Fashion Notes.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 976, 14 November 1890, Page 5

Fashion Notes.

A new impetus is given to the cape which appears in all Btyles of creamy lace and net, also in ermine and lamb’s fur. The latter are exactly like the high necked capes brought out last autumn iu lamb, seal, and sable.

Toilets of black satin printed with coloured flowers are being trimmed with bands of jet passementerie at the edge of the skirt. A panel of velvet, back and front, decorates the corsage, outlined with a flow of jet fringe.

There are two ways of finishing the neck of a dress. If the throat is pretty and white cut the dress to the collar-bone, and stitch a twoinch, knife-plaited frill of silk gauze the same colour as the dress material. The scrawny neck is best covered with a black silk Btock, closed invisibly at the sides.

For the simple summer dress nothing is prettier, or cheapor, in the stuff line than challie. Make a gored skirt; over this hang a second the same length, trimmed with, four or five rows of narrow velvet. Catch it up over the left knee, Marguerite fashion, aud with a round French waist you will have a costume for lovers and artists to admire.

This is the season for symphonies. Any colour is selected that suits the wearer, and if it is a peach-green plaid, white is used for trimming it. Against pale blue flannel bands, yokes and elbow cuffs of polka dot are selected, and the deep yellow is relieved by pale gold embroidery and pale gold tulle.

Bold, aggressive patterns are promised for the autumn fabrics. Spots bigger than a fiveshilling piece, big stripes and checks that take an eighth of a yard to show, will be worn. Rough, coarse stuffs will be the mode, too. Some of the materials will have a texture like blankets. Only half a dozen yards would be needed for a dress, as quite plain skirts are likely to be the only kind worn for some time to come.

White book muslin is being used for entire costumes which are intended to be worn on fite occasions. They are finished usually with trimmings of the finest white embroidery or lace. The latter is arranged to form a border to plain shirts, while a fitting yoke and ample sleeves of the same complete a full, loose corsage.

It is one of the novelties of the season, the manner in which the sleeves are draped with ribbon. Sometimes it is a simple armlet of ribbon, holding the end of the puff at the shoulder. Sometimes it is a drapery which meanders up the sleeve, from the shoulders to the wrist. Ribbons are festooned across the sleeve, held by bows or rosettes. They also are arranged in plain bands, and neat bows at shoulder and wrist.

Novelties in designs for slippers are always welcome. One specially noticeable is the • Isola,’ which is a small, all-over pattern. On plain cloth, of a dull red tint, it looks well wrought out in greens, gold, and blue tones. The latest floral designs for the purpose is the pansy, the mignonette, and the violet. Two or more of the flowers are arranged on the toe of the slipper, and a frond of maidenhair, quite separated from the flowers, is carried up each side.

Large Empire sashes of black lace or fringed-out silk are seen on plain black silk skirts. As many as three of these ruchings are placed one over the other. These ruches take off much of the straight look of plain skirts, and to a certain extent this satisfies the ladies—at least, some of them. Old, or soiled light alk skirts may be dyed black to serve for these ruchings, for, when fringed out, the quality of the silk is little seen, if seen at all.

Egyptian embroideries are to be introduced to the women who are able and willing to pay for exclusive and artistic styles in party dresses. This metallic needlework is peculiar in character, having the appearance of being a solid mass of gold and silver work, graceful designs of a conventional style being traced over tbe field until the whole surface is a mass of glittering threads. Only the best quality of Cairo gold is used, which is warranted not to tarnish ; the silver, though of the finest make, is susceptible to atmospheric influences, but, even blackened, the effect against a chocolate, mouse-grey, or cinnamon background is most beautiful.

Travelling and dust cloaks are made in the very finest and softest of cloth, both plain and in fancy patterns, the newest being the * Crocodile,’ which is made in almost every colour and shade. They resemble the markings on the crocodile leather itself. These cloaks are made with round or pointed yokes of velvet, and are lined with Bhot silk. Redingotes and pelisses, on the other hand, are made of brocaded silk, armure, or shot surah. These, also, have often a shoulder piece of jet embroidery or beading. They are made tight at the back, with full fronts and bishop sleeves, very high on the shoulders, and full at the wrists. A cape is sometimes added to them.

A writer in the Queen who made a tour of the dressmakers in London lately, says : ‘ As an indication of the fashion of the future, I may tell you that thicker striped woollens, with softened shaded effects, are being prepared for later autumn. One iu green and black, and -another a combination of many colours, were most original. One firm has just completed a gown of a quaint electric blue tint, lined with red wherever the folds admitted of. it. A peculiarly styled tea jacket was, in fact, a close-fitting bodice rather than a jacket, made of soft, yellow silk ; the loose overfronts green velvet, straps of the same coming down from the shoulder to the elbow, enclosing puffings of soft, yellow silk. A tea-gown of yellow and pink Oriental silk was quite a dream. The pink was used as a lining, and peeped from beneath the elbow sleeva in soft ruches like the petals of a rose.