LONDON FASHIONS FOR OCTOBER.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2696, 28 November 1882, Page 3

LONDON FASHIONS FOR OCTOBER.

Tho new mantles are not quite so long as those in vogue last spring; but they are still best suited to tall stately figures. They are much in tho dolman style, with capelike sleeves; they are high in the throat, and loaded with trimming, the material being as rich as it can be—either the new and all popular Ottoman, with its thick repped ground, or the satin velvet or plush

brocade, or, as often as not, matelasse. The only plain material 'which appears to find favor is velvet, and plain velvet is now con sidered more distingue than figured. Of course fur will, as the season advances, be the favorite trimming; but meanwhile bands of marabout of all colors are approved of, and such a plethora of chenille fringe as has rarely been employed before. A chenille fringe nowadays is a work of art; it consists of one row over another, a mixture of plain, twisted, untwisted, spaced, and every other kind of chenille, huge soft pompons nitermixed, being the novelty just now. Some mautles are covered all over with a rich braiding of fine cord, others are trimmed with what is quite new, viz., a cord-like lace. Much gimp and passementerie, beaded and unbeaded, are employed, and in this the introduction of a fine silk cord is a novelty. Thick cloth cloaks, ample in size, bordered with feathers, and lined with bright-coloured silk, are also to be worn, and for the present season there are stylish braided pelisses and Hungarian jackets, with Brandenburg trimmings in the front, which bid fair to eclipse the Newmarket. For such jackets dark green cloth finds favour, or dark green braiding on biscuit-coloured cloth ; and the braiding is supplemented at the mitred corners by embroidery. The now winter jackets have, as a rule, the scams carried down to the edge of the basque, and have not the horizontally joined basque peculiar to the Newmarket jackets. The new autumn woollen stuffs have not the merit of much novelty. Plain cloths richly embroidered, serges, and cashmeres are considered the best style. Vicunas, tweeds, Chuddah cloths, and the long list of many-named woollen stuffs (for every linendraper has his special nomenclature for his goods) show the same colorings as heretofore, viz., greys, browns, prunes, dark blue, dark greens, and dark reds. In tweeds heather mixtures prevail, and in the plain habit cloths more decided colors are admissible, the electric blue, serpent green, and brilliant red standing out prominently. Fancy tartans and large checks are announced as likely to be as popular as they usually are at the beginning of many winter and autumn campaigns, but it remains to be proved whether the English public will adopt them. Drab de Melbourne is a novelty which is sure to please. It is all wool, and allied to nun’s cloth, only thicker and bettor adapted to winter wear. There are also a few soft and pretty corded stuffs. Velveteens have been brought out in every conceivable shade. The white and light colors for evening are charmingly pretty, and make up into smart gowns at reasonable prices. The size of fashionable fans has become ludicrous. Happily the old shape is being abandoned in favor of small circular marabout or oblong feather fans. The latter are made of small stiff feathers, sewn row upon row, and shaded ; they give plenty of air. A bird of Paradise, curled up on one side, is the last new thing on the large fans.

The silk stockings of to-day have tho fronts covered with embroidery, which becomes more and more ’elaborate. Those who consider comfort rather than show will patronise fleecy lined spun silk hose, as there is nothing softer or more comfortable. The ribbed cashmere are also to be recommended ; but, except that they can be had to match every colour in dresses, there is as yet nothing specially new in autumn stockings. If it is essential to good dressing to be well-gloved, women now must be often sorely puzzled in their choice. First of all there is the French kid, the most costly but the most durable of all, made with every length of button, from two to eighteen. Then there are Suedes, buttonless, with many buttons, with two buttons only at the wrist, or with gauntlets, which are new. The gay world at Cowes and Eyde during the past summer created a great demand for many-buttoned white and cream Suede gloves, and this demand continues. Now nothing is so suitable with white and cream dresses, for, happily, black gloves with such toilettes are out of date. For evening there is an attempt to bring in very much trimmed gloves. Some are elaborately embroidered on tho hand, others having puffings on tho arms, separated with bands embroidered and beaded. Some have ribbons run in and out of the kid at the wrist and top; but the latest idea is to mix violets and other artificial flowers in with these ribbons. For good substantial wear the following gloves are to be recommended: the English chevrette, with or without gauntlets, which fit well; the Italian lamb, which her Eoyal Highness Princess Christian patronises ; they have no buttons, but are of shiny kid, fit closely to the hand, and are inexpensive. Jersey cashmere gloves, very long but with no buttons, arc made in all shades, and so are the lined silk gloves. In the country nothing but gaamtlets are to be seen, some as deep as and as stiff as board, and the new brass fastenings are now replacing buttons and buttonholes. Several of the West-end firms have introduced some novelties in materials for autumn and winter costumes, the principal woollen ones being large, artistically blended checks, with raised flowers on the checks, also broche vigognes, with dark grounds, and bright-colored flowers woven over the surface. Both of these materials are effective, and can be arranged either with plain fabrics or velvet. Some costumes have the skirts or drapery of these fancy cloths, and brown, black, or dark green cloth or cashmere tight jackets, braided in patterns. These braided or “ tabbed” jackets will be greatly worn, not only in rich dark colors, but in ruby and brighter red, with black braid, or bordered with narrow dark fur. The skirt must harmonise with the jacket, but need not match.

Another speeialite is a remarkably soft black Lyons velvet called “ Mervoilleux,” which falls in graceful folds, and is to bo used for drapery. It resembles a rich soft silk, with a velvet face. Another velvety silk, called “ Velour de Russo,” is in black and nearly all the fashionable shades, and is soft in texture and rich in appearance. It is intended to be made up with plain velvet, matching in color. A costume composed of it has the skirt of plain velvet, in very deep box kiltings, and the drapery and bodice of the “Velour de Russo,” arranged in intricate and graceful folds ; the bodice has velvet trimmings. There is the new “Canard de soie” in all shades, with narrow gold lines, giving a resemblance to the rich plumage of a duck’s neck. It is soft and light, a mixture of silk and wool. In mantles there are some new ones of satin, studded with spots varying in size from a florin to a five-shilling piece all over. These are trimmed handsomely, and are intended for elderly ladies. There are others in largo corded Sicilienno, with broche velvet flowers, and a variety in rich Indian cashmeres, with shell and pine pattern. Brown and black plush with raised flowers are used for warm winter paletots, and are extremely handsome in appearance. The last novelty in furs is a cape reaching to the waist, with sleeves. This is becoming to most figures, and sets well when worn with the graduated distended skirts.

Bullion embroidery is being used on very dark brown, dark green, and black cloth, and vigogne drosses. Other black dresses have the waistcoats of gold or silver cloth ; indeed, any rich, gorgeous-looking scraps are being hunted up and arranged for these waistcoats, which are to be one of the features of winter costumes.

Red network of silk braids is inserted in front of the bodices of navy blue dresses to simulate waistcoats. This network, if in gold or silver braid, is arranged for veiling black tulle ball dresses, but at present it is uncommon and scarce. A white ball dress of the softest tulle, lately made for a county festivity, had a net of gold braid partially covering the front of the skirt, caught up on the left hip with cream satin roses and gold stalks and leaves ; the tulle bodice had a gold waistband, and a “ berthe ” of the gold network caught together on one shoulder with another cluster of flowers. Tulle studded with chenille spots is again worn, and arranged as paniers on ball dresses, clusters of long chenille loops being used for draping. In front s deep fringe of chenille loops fills in the space between the paniers ; the bodice la trimmed to match, and the sleeves are composed of a twist of chenille, with loops depending. The effect is. soft and pretty if well arranged.—" The Queen.”