THE LADIES

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 96, 15 July 1882, Page 280

THE LADIES

<& |£ Double trains complete French dresses. £, Red veils are worn by brunettes. ■' Plain sleeves, with simple cuffs, are most stylish. Sheila cloth is the latest high novelty for poitiers and heavy curtains.' Flowers are as much used as feathers on dernisaison bonnets. The Sarah Bernhardt band and bag is a pretty addition to a lady's dress. Very full ruffs of white or black lace are the newest neck dressings. Indian cashmere, with ribbed stripes, makes dressy toilettes. Ecru Venetian embi'oidery is used on black velvet and satin dresses. A turtle of sardonyx, set with diamonds, makes a fashionable broat pin. Two points finish the back of new evening dresses; Terra cotta ribbon looks very stylish on black straw bonnets. White camel's hair is- used for morning wrappers, with dark velvet cuffs and collars. Millais paints the Duke of Edinburgh's little daughter, Madie, occupied in knitting a stocking. Collars are now as large as a cape, and very unbecoming to any but very young and pretty women. Lace frills once more re-assert their supremacy, and are too becoming to a shapely throat to be oast aside. Amber satin toilettes are trimmed with panels and revers of pale blue velvet, embroidered with amber beads. It is said that old King George, our Queen's grandfather, set the fashion of rising during the performance of the " Halelujah Chorus " in Hande.l's " Messiah." The new seeming hand embroideries on some of the new veilings and Milan mixtures are called plumatis — feathered. They are in reality brocaded and stitched in colour by machinery. Mousseline-de-laine creponne is one of the prettiest, most serviceable, and least costly of all the new fabrics, and is made in no less that fiftyfive different colours. The Coronation of the Czar is to take place at Moscow at the end of August. The festivities will follow tho order of the last Coronation, except that no balls will be given. Lace gloves with fingers arc somewhat of a novelty, but have a tendency to increase the apparent size of the hand, and consequently will hardly grow in favour, or take the place of mits. In spite of many efforts to make all ball dresses short, trained toilettes are extensively worn, mid at present the balance is equally poised between the two modes, and ladies are free to adopt whichever they prefer. The Russian Court is to be made more national, and freed from foreign inflences. Thus the Czar desires that the ladies of the Court shall entirely discard European toilettes and wear purely Russian costumes. Moire ribbons are mostly used for trimmings, and are in three widths — the very broad for the bow on the tournure, the two-inch wide for the bow and long ends at the throat, and the halfinch ribbons for loops to be inserted in lace jabots, etc. The bodice, with long point.3 in front, short basque at side, and long coat-tails behind, made in satin, brocade, or velvet, will continue in fashion for some time ; ladies find it so useful to wear with different skirts that it is not likely to be abandoned. Velvet will be used for skirts next summer, with various wool and cotton fabrics for the overdress. A coloured straw bonnet will be worn with dresses of the same colour, with those of contrasting colours, also with white or black dresses. In the lists of wedding presents to Prince Leopold, no mention has been made of the Marquis of Lome's gift. This is a large picture of the City of Quebec, which was painted by a Toronto artist. Quebec is, in the eldest parts, a very picturesque city, and the picture should be a. great addition to the attractions of Olaremont. Boots lacod up the front arc coming into fashion for the promenade They are in kid or Morocco, faced and finished with patent leather. The Henri Deux shoe, in black satin, nearly covers the instep, and is embroidered in a fine ■close pattern with jot beads. New evening shoes of pale blue, lilac, fawn, or black velvet are laced up the fronts with slender cords of gold or silver, and the pointed toes are covered with embroidery worked in gold or silver threads, intermingled with silver, gold, and amber beads. Miss Hamilton, the sister of Lady Dnffcrin, was recently married at Constantinople, with a gift of a necklace of diamond stars from Lord Dufferin, and ten bridesmaids from tho Ambassadorial families ; among them, Mademoiselle Moehsin Khan, daughter of tlie Persian Minister to Constantinople, in Paris dress, with wreath of forget-me-nots and tulle veil. Lace necklets are a novelty introduced to be worn with the bodice open in the neck. They are made of duchess or round point lace, and consist of a band of insertion edged on both sides with narrow lace ; this band goe3 round the throat. In front are pendants of lace and medallion patterns. The band and pendants are densely covered with pearl beads and sparkling crystals. A pretty walking dress of serpolette — a new wollen check, with tinselled lines — is made with a basque bodice, deeply peaked in front, with wide lappets falling behind like a ridingote down within a few inches of the edge of the skirt. Two wing-shaped lappets are applied to the edge of the basque on each side ; they are edged with a border of silk or velvet ; collar and facings of the same upon the bodice. Plain coat-sleeves, with revers of the material ; skirt-front trimmed with hollow-pleated flounces, divided by close rows of gaugings ; "one flounce goes all round the foot of the skirt. This costume may be worn without any extra mantle, and looks very stylish.

Tiny little girls of two or three years \>ear their skirts almost to their ankles ; larger girls wear them shorter, bu*t always reaching a good way below the knees. No matter what nevelties are introduced. Worth refuses to give up jet as a trimming, and uses it greatly oil some of the best dresses made at 'his establishment. He turns out very handsome black dresses, made of real silk Spanish lace, draped over verbinuni red satin, and trimmed with jet. ' Since ladies copied Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, who wears her dresses very high in the throat in the morning, a fashion has sprung up of swathing the neck, and not in every instance to the improvement of the appearance of the wearer. During the winter months, squares of Chinese silk, in ajsthetic colours, were knotted round the neck. Happily the re-action set in some weeks ago, and the knotted handkerchief is dying a natural death. His numerous friends will bo sorry to hear that Mr Worth is not in the best of health just now. He still attends to business, however ; and it is rather amusing to see the interesting invalid moving about his show-rooms, in a long drab cashmere dressing gown lined with yellow satin, with a black skull-cap on his head. I believe this is his favourite dinner costume at his palatial mansion at Suresues. At a recent wedding, the bridesmaids were attired alike in pink nun's cloth, trimmed with lace and watered silk ; the dresses were made gathered at the neck, with wide-belted bodices. The brown straw Spanish hats had pink pompous and brown beaded lace on the brim ; brown stockings, brown shoes, and brown (/ants de suede completed the costumes. Each bridesmaid received a gold arrow set with pink coral, from the bridegroom, and these wore worn on the left side. Mr Millais' portrait of H.R.11. the Princess Marie, of Edinburgh, is one of his most delicious child picture. The little maid is simply dressed in her white frock and pink sash, and there is a barbaric and truly Muscovite character about the locket she wears. The homespun stocking she is knitting is coarse, and gives good promise that her little hands will not bo allowed to be idle, and take her altogether we cannot be surprised that our good Queen likes to have her grandchild's likeness taken by the greatest artist of the day. Alexander 111. is a saner and a braver man than his father, and, it is said, practices none of the precautions that the late Emperor did. The popularity of the Princess Bagmar has always been great, partly owing to her many charms, and partly to' her devotion to the first Czarewitch,who was the darling of the Russian people. The day of the Princess Dagmar's entrance into St. Petersburg is still remembei-ed ; hor dazzling beauty, then thought to be superior to her sister's (the Princess of Wales), was the admiration of nobles and peasants. An original bonnet, claimed to be among the latest novelties, is extremely small and close in shape. Gathered black velvet trimmed the part immediately in proximity with the face, while the crown consisted of a net-work of jet, the interstices being large and open, showing the hair beneath. The short black' velvet strings were lined with silk, and edged with jet-beaded lace. These were not intended to be tied, but to be arranged in a loose careless looking bow, the lace rendering them a becoming finish beneath the chin. There are some pretty novelties in jackets. I have just seen one remarkable for its beauty, though so simple. It was made of black cashmere, fitting tight, and falling considerably below the hips, perfectly plain and straight. The trimming was merely a pleated frill of the cashmere, which sat quite flat ; the pockets being illuminated by four rows of quarter-inch gold braid, as were the sleeves and collar. The skirt worn with this was black satin, which was double boxpleated from the waist to the bottom of the skirt. The effect was at once dressy, quiet, and elegant. Visiting foreigners in Lonndon usually go the Grosvenor Gallery to get an idea of " what is j worn ;" but the question these puzzled ladies ask themselves, after a prolonged look at the living pictures before them, is, " What is not worn ?'" I Followers of Parisian fashion there are wearing harmonious colours, with a perfect fit. Oddly arranged figures, those who have listened to some purpose to what intellectual men have said about a woman's dress, being the index of her mind. Every kind of head gear is to be seen, from the coquettish little bonnet, with its French trimmings of golden beads or flower garlands, to the flat - crowned, broad - leaved, untrimmed hat, austere as that which shades the brow of a country cure,* There is every variety of cloaks, fur or lace trimmed pelisses, wide-sleeved ample Mother Hubbard's enveloping the figure from throat to heel, compact closely-buttoned ulsters, made in plush or velvet ; floating mantles, like collegiate gowns, and small capes. There were dresses that fitted like a glove, and dresses, fearfully and wonderfully made, that did not fit at all. There wore lank and depressed skirts that seemed mourning over the loss of under petticoats, and extended skirts over exaggerated crinolcttes, that waggled with every gesture of the wearer. Who shall say what materials were most worn among those stamped velvets, plushes, patriotic wools, foreign silks, and cashmere ? What colours most prevalent ? There were fine toned dim hues, telling pleasantly against shrill notes of colour. Every shade of yellow whs to be seen, from old gold to can.'iry ; red, from faded pink to blatant scarlet. Green still holds its sway, and is affected by aesthetic ladies ; there is green fresh and wholesome as summer leaves, sorrowful sage, and merry apple. Recitation as a drawing-room accomplishment has tried hard to struggle into popularity in London, but with indifferent success. Recitations were usually given during "At Homes " and informal dances, and it may be supposed that they were a pleasant relief, but experience has taught hostesses that they break up the sweet but momentary tate-a-tates of partners, or intrude on the settling of engagements, seoking chaperones, flirting, fanning and eating, and that the announcement of " Recitation " would act like a shower at a picnic. Another objection urged against this accomplishment was the difficulty of procuring silence. Imagine a reciter, who has worked his mind ' thoroughly into the feeling of Hood's "Bridge of Sighs." He begins— " One more unfortunate" — ("Here you are at last,

Colonel") —" Weary of breath "—(" Indeed, those stairs of yours, my dear,") — " Rashly importunate " — (Footman announces Mrs and Miss Smith). And so on until the last verse, when the voice, necessarily lowered, becomes almost inaudible, and the lupkless orator catches the remark: "Bless me; I didn't hear a word the man said." Even Sara Bernhardt had to complain of her drawing-room audiences. She is a most emotional speaker, her greatness being in proportion to her sensibility. But if she chances to catch the mocking smile of some inane youth (probably one of the number who would take the negative side of the question, "Is life worth living ?") it struck her soul's flight like an arrow in a dove's wing, and the music of her cadence would depart. Tho best orators are those who have received some musical training. The successful effect of the recitation of some pieces is produced almost entirely by their musical effect on the ear. Miss Cushman, the tragedienne, invariably " chanted " Tennyson's poem of the " Sisters." The reciter usually placed himself in tho corner furthest from the door, on a slightly raised platform — a reversed drawer will do, only care should be taken that it is strong. A lady artiste, writing to a friend, says : — Last week I saw a gentleman — after an explosive crack, caused no doubt by the vigour of his action — extricated from the somewhat undignified position of one leg in the draAver and the other leg out. Once a charming hostess thought to do me honour by covering my temporary dais wibh a lovely gold embroidered Algerian shawl. My train caught up the delicate material, and my foot went through it ; result — apologies, and sincere regrets, without self-reproach. Recitations to precede dancing should be of an enlivening character. Tragedies are out of place, — as G-eorge Elliot remarked, " they cease to touch the libre of the times." At the same time, poets being a melancholy species, it is difficult to find a succession of comic pieces that will not overstep the bounds of refinement.