ITEMS FOR LADIES.

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 148, 6 November 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

ITEMS FOR LADIES.

Spite of divergence in the direction of elaborahe styles, we see not a few feelers in the direction of simpler modes. Short women are wearing full plain skirts, which have a wide band of silk or velvet at the lower edge, and no other trimming soever. Tho band is something less than aquarter of a yard in depth. A full belted-bodice accompanios this skirt as a rule. Still, one of the universal jackets with loose fronts showing a lull- blouse waistcoat of washing silk, is also perfectly correct, and proves more becoming to some figures than the gathered bodice with its round waist. Apropos of these roundwaisted corsages, I must tell my readers that the figure is confined mostly by a ribbon band, which fastens on the left side of the waist under a cascade of loops of various lengths, some reaching to within a foot of the hem of the gown. A yellowish brown ribbon is much used with a white toilet ; and so is olive green. Either of these colours is more correct in connection with white than any other mixture. My readers cannot do wrong by investing in white gowns ; Never has white pure and simple been so general as this summer, and there is nothing more universally becoming to women of any and every age. The only drawback to the wearing of white is that it has a marked tendency to increase the appearance of size ; stout women should therefore avoid white garments. Lavender is almost the only perfume that may be safely employed in the linen press. It is agreeable and sanitary, and universally liked. In all old-fashioned country homes in dear old England, lavender is largely cultivated, and bed linen is always perfumed with it. Young women who fancy that horseback riding must be learned in childhood are reminded that the Empress of Austria, who i 3 one ef the most accomplished horse-women in Europe, never rode much till comparatively late in life. Her Majeßty is said to be able to ride standing on a barebacked horse with the ease and grace of a professional. Alpaca is becoming as great a favourite as it was many years ago. As a cool serviceable fabric, not expensive and loug-enduring, it has few rivals. Pearl grey and deep-blue grey are the favourite shades. The ] skirts are made double, the upper one 3 raised at the sidea to show the plain full petticoat or under skirt. The ] front is formed from tho neck to just 1 below the bust of a aeries of loose ( V-shaped folds. A band of crossway ] velvet starting from under the arm < on either side, is brought iv a pointed ] direction across the bodice and 1 fastened with a bow. This forms a < division between the folded upper i portion and the lower half of the 1 bodice, which is quite plain. A high : velvet collar encompascs the throat, and the sleeves are set in very full round the armhole and gathered into a wide velvet band somewhat below , the elbow. A coat sleeve is some- ; times made, with a bend of velvet j starting immediately from the middle 1 of the armhole at the back, and tra- 1 versing the entire length of the sleeve ' terminates at the wrist. Small butter- 1 fly bows of ribbon are also seen on < the shoulder points, a fashion that is 1 not new, but revived.