Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1895 — COZY-LOOKING COATS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COZY-LOOKING COATS.

MANY NOVELTIES ARE PRESENTED THIS SEASON. Frock Coats for Dress Occasions Come to the Knees, While the Ulster-Like Shapes Are Long; Enough to Come Below a W alking; Skirt. Gotham Fashion Gossip. New York Correspondence:

, w MONG the cozy / looking coats that fyA are now stylish JU there are many ' heavy ones that are of the longOvS neglected ulster H sort. These are ot chinchilla or pilot cloth, are 1/1 lined with plaid Vi wool or silk and fit snugly at the lo I) back, with box lc''Y front and high r A collar. The favor- ,<•< ite trimming or \ finish is black as-

trakan in narrow bands and sometimes an extra cape-collar of the astrakan is added. The usual color for such coats is black or very dark blue, though brown trimmed with black "strakan is very stylish. Sometimes braiding and frogs are added, but the general tendency is toward plainness. Some coats are as short as pea jackets, and these are especially jaunty for young folks. Indeed, In the youthful fashions plainness of finish is not required, and much dainty trickery is exercised In adornment A novelty in this line is seen In the initial picture, where is shown a coat of heavy black silk combined with velvet. The center seams of the back show an inserted piece of black silk velvet, narrow at the top and very wide at the bottom. Around the shoulders there is'a bertha of the velvet lined with silk and laid in box pleats on the shoulders, and at the center of back and front a large velvet bow appears. The seams are strapped and ornamented with buttons, and sufficient stuff must be allowed to make

the high collar, which is shaped from deep funnel pleats with the opening at the top. The bows with long streaming ends constitute a sufficiently novel ornamentation to make the garment a very dressy one. Frock coats for dress occasions come to the knees, the skirts being put on full to a tight-fitting upper part. The latter may be much enriched with jetting. braid, lace or fur, and the material may be anything from the richest fur, velvet or satin to the humble tweed or pilot cloth. Very large bone buttons are used on all the less ornate coats, but on the velvet garments the buttons cannot be too rich, miniatures set in rhinestones being a feature of some of the handsomest coats. With the ulster-like shapes, elegance is permitted in direct ratio to the degree of departure from the democratic ulster of a few winters ago. All come to the edge of the skirt; indeed, many are long enough to come well below a short walking skirt They are made full and loose, really shrouding a slim figure. The Russian idea of an over garment that literally bundles a person out of recognition seems to be coming in, the ideas being that a dainty girl looks all the daintier when she slips out of a big, clumsy, no-shape-at-all cloak. But with all trace of the ulster obliterated from the long wrap, dressy finish and handsome trimmings are allowable. To what lengths showiness is permitted to go, and with what elegant results, the second sketch depicts. Here is a black velvet wrap trimmed with jet passementerie and sable. Starting from the hem. the two passementerie tabs meet in the back, outlining a round yoke that is headed by fur. Beneath the left tab the garment fastens, and from them the cape

begins. The latter is fur-edged, its point of joining the passementerie is hidden by velvet ribbon rows, anti -imllar bows show at intervals near the skirt’s hem. Fur borders the higli standing collar, which comes well drawn up about the chin, as is now correct. From the days of late summer when women began to consider the coming fashions for cooler weather, the fancy bodice for Indoor wear has had an important place, and one that has steadily Increased in consequence. What jury toe aansidenad aa a reflation of ft

is the liking for fancy collarettes for outdoors by which women adorn their upper halves as handsomely, in many cases, as for the drawing-room. Such a cape collarette is the most conspicuous item In the next pictured costume. Although, as has been said above, the fancy bodice has been reigning since summer with as little friction as a fairy book princess, the end is not yet, and every week brings some new notion or development. A little while ago and the more completely contrasted to the skirt the bodice was the better, but now the collarette must match the skirt That is, one may wear a black satin skirt and a fancy bodice of, rose brocade heavily trimmed with pale green velvet and pale gray lace, but the band about the neck must be of black satin. Again, the skirt may be cerist and the bodice pale yellow draped in

black chiffon, but the collarette must be cerise and of the same material as the skirt. 1 From such devices there is fashloi news enough above the waist, but as to sleeves, changes have been few and not adopted generally. For months and months it has sufficed to announce that they were even bigger; but, while there Is no sign of lessening size, there is little possibility for further increase. One or two novel cuts that at once gained some small degree of favor Indicated that the puff was to slip off the shoulder toward the elbow, but as yet this sliding has absolutely refused to become ai. avalanche. It is plainly a case wherein the doctors of modes disagree. While the wise ones hesitate over the diagnosis, there is time to consider one novelty that has just put in its bid. It is to be seen in the next illustration, and consists of an inside sleeve made entirely of embroidered velvet, the satin puff being merely a cap that covers the sleeve’s outside. This bodice is pointed back and front, fastens along the shoulder and under the arm. and is made entirely of velvet, with a satin yoke. The velvet bell skirt is trimmed in an unusual way with large satin bows with long ends. Skirts of street gowns are mostly plain, but there are exceptions enough to prove rules by the dozen, and they are handsome enough to constitute the best sort of an excuse for their lawbreaking. In one elegant example the full skirt has at the foot an edge of astrakan and openwork points or vandykes of braiding set in, the points reaching upward and a rich lining of the skirt showing through the interstices. The bodice has an eton front that opens over a vest of cloth to match the lining of the gown, and is

finished all over with the openwork points. Jet ornaments and trimming are used in profusion on the last costume shown, and one long-current rule is defied, for ordinarily, when trimming is used like the slanting lines that show on this skirt, there is either some repetition of it on the bodice, or the latter does not have extensive adornment But here there are showy jet ornaments hanging in straight lines from the bust. Boucle cloth and velvet are combined in this costume, the bodice being made entirely of velvet and fastened in the front. Its sleeves are of cloth, with passementerie finish at the wrists. Muffs will have an inning at great popularity this winter. Fur is all right and either an ordinary size may be carried or one big enough to rival our grandmother’s own. It is said that a little hand looks all the smaller and prettier coming from a great bear of a muff, besides, it is sometimes as well to have a muff big enough to accomodate his hand. Fancy muffs to match the hat, collarette or coat, or all three, are quite the thing, and the more fanciful they are the better. Such affairs may be stylish, but they always look like a bundle of odds and ends, used together because no one piece was big enough by itself. Velvet muffs are really like a pair of cuff ruffled sewed together, one ruffle going each way.

Lace frills are then put inside and a band of ribbon with lace set in is tied about the round of the muff. A lot of fur is arranged on either side of this band, with a little family of fur beads for ornaments, and sometimes a few tails hang about in a fringe-like way. The whw’e depends from the neck by a gold or silver chain, either very small or very big, and set at intervals with pierced stones. Copyiftht. 1894. Thieves entered the Hoboken postoffiee and stalls |7,MO in stamps. 1

A NO-SHAPE AT-ALL CLOAK.

FOR THE SLENDER ONLY.

A BRAND NEW SLEEVE.

A PARDONABLE LAW BREAKER.