Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

17 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

GOSSIP ON DRESS. DIAMONDS and pearls in unsophisticated rows are, Bays a lady correspondent in Paris of a daily con- temporary, the only really fashionable jewels. It is only very exceptionally that fancy jewellery is now worn by the Parisian who peaks herself as being in the van of fashion. Is she the proud possessor of diamonds she wears them, well and good, or she clasps her throat with chaplets of pearls otherwise, a flower or a ribbon take; the place of the absent trinkets. Nevertheless, small brooches, or pins, as they are generally called now, may be inserted on the shoulders, to secure a knot of ribbon, a fold of lace, or a spray of flowers, or else at the back of the low laced bodicc. They must have, as it were, some reason for their presence, some duty imposed upon them, and be not merely decorative, but also useful. It is now some time since all heavy gold jewellery was voted absolutely out of place for full dress, and even for demi-toilette. BRACELETS are not worn over the long gloves, and as there is no reason for having them on underneath, they are left at home, or the handsomest are trais- formed into coronets for the hair or dog collars for the neck. Elegance of the ne phis ultra order also reduces the number of rings to one or two, worn on one finger of one band only and, naturally enough, they must be handsome ones. Of course the jewellers would be very glad to change all this, it being more profitable for them to sell balf-a-dozen small things than one more expensive. They are trying to tempt gentlemen into wearing watch-chains in full dress by exhibiting them fine as a hair-an unobatrusive thread of gold to hang across the waistcoat, black or white. The masculine code of the season here lays down this rule anent waistcoats; black ones for dinner parties and small dances, concerts, and the less formal theatres; white for balls, full dress, and the opera house proper. ALL this may seem of secondary importance, and yet it is often the last touch that does or undoes the effect of a toilette. One of the best modiste's chefs- d'seuvre may be entirely marred by the careless addi- tion of incongruous ornaments. The choice of a fan is not without its significance. The beautiful ostrich feather fan mounted on tortoiseshell, brnne or blonde, is the complement of a handsome evening toilette only; while the dainty painted fan of the last cen- tury may be carried equally well with a high dress as with a low one. The same may be said of most Japanese and Chinese fans. Modern fans of a fan- ciful description ought to be chosen to suit the colour of the gown with which they are worn-they should have the appearance of having been chosen speci- ally for it. One hears of fair Parisians who get a toilette to match their fan, which sounds like placing the coach before the horses. Yet it is sound economy, nevertheless. It is a great point never to allow an article to be put on one side, but to make good use of everything, and sometimes a guide of some sort will be found useful in fixing uncertain choice in such matters. After all, it often does not signify whether the new dress is one or another of the three or four fashionable colours, and if the purchase of a fan en suite can be avoided, the guinea or more saved is so much to the good, even if, Richard Carstonelike, it is immediately laid out on something else. FANS have held a very important place in the feminine get-up since bouquets were out of the run- ning. These have not been carried for years past in fashionable drawing-rooms, as everyone knows. They kept their places longer at the opera than elsewhere. Now, only actresses and others who figure in the boxes at charity fetes have flowers placed there by attend- ant squires. Parisian brides and bridesmaids do not take with them to church the lonely bunch of white flowers which tradition requires the bridegroom and his best man to supply but it is inherent on the former to heap lovely blossoms in the brougham that shall convey him and his newly-made wife back to the house of her parents after the ceremony. This is a very pretty fashion, and deserves to be kept up. Much more beautiful than the circular and formally- arranged bouquets that used to be presented by the fianct or the cavalier servant anxious to get into the good graces of his innamorata are the rustic baskets of reeds filled with growing flowers decorated with bows of ribbon carefully chosen as to colour. Long after the poor roses or what not, subjected to the process of wiring, have faded and gone, the plants flourish-a pleasant feast for the eyes and a charming decoration for the drawing-room. TIIKRE will be more than the usual exhibition of artificial blooms this season at big out-door gatherings. With few exceptions the trimming of the bonnets is entirely floral, and some of the newest models are merely borders of straw on which to mount garlands of flowers, with no strings, and, what is more, no crown. The hair twisted on the top of the head, and the comb or pins which fix it in its place, are thus left visible, while the absence of strings is made up for, to a certain extent, by the tulle veil, gathered at the top 80 as not to press the hair down closely on the fore- head. Hats, too, are oftener decorated with flowers and bows of ribbon than with feathers, though it is quite possible that plumes will crop up as a novelty at the big meet, which is the boundary line between early summer, which has still a touch of spring in it, and late summer with rich promise of autumn. So far, there has been little enough of summer in every way. The lune rousse, that captious moon of the month of May, surprises us fighting against winds that remind us of March, and showers that ought to have been confined to April. So there has been a return to warm wraps. Comfortable cloth costumes still keep a check upon the inroad of foulard and zephyr cloths. Mantles, the more fantastic in their shape and composition the better, are the order of the afternoon for dressy occa- sions. In some cases the fronts of these mantles are continued down in two longpcms, almost to the bottom of the skirt. Composed of alternate bands of velvet and beaded lace or passementerie, they are applicable to the vresent time and will still look fresh and fashionable in the cooler autumn days to come. Some- times they are edged with beaded fringe, but it is al- most preferable to border the outer velvet band with a row of large beads. They may be finished off at the throat, either by a dog-collar covered with straight rows of beads, or by one of velvet open in front and widening out towardo the top, in the Marie Stuart style. JACKETS are the complement of all the more simple dresses, and a general effect of homogeneity is given to the entire costume by its being chosen of the same colour, though not necessarily of the same material, as the skirt. The most effective are worn with natty little waistcoats, though often the bodice of the gown is made to do duty for one. Checked or plaid woollen tunics or bodices combined, with plain silk skirts, will have cloth jackets to match the latter; and a small portion of the bodice, visible between the lappels of the jacket, plays the part of waistcoat very satisfac- torily. For this purpose the jacket is best made double-breasted, and fastened below the lappels with a row of handsome buttons placed very much on one side. It falls straight in front, there being no darts, otherwise it is tight-fitting, the side and back seams curved to the exact form. WHEN a regular waistcoat is worn, the jacket is only fastened at the throat-where it is finished with a turned-down collar, and cut awaysbaraty from thence so as to show as much as possible of tie waistcoat— and very pretty things in waistcoats are to be had just now in white cloth braided with gold, in grey casimir embroidered with silver or steel thread and round grey cord. Also, exceptionally, in brocade, with rather long basques and pockets. Sometimes in crimson velvet or poppy-coloured faille; sometimes double-the outer one in white cloth or jean, the inner in velvet to match the skirt or the trimming thereof. Or, again, the waistcoat may be cut like the front of a bodice, and covered with a plastron of beaded passementerie, of gnipure—white or ecru— of embroidery, or of black lace worked with jet or gold tinsel. There is plenty of room for ingenuity in the trimming of this particular garment; remnants of silk and velvet will find easy application; and they may be wonderfully improved by the addition of needle- work in the shape of braiding, embroidery, and bead- ing. Moreover, a costume may be supplied with a couple or more of waistcoats, which will give variety at a small expense. The same costume worn with a crimson velvet vest hardly looks the same when com- bined with gold-embroidered white cloth. The former will be best suited to a grey day, and when the sun shines out will come the latter, brilliant in its metallic lot*. ANOTHER, and a very different kind of waistcoat, exhibits folds of some soft silky fabric, crossed over the bosom and confined at the waist by a belt made of horizontal folds of the same tissue. In appearance it is a fichu similar to those worn in the peasant cos- tumes of many of the French provinces; bat, in reality, Lis a double-breasted bodice, on which the r folds are sewn fichu-wise, it being well to leave nothing to chance. Our modern maid or matron prefers to have her dressmaking done for her, and not to have to pleat and pin her clothes afresh every time she puts them on. White, ecru, tan, crimson all shades of yellow, from pale primrose to deep saffron, and a very light tint of absinth or willow-green, are the hues generally chosen for this kind of gild-fichu, as the French dressmaker calls it. The materials are satin- striped gauze and grenadine, crape-lise, not gauffred canvas, and chally. It is generally finished on round the neck with a folded band of the same, but ribbon may be substituted, and a pointed velvet belt worn instead of the scarf. A short Figaro jacket suits it almost better than the ordinary one with lappels and basques, and bell sleeves--cut off at the elbow, with additional loose ones below-tban the usual coat sleeves. A still more fanciful arrangement consists of a fichu-waistcoat of crepe lisse, a velvet or faille jacket with long pointed basques in front, over which is placed a second jacket of the Figaro order, made of embroidery, of thick guipure lace, or of passementerie, with epaulets of the same covering the top of the bell-shaped sleeves.

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