The Ladies

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 89, 27 May 1882, Page 169

The Ladies

Mauresque lace is a great favourite, and is Tised both on ball and negligee toilettes. Paniers are thoroughly established and have "become the most approved style of the season. ' Collarettes of black lace beaded in amber are -worn over black dresses, and look very stylish. -Brocaded silk and velvet Newmarket coats, both 'black and brown, untrimmed, are very fashionable. Plain and figured velvets, seem likely to rival ' plush, which we had a little too much of, it must be confessed, last winter. Lace and embroidery contend for the mastery in dress ornaments, in fact the same model is ..•often utilized for both trimmings; Vigogue is one of the most fashionable of woollen materials, it is used for ladies' polonaises <over plush or velveteen skirts. Chenille ruffles are among the novelties of the month ; they consist of intricate' plaits in chenille , of dazzling variegated colours terminated by fringe. Cheviot cloths are warm and thick, they make Tip very nice costumes, skirt and jacket simply made tailor-fashion, with pipings and facings of satin or velvet. Two sisters of Lieutenant Hayes, who died 1 with General Caster, are now in Washington •quite destitute, making undergarments for ten <jents apiece. Crochet lace is coming into fashion again and is . very suitable for dress ornamentation, fancy aprons or table covers, especially if worked in the fashionable coloured twine. Wreaths fringed with heather are really exquisite ; close set nasturtiums, for instance, completed by a circlet of white heather,or the faintest pink azaleas surrounded by purple bloom are lovely. Among the new woollen materials of the season we must mention Radamis a new style of fabric. It is a black material, slightly figured on the outside, smooth inside, something like very fine tricot, but not limp. Bullion embroidery is more and more popular for dress- trifles. Black velvet neck-bands looks quite dazzling with their trailing designs in gold or silver wire, tinsel and spangles, finished off very often by a fringe of beads. Jersey jackets still continue in vogue, and are freshened up by moire sashes; black is almost universal, and even in Newmarket coats, decided colours like chestnut, crows-wing blue and myrtle 'seem more in demand than speckled mixtures. I There is a larger choice in hats than, bonnets, ;. the Marlborough a large flat shape, worn slightly \ ■ on one side of the head is very becoming, it is .made. in straw, and trimmed with long shaded < feathers. G-old balls, acorns, or any other odd design, are ' used to finish the ends of the spiral bracelets, in 1 place of the serpent's head, which can never be - made an agreeable object, no matter how fashionable it may be. Tiger-lilies are coming into favour as plastron i trimmings, the blossoms are very much flattened, 'and their plush-tipped stamens prettily visible, though partly veiled by ferns, while a single ;lily mounted with foliage is pinned amongst the 'curly locks of the hair. J Walking-dresses are made extremely simple : I skirts of dark coloured cloth, or other woollen with a Jersey-bodice, a felt or plush hat, trimmed with feathers or merely a small Hvn- ■ garian toquet, with border of smooth feathers for young ladies, and a cloth or sealskin jacket. / American women are said to be the best dancers 'in the world ; the G-ermans are very correct and easy but not graceful ; the English put too much -Struggle into it ; the French are .inclined to angularity; but the American woman is by nature supple and graceful, learns with facility) and has the vitality that takes the place of strength. ' Patti has one hundred concert dresses. One of pale blue satin embroidered in a Japanese design of flowers and trimmed with Maltese point lace, cost £600. Another robe is of chamois ' : plush sprinkled with silver fringe, and the stablier with .flowers embossed in silver. Most of her . dresses are a mass of gold, silver, and precious stones. , Among the prettiest bonnets is the "Langtry " ■ suggested by the one worn by that lady as Miss Hardcastlc. " It is made in straw, flat and round, trimmed with ficelle or twine coloured ribbon, grenat velvet beneath the brim. There are many varieties in trimming these bonnets, for example, a brown straw with yellow buttercups, or pink daisies, or wallflowers. Pointed corsets are popular with young ladies for evening wear, and indeed nothing shows off a pretty waist better these short bodices which confine and perfectly mould the figure just to the rise of the bust, when they are met by the soft fulness of bouittonne gauze or foulard. A corset of black velvet or plush looks very pretty over a dress of pale pink llama, and otter-brown satin is " a splendid foil for skyblue or old-gol&foulard. • Fashion is by no means despotic just now, a , lady may choose her dress according to her own peculiar style of face or figure, and each lady should choose that which suits her best. I have never been able to understand how a person of taste could bring herself to wear a colour which did not suit her complexion, just because it hap- , pened to be a tint in vogue. It is a great mistake to follow fashion blindly, instead of selecting that which is fitting and suitable. One of the prettiest walking-dresses we have " seen, is made of brown velvet and satin, the same .shade. The underskirt of satin is made in deep box-pleats, over which falls a velvet overskirt, which, is effected in square tabs of velvet, lined with satin, the underskirt showing through in fani shape. The basque is of velvet, ornated with tabs ;' lined having a vest of satin. The back which is box-pleated,, is finished below the waist by a large caught with loops, the s ■ -f cbstuine v w^sp^fept lla< iy's dress. ' < " :

The mania of our English neighbours for tailor-made garments, has had its influence on our shores ; many trim, neat figures pace Queen? street, in whose attire reigns an inexorable refusal of any trimming save pleats, stitching and perhaps, flat bands of satin or velvet. Indeed, even gentlemen agree that woman never looked.' more neat, sensible and practical . than she does now, unless she carries the plainness of her attire to absolute severity. Of course, there will be those who carry every fashion to an extreme ; still, we hope it may be long ere the short, comfortable attire of tweed, cloth and serge are abandoned. As an instance let me describe a costume, in tweed of a reddish brown colour ; the skirt is broadly kilted and the plain body fastens with bronze buttons, on the sides are added long basques, pockets being placed just at their junction to the bodice, and hidden by large plush flaps. At the back falls a pointed drapery caught up by achemille cordeliere. A plush collar and cuffs give a nice finish to the neck and wrists, of this very stylish costume.