque, shaped like a blouee waist, but without any pleats, and belted into the figure with broad, undressed leather. An apron overskirt is attached, turned up a la fishwife, or out short and rounded, and finished with bands of embroidery, below which is a deep kilting. The back may be draped, or formed of three straight kilted flounces. Dresses of white dotted muslin are often belted in with heliotrope satin, and accompanied by a hat or bonnet faced with heliotrope satin, and trimmed with violets in two shades. Heliotrope dresses require that the accessories should be either white or a lighter shade of the same colour; no other distinct colour harmonises with it. In the belts of white dresses worn by young girls, it is fashionable now to place great bunches of wild flowers, ox-eyed daisies, golden-rod, and such as we should have termed weeds a few years ago. These flowers are reproduced artificially with such naturalness as to make the illusion perfect, and little bunches tied with meadow grass and sweet clover are fastened hero and there upon the sleeve, the bodice, or the pocket or bib of the apron, if one is worn. Coats stepped at once into high favor. The smaller cut-aways are used for dress purposes, and the long straight coats, open upon the back, are used to finish costumes, and have largely taken the place of the ulster. The most effective of the informal evening dresses have consisted of dark red satin coats, showing cascades of white lace at the throat, and worn over skirts of white India muslin trimmed with lace. Brocaded coats are still more fashionable and more generally useful, as they can be worn over a greater variety of skirts, and upon less marked occasions. Large figures are never selected for these coats. They are always small, and set close upon the ground of the fabric, so as to give the effect of embroidery. Gathering is universally applied to all kinds of material, from the richest satin to cheese cloth, and in thin materials, a very becoming effect has been obtained by carrying the shirred pieces from the shoulders to a point below the waist. This takes away from the plainness of a thin fabric drawn straight over the surface, and improves figures which are apt to bo somewhat thin and flat. Charming little substitutes for mantles, capes, and outdoor garments have been found In the deep collars of netted silk and jet, which oan be added to any costume, and are as well suited to indoors as the street. Very pretty fichu ospes, also of black and white Spanish lace, furnish a dainty little addition to outdoor dress, and possess the advantage of being equally well adapted to white, black, or colors.