Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1892 — TRAINS STILL IN STYLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRAINS STILL IN STYLE.

WOMEN WILL NOT DISOBEY FASHION’S MANDATE. Despite Mud and Snow the Winter Walking Dress Is Not 'J rainless Heeontlng Russian - Sliaped Felt Hats Winter Wraps and Furs—A Skating Costume. Wliat to Wear.

ANY man or woman can write an epic poem,” said Alexandre l umas, with a sneer, “but it takes a genius to m Invent a new dish. ” M Dumas himsolf w rote a cook book, few and hence spoke ysA feelingly. SornoJ'lm what in tho same all/zD vein as Dumas’ iU quaint quip. lam WjKJr inclined to say that lanyone can paint a |p\ picture or sculp a fY statue, but it - re- \ quires genius to inis vent a new mode. iiA Take, for instance, the prorent popular gored skirt, called Al A the “craze of the w hi season," with its 1 V M ,l uo ' ino °f beauty, ' Aid and small but i y\\ graceful train: Kl; w * lat a Pity we do - [4 not know the name U’of its designer, so j that tho many thousands and tens of thousands ot our

sex who have taken so much real pleasure In seeing their figures beautified by this garment might at least have someone to thank. Contrary to tho prediction that the gored skirt would not keep its train in winter walking drosses, they still rest on tho ground for about three Inches, says the lashlon writer, and with tho coming season of mud and molting snow, will call loudly to be taken up and carried. It is hard on gloves and hard on sleeves and, last but not least, hard on the hands and arms of our not over robust women. Hut what aro wo to ao; surely not disobey Queen Fashion’s mandate, and appear in the street In trainless skirts? Never! As a well-known society woman expressed it: “I must follow tho fashions or tho fashions won’t follow me!” A very wise saying If It old fall from a woman’s lips. A philosopher would have expressed himself In this wise: Tho moment you let tho world see that you can get along without It, It will despise you 1 know there are some women who would rather go cold than woar a long

wrap, just as there are many men who would rather run the risk of pneumonia than muffle up in an ulster, but for the sake of the reasonable ones I proceed to describe a very handsome long cloak of which you will get a very good general idea by glancing at my initial illustration. This garment which hooks almost its entire length, is made up in a brocaded woolen and is fitted to the figure. Now that France has fallen so violently in love with Russia, of course everything Russian goes in Paris, and we feel the effect of this craze over here. I’m not sorry for it, as the Russian ladies have a style of their own which is often very charming. Being a cold country, their fashions come in most appropriately for our winter season, and one sees extremely becoming Russian shapes in felt hats. One in particular attracted my attention. It was what is called the Russian turban, made in black felt, faced with black velvet and trimmed with wide violet ribbon around the crown; the same ribbon forming a loop in front and fastened on with a Rhinestone buckle. A panache of black ostrich tips is placed at the back. The Cronstadt is another Russian shape, reminding one of the hat worn by the droschki driver, it has a black velvet bow in front, with a steel buckle, and a black panache placed on the side. The trimming of the Cronstadt may be charmingly varied by a folding of white lace on the brim all around. If you don't fancy those Russian turbans, probably you might like an old French form, a Louis XI., such as I set before you in my second illustration, a styltsh bit of headgear in beige felt. At the front is placed a large bow of to-bacco-brown velvet and at the back a bunch of pink, cream and tobacco-

brown ostrich tips springing out of a bow of the velvet. The effect is very dressy and refined anJ altogether unique. , In my third illustration you will find pictured a richly embroidered evening gown, chrysanthemums being the motive. If you don't care for embroidered effects, you may choose a velvet or Iro-

ended atuff and make It up In corselet style, always to produce an effect of length and aristocratic slenderness so much coveted by the lady of fashion. The dancing man is on hand equipped In black beetle vestments, white waistcoat, white gloves hoaxlly etitchod, and boutonniere of onormous dimensions. He has a solemn and earnest look about him, for tliti eyes of the fashionable world are always upon the leader of tho german. Ho feels ids greatness but ho must have a partner. It is a great honor for a young lady to bo choson by tho dancing man to assist him in leading the german. Hence tho ball toi et is now uppermost in many maidens’ minds. The ball toilet is as much a matter of i study, thought and reflection as was his coat of armor to tho ancient knight. In it she xvagos war against her rivals; in It she triumphs or is defeated. Tho bodico of the ball tol et is now absolutely molded to tho figure from neck to hips, every line being accurately fitted. But there is a disposition to niako the ovon-

ing corsage higher and closer to tho neck, in order to give length to the figuro, and there is always some species of sleeve, even if only a more draping of tulle or net. The tiny shou tier strap which left tho entire arm bare above the shoulder is not seen any mo o. If you wi-li to cut the bodleo low, there must be a filling of chiffon or some other soft material. Miould you use tu'le, net or gauze for tho skirt, tho same material figures to fid in at the nock and for tho short sleeves. Now and then 1 son one of those exqu.slte wliito cloth evening costumes, trimmed with white hare fur and white chiffon, a fair and fascinating white lady, only not clad to walk the corridors at hours when grave i yawn, but to move with rogul grace across the polished iicor of tho ball room, sometimes these dreams of white, ate varied by go'd lace or gimp, and at others tho white Indy wears tan slices, tan stockings and tan gloves. In my fourth illustration you will find tho sketch of a very original fancy waist ill crepe do chine appropriate for afternoon tea or ovoni.ig reception, with which Is worn a gauze scarf. The distinctive features of this biouso liko garment are its basques of unequal length and Its milled effects at tho neck and at tho sleeves. Tho collar, too, Is tnado up in folds of tlie material cut on tho cross. This picturesque garment must be made up on a lining which closes In front with hooks, and tho gathered effects must be worked out witli hasting threads. Groat patience and no liltlo skill will bo neces-ary to give tills fancy waist, all the graceful folds and pleats whicli appear In tho illustration. .Said a leader In tho world of modes to me the other day: .“I really grow less and less fond of my fms every year. Furs have become so common. Everyone wears

them. It is like the gentlemen’s dress suit; the waiter, the va et and the man who answers your bell all wear dress suits.” There is no doubt about it. furs have become dreadfully common of late years. The dainty shop sir s flirt their boas in the wint r broe.e and thrust their hands into muffs once only carried by ladles of upper-tendom. Hut there are furs and furs. A wealthy An erlcan lady who prefers the old world lo the new wears a fur mant'eof blue fox which called for ten thousand skins to fashion it and cost lifteen thousand dollars A famous French actress paid our thousand do lars for her fhr , and the fur robe which the city of Irkoutsr. presented to the Empress of Hussia was valued at twenty thousand dollars, and yet weighed only one pound. It Is not at all likely that such furs will be mu.'h worn this season. Many a maiden mi\nt needs content herself with a plain boa, such ar is worn by the fair skater in my last illustration. The small.muff has hitherto been, a fortunate freak of fashlr-n, so far as the lady of lim’ted means vas concerned, but now wo are threatened with muffs of enormous proportions, such a< used to be carried bv our grandams. who, without any exaggeration, oft-n----tlmes staggered under thefr load. Wher the famous Tom Thumb went to Kinop* he had no difficulty In crawling through C,ueeti Victoria's muff upon his ~re enta tion at court. Hut we shall see whether this age of arti tic tendencies will submit to any such ridiculous docree oi fashion, but in modes »s in manners tho pendulum often swine-from one extreme to the other. In union with tbrt> fur trimming so popular now, I note the use of a new style of velvet, termed mirror velvet, so brilliant, so satin-like is its surface, reflecting the most delicate tints. Tho green especially Is the most modish, a 1 on account of those Russians; but let us not grumble, for it IS - a most elegant and reined trimming, and goes so admirably with fur. It is sadly but frequently the ease tbai the man who hurrahs the loudest has the least idea of what he Is hurrahing about

BIEGE FELT.

EMBROIDERED BARI, DRES’.

FANCY WAIST WITH SCAUR

SKATING COSTUME.