Home Fashions.

Otago Witness, Issue 1894, 9 March 1888, Page 34

Home Fashions.

The lady correspondent of the South Australian Chronicle writes from London as follows :— " Gloves are subject to fashion's caprices, like other articles of dress. Suede kinds are no longer approved for full dress, but white dressed kid gloves are. Not solely, however. Gloves the colour of the dress, if pale, are considered good taste, and almond shades are worn at other times when the contrast of white gloves would be too marked. Silk gloves, too, are worn, and when they fit well no make of hand covering looks better. Some very pretty varieties have been introduced lately— a long white silk glove with fancy top formed of gathers and insertion of open work and silk embroidery. Very tasteful, too, is a fine silk glove in every colour, round the top of which goes a wide frill of Spanish silk lace. This last addition is very becoming to the arm, and now that the sleeves of evening dresses are receding upwards so fast that they threaten to disappear altogether a little extra ornament on the gloves, which also increases their length, is desirable, though it cr.n hardly be said to compensate for the literal shortcomings above. A mere strap and a few knots of ribbon are all that fashionable modistes consider necessary to cover the shoulder and arm immediately below that joint, A little extra clothing, if I may so call it, for the neck is, however, a feature o£ present fashion. It may be a moderately wide band of black velvet, fastened with a clasp of brilliants or paste diamonds, or a ribbon tied simply round the throat. A lace lappet with the ends quite short and tied in a neat bow is another fashionable device for dressing the neck. —Whilst on the subject of evening dress I may say that a bow on the side of a fan adds very much to the elegance of its appearance. The newest bows are made of ribbon about 2in wide and with looped edges. With loops and dovetailed ends arrange a bow somewhat resembling a starfish of moderate size; attach to the back two long ends of ribbon, let them fall negligently between the bow and the handle of the fan, round which twine the remaining ribbon, finishing with a pretty knot half-way up on the handle. —I believe I have remarked on the recent .taste for red material; even brides are choosing red dresses, but I do not greatly approve of that selection. I see a Welsh lady who was married last week wore a red velvet overdress above a petticoat of Honiton lace, the bridesmaids being dressed in creamcoloured silk, thus entirely reversing the usual order of things. It is not common to see the bride dressed in darker colour than her maids. By the way, the newest bouquetholders for bridesmaids are slippers made of rushes, much trimmed with ribbon ; they are slung over the arm and of course filled with , flowers; their cost is about a guinea each from the floral depot, which seems rather a large sum. Ribbon velvet is used to tie [ bouquets made up in the usual way, or a fine ! lace handkerchief may be tied about the flower stems instead. A very pretty wedding I was solemnised last week at Kensington, the bridesmaids at which wore dresses of silver grey surah and plush, bonnets of grey silk lined with cherry-coloured velvet. —It is curious how suddenly and completely the conjunction of black and red has seized on the fancy of fashionmongers. No other combination has been so popular for a long time, and is certainly effective when the complexion and hair are favourable. With train and bodice of red silk (poppy-red surah preferably) and black lace skirt a charming dinner or evening toilet is obtained, and in the air is worn a tiny piece of ' red ribbon orumpled on the top of a hairpin, a small osprey standing erect in the middle of

the bow. I may remark that small upright bows of ribbon mounted on hairpins and matching the dress colour are the most fashionable of all head-trimmings. I read with bated breath at the daring of the wearer — a recent bride — whose travelling costume was a dark blue serge d^ess, over which a scarlet covert coat was worn, topped by red cloth hat. Bed hosiery is also in great favour, and is invariably worn when scarlet appears in the dress-trimming or as part of the dress material itself. Many persons think they can wear red, yet it is certainly trying to not a few who have no misgivings whatever on the point— pale, sallow women, for example. There are reds and reds, however, and difference of shade is most important. Scarlet will suit one, ruby another ; the purple tones in some reds are most disastrous to certain complexions. White is traditionally the colour for brides, and white cloth dresses are not unsuitable for the time of year ; nor is a gown of this kind so unbecoming as might be supposed if a collar and other trimming of golden beaver be worn. I have just seen a bride's dress with a little out-of-door jacket trimmed with this f ur> bonnet to correspond, and muff also ; shoes and hosiery of tan colour, to tone with the beaver. It was quite an ideal costume.