THE LADIES COLUMN.

Bush Advocate, Volume V, Issue 354, 16 August 1890, Page 11

THE LADIES COLUMN.

JOTTINGS ON DRESS. out-door jackets and coats aye covered irifti braid, especially on the shoulders aud upper part of the sleeves, A pretty coat is Jaide of dark blue fishing doth, and braided in this manner in blue and gold ; the sleeves wer© loose fitting and wider from the elbows upwards, being braided inside the cuffs ; the very high collar was slightly turned back at " the" corners, and also braided inside, and the lining of lie whole jacket was of silk in a eoft shade of rose. Tho jacket has no buttons or fastenings of any kind, but was loosefronted, yet by the admirable out it is made to fit the figure quite closely. A writer in a London journal says : — "You remember my railing, some months ago, against the foolish mothers who let their little children wear low bodices, short sleeves, and short frocks ? You probably thought me mqfre indignant than the occasion called for, but you will now think me justified of my Wffcth when I tell you' that " the dear little . daughter of youi old friend Lina has very nearly fallen a victim to this insensate fashion. Some weeks ag^O the small creature was suddenly seized with alarming illness, to the terror of poor Lina and her husband, who are both devoted to her. When the doctor oame, inflammation of the lungs was the alarming name he gave her malady, bit he pulled her through in a few days, and desired that she Bhonld be provided with warm woollen ololhing 'up to her chin and down to her, heels/ day suits and night suits, and that long, warm stockings should be got for her instead of the short eocka she had been wearing. He told Lina frankly that she had imperilled her child's Hfe by the insufficient way in which she ha^ clothed her, and said that quite half of the consumption in England might be traced book to the irrational custom. Even "when no serious illness, appeared, he added, the' constitution was weakened by having to resist the changes of temperature while the ' eheJßt and lungs are unprotected. " I suppose thefashioncazne in when grownup women wore low bodices all day long. It that they ever did so, hut it was the correct Btyle some sixty years ago. Now that- women and girte-, have given it up and warmly cover their throats and chests, even unnecessarily, with collars nearly up to the .crowns of . their heads, they might let the poor babies share in the ad van- . tages of their superior common sense. No one.' can deny that a little creature of a year or more looks perfectly delicious in a low bodice and short.aleeres^ ;but suzely we may deny ourselves the gratification of adoring their chubby little: necks ani* arms, and reflegt that by indulging ourselves we are discounting their ohance of -round, finely-formed anffe and well-filled -necka U the future." Coarse fish-net drapery— a\k net woven ar the fidurfe/!Mfe ttkttem— is liked for ing gowns, being, shaped over silk skirts used for folds and sleevee^m the bodices. The charm of novelty, is its attraction, for it Jacks the laoe-lik* 'appearance of Brussels net; in is shown in blacky white, brown, gray, and pale-blue. Some of the grey varieties threaded with silver produce a very glittering effect, and are oftem draped over gray Bcngaline, the combination being especially commended in a wedding gown for ft widow. Aooordion-pleated tonics and corsages are among the newest styles for young ladies' dresses of light : transparent fabrics over skirts of silk or velvet) and the new ehoulder nnd panier draperies are very novel And pretty. Exquisite fans largely imitate one, two, or iflTOral flowers ; especially lovely are tho pansies with their riot velvet petals and satin ceijtres. They harmonise with the costume with which they are worn. The velveteen is again a charming material for tea gowns, and few of these convenient indoor dresses could be prettier and more beeoiting than a tea gown of pansy-coloured •velveteen over an uuder-dresa ©f accordionpleated lace. l^aoe frills for the neck and wrists have superseded stiff collars and cuffs, French neck ruffles are also a favoured decoration; they are very wide, and are scalloped at the edge in dog-tooth fashion with coloured silk. It is -very usual to make girla* corsages with sashes round the waist and straps starting from the armholes, all meeting and tied in long loops and ends in front. The yokes and fronts of girls' and children's dresses are frequently tucked or pleiated, an.d trimmed with ribbon velvet put on in close bands. Some quaint white and coloured pinafores for children are made of washing silk, in the fusoal shape, fastening round the shoulders or neck at the back, and again at the waist. There is a broad band round the waist, ending in long ends to tie in a bow, and a fall of laoe round the edge of the pinafore, the neck, and sleeves In ribbons, especially on black gowns, long effects are noticed. For instance, a bunch of loops and ends will start at the waist and extend nearly to the edge of the flkirt, being held midway by a few stitches so that they will not hang too loosely. Black fox, bear, natural beaver, astrachan, blue fox, sable, mink, and all the brown furs are popular trimmings for evening or ball dresses, and are applied on both heavy and «loudy fabrics. Bodices with orossing fulnesses are 1 " well appreciated again this season. Plain velvet htfiioes, opening a little at the neck with high Medici collars, are worn with skirts entirely different. Velvet sleeves are introduced into bodices of other material, and aince the rage for fancy arrangements, long one's trimmed and fashioned in all ways are •wdrn in evening dress ; these and the Medici collars are JJIO most observable features of the new fashions.