Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1891 — FANCIES OF FASHION. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FANCIES OF FASHION.

ACTRESSES RARELY ORIGINATE MODES. The Widespread Notion that Fashions Are Set by Popular FootUght Favorites Is an Erroneous One —No Marked Changes In Style for This Season. Some of the Latest.

HERE is a widespread not’ou, writes our New York correspondent. that actresses set the fashions, and it is an erroneous one. While it may be true that an actress of strong personality and real 1 genius may now and th e n devise some novelty in female toggery that willtake the public eye and attain a certain degree cff modishness, yet, . as a rule, the actresses of our leading theatres have other things to think of than devising or inventing new costumes. This reputation that actresses have as the originators of modes comes from the fact that changes of modes first make their ap-

pearance on the starts. The actress of to day courts notoriety and public attlbn, and what better way than to apply to some well-known designer of costumos for a novelty in apparel when the is about to assume a new role? No; actresses very rarely originate mode-', but actresses very frequently are the animated frames upon which designers hang their creations in order to try the effect of them on the pub.ic. And it’s a good scheme, too To turn from generals to particulars, I think I hear you ask, as the stockbroker does concerning, the market: Well, how do modes stand to-day? My reply is that I don’t note any marked change. There’s a fall in those lofty sleeves, which have held their own for so long. Skirts are Still quoted as q«t bias, close and tight-fitting at the top, and full at the bottom w.th large so ds. There is not the same demand for caboching; their popularity hat a downward tendency. As a prime favorite, I might quote moire antiques in dull colors, either in satin stripes or with floral figures. For dinner dresses straw color, sea-green, silver gray, Parma violet on black ground are great favorites. Rough-surfaced plushes and velvets are much worn In making up these materials, you use no skirt foundation but line it with flannel and thin silk to give it more body. Velvet appliques promise to be very modish trimming for evening costumes, either plain or open-work

over tulle and sown with jet, the effect of which so used is altogether charming. Velvet, too, will enter largely int> the makeup of cloth dresses. For instance, if you will observe the costume which figures in my initial illustration, you will see what I mean. Here is a very stylish gown in suede colored cloth, the deep cuffs and collar being of dark velvet, producing a very pleasing effect ( ne of tho handsomest of these cloth and si k gowns that have come to ray notice is the one which I set before you in my second illustration, an altogether refined and stylish garment fittod for calling and afternoon reeeption purposes Let me ( escr be it for you. The cress is a gray vicuna cloth and has small pleated panels of plaid silk, silk skirt foundation wit'i a false hem and a drawing-s ring, the skirt being plain in front and fan pleated at tho back. The pleating of the panels grows finer toward the top. The cor age has basques in man’s dress e. at style, without anv trimming The fronts of the lining h ok in\he middle, and they are covered with a full gathered pla iron of the silk. The corselet starts from the sides of the ccrsage and is so laced as to disp'ay the p astron below It; leg-o’-muttoa sleeves and straight col ar of the si.k. lou may, if your fancy so dictates, make up this dress in black or brown materltfL In my third Hlust-aCon you’ll find another very pretty silk and cloth combination costume for a young person. The color of tho cloth is quite a matter of taste, while the. blouse should be < ither iu foulard or pongee. The dress is made up princess style, tho corselet

lacing in front over some thin lining. It closes either with books or pearl buttons on a band of the same mat -rial. If you use hooks, you must make two small pleats to conceal ihe opening. The straight collar is set off witjj a bow

made of the silk. The skirt foundation has a small run o at the bottom. Tho front breadth, which extends only to tho waist line, is bias on both sides and has a small hem which conceals the seam The front of the corselet is boned its full length. It runs somewhat to a point at the back and is piped. A very pretty color to choose for this dress would be case au lait, with a straw-col-ored blouse.

Before leaving this subject, of woolen stuffs. I might say that the dress materials most in vogue have broad stripes in light tones, plaids in two shades, spotted effects or large or small flowers in relief. Swanskins, plain or striped, and printed flannels are much used for wrappers and morning negligees. Trains hold their places very obstinately, varying in length according to the hour of the day and the style of the costume. For walking dresses the skirt grazes the ground and the wearer is expected to display her grace in lifting it by laying hold of the back folds. Harmonious combinations of colors show the artistic taste of the wearer, and are now-a-days the touchstone of real style For instance, steel-gray and eggplant purple go well together, and so do dove-color and wood-brown, mouse-gray and silver, ash-gray and steel, iron gray and steel, gray and heliotrope, gray and green, beige and cream, Nile green and moss-

greon, lilac and plum color, heliotropo and gold, pansy and mauve, eggplant and ivory, pansy and white, lavender and Van Dyke brown, reddish-brown and coral, straw, chamois, light blue: corn and copper, blue and black, hussar-blue and silvor. cornflower blue and moss gre:n, daik-blue and cream, marine and yellow, sapphire and silver, turquoisebluo and white, pale blue and gold, sweet-flag-green and pink, emerald-green and white, green and gold, pink and garnet, wood brown and silver, cream and gooseberry, putty and white, cherry and gooseberry with pearl-gray, glycine, pale-blue and gold. As for-tho ribbons used for hat trimming, I may say that they run in every color of the rainbow and still keep in delicate tones, forming most pleasing effects. Nothing could be more stylish than those tiny capotes in colored chenille without any other garniture than a large velvet tow set in a crumpled crest-like fashion in front, with broad strings in the same color. I have two stylish bits of modish headgear to set before you. The first one, which is pictured in my fourth illustration, is a light-gray fe t edged with black vehot turned sharply up at the back and trimmed with a bow of light-gray ribbon brocadea with pink, the ends of which are brought around to tho frontandhide tho crown The other is a very elegant hat in coral velvet and black passementerie. 1 should add that the small theater hats are made up of bright, sparkling material. All capotes have strings rather broad and long. In one instance I saw that instead of the bow tied* in the middle there was a bunch of ribbon on one side and from it there were hanging two long ribbons quite to the knee Round i ats are certainly smaller. One of the most stylish and striking shapes is the Marquis. It is in bir.ck velvet, has a fine feather border and is set off bv a tail tuft of feathers, and at the back there are two bunches

of bright-colored satin ribbon standing out In 1 old relief. One of the prett’est visiting costumes that I have seen this season was made up in reddish-brown a very modish color—and the skirt and cuffs were bordered with black fox There was a sort of tigaro jacket corsage, gathered all tho way down the front and opening on a plastron of white peau de so'e, of which the standing co lar vas made. I have noticed that it is quite a <omir.on thing this season to make up underskirts in black taille or inervellleux, garnitured w.th acc founces or ruches or bias bands of velvet An old fashion has been revived for young misses, namely, thb use of r bbons tied aro nd the neck necklace like. The tying is done ou the sdo In full knot It I s quite tin thing to it your tailor made with a loose cape of the same materia.', which may or may not be r chly embroidered. As 1 have alreadv warned you, don’t overdo this cabochon garniture It is not near so modish as it was. The bell skirt will no doubt hold its place very effectually. It should, in all cases, be lined with a glace silk, and not made up on a foundation. In this way you can keep it light in weight and easy to pick up on ihe street, tor walking dresses, twee s and .-erges will be popular, altho .gh thick cashmeres, vicunas, and camel shair will divide the honors. Ir m them all With velvet appli jnes, passemen terios, or braid. Now and then there is a feeble protest against the trained skirt for wa.king dresses, but 1 see no signs of its being modified or disappearing. The effect is gracefu , and for the nonce wo must sacrifice tho practical to the beauUMl

SILK AND CLOTH VISITING DRESS.

GIRL'S SCHOOL DRESS.

GRAY FELT.

A FASHIONABLE HAT.