188 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
the too frequent appearance make it tiresome to the 
observer. It is better for one who must study economy 
never to buy any but good and durable materials; for 
it costs just as much for linings and work to make up a 
cheap material as a good one, and when done, altliough 
it may look well for a short time, will not in the end 
prove serviceable or satisfactory. 
If a lady buys each year one or two really good 
dresses, by proper care of them she will always have on 
hand a wardrobe which will enable her to appear well 
dressed even, by a small expenditure; for, although a 
dress be not entirely new, if the material is fine, the neck 
trimmiirgs neat and fresh, the gloves faultless, and the 
boimet in good taste, the effect is always pleasing. 
Beside the art required in the selection of color and 
material, it is also very important that, in aiiistio dress, 
we should choose such designs as are appropriate to our 
own figures. Miss Oakey, in her little work entitled 
“Beairty in Dress,” just issued by Harper Bros., gives 
some very pr-actioal suggestions on this topic: 
“The geometric style of dress—that is, cut up into 
triangles and stiff forms—is trying for any kind of fig^ure, 
good or bad. 'Wliere the figm-e is l^dsome, the nearer 
to the simplicity of a bit of fabric draped about it in 
soft, clinging dines the dress approaches, the more be¬ 
coming. 
Long lines from the shoulder to the foot give height; 
horizontal lines crossing the figure shorten the person. 
Short, stout women should avoid basques, or any dress 
ihat makes a descriptive line about the hips; ruffies at 
the shoulder or hips that increase the bulk; waists or 
skirts of too great tightness, where looser draperies 
would give slenderness to the figure from not defining 
too clearly the Hues. 
Tall women who are too slender may use the hori¬ 
zontal lines with advantage, and increase the apparent 
size of arm or waist by a surrounding band. The double 
skirt is to them an advantage, where it makes the shorter 
woman look too short. 
A massing of color, and a gentle passing from one 
tone to another, is always more pleasing than violent 
contrasts, which, if used, should be in one place, as in a 
bow judiciously placed, or a fiower or a lining. 
Wliite muslin or lace about the neck casts reflected 
lights on the face, thus clearing the complexion, and 
lighting up the little modellings of the face. Wliere the 
type is finer than the modelUng, a di-ess that eats up the 
light, like dark velvet, will be the most effective setting. 
People appear more slender in black and dark colors, 
and stouter in light colors; slenderer in such stuffs as 
form masses of shadow, with a few flashing tights, as 
velvet, for instance; and stouter in stuffs that reflect 
light and have fewer shadows, like cloth, satin, silk. 
No young girl looks as young or as lovely in heavy 
velvets and loaded trimmings as in simple muslins, and 
soft, clinging materials. She detracts from her own 
fresh charms by calling attention to her adornment. 
Trimming should be entirely consequent upon the 
structru'e of the dress. The button that buttons notiiing, 
or appeal’s to button nothing, the bow that ties or fastens 
notiiing, is an absurdity; yet one sees much trimming 
that is of this kind. Nothing is more elegant than sim¬ 
plicity, nor in worse taste than over-elaboration. 
A little pale woman in flashing diamonds is absurd; 
the silent pearl, the dull, soft turquoise, the evasive, 
mysterious opal, even the little inexpensive moon-stone, 
the gi-een chalcedony, the topaz, the amethyst—espe¬ 
cially with a velvet surface or finish (what the French 
call “defacee”); even amber, or pale tea-colored coral 
—all these, as ornaments, are becoming to ninety- 
nine women, where the diamond is becoming to the one 
hundredth. 
That a woman with delicate personal charms should 
utterly extinguish them by the brilliancy of her dress, 
seems like the blind taste of a savage. For most women 
a single jewel, if it is handsome, which shall be the key¬ 
note of color of the dress, is more effective tlian necklace 
and bracelets and rings.” 
WHAT WE SHALL WEAR. 
In place of the cadet-blues which have been so popu¬ 
lar, there are tailor-made suits in brown or dark gray of 
very fine and soft Scotch Tweed. 
Braiding promises to be plentifully used this season 
on costiunes of cloth and cashmere; the half-inch mo¬ 
hair put on in rows the width of the braid apart, and 
also soutache, which makes a more elaborate trinuning. 
Bands of fur, so much worn last winter, will be i-e- 
vived, and in some cases used in addition to the braid. 
Embroidery will also be worn—that upon cashmere done 
in sUk of the same shade as the material, which makes a 
rich garniture, and not expensive if done at home. 
Masculine styles still prevail in outer garments. The • 
Prince Albert frock coat is copied almost literally 
for outside garments to cloth suits. 
A writer in Harper's Bazar describes some newly im¬ 
ported suits as having plush skirts and applique plush 
borders on the cloth overskirt and basque. This is very 
handsome in the dark Rembrandt red shades, with a wide 
ruche of plush in box-pleats lined with satin for the 
trimming at the foot of the skirt. The Greek over-dress, 
caught up very high on the left side and falling low on 
the right, has a scalloped edge of wide applique plush 
leaves that are very effective on the cloth. The cloth 
basque has a vest covered with this plush applique trim¬ 
ming, and is fastened by slender lozenge-shaped buttons 
in two rows with loops across. 
The drapery upon some of the latest imported dresses 
consists wholly of flowing folds and puffs falUng from 
the belt to the foot of the skirt, and caught up hei-e and 
there by ornaments of silk cord. Other skirts are trim¬ 
med with a puff made of box-pleats, pulled out to form 
the puff, and falling over a narrow box-pleated ruche at 
the bottom. 
Parisian traveling cloaks are made of the shape of a 
long paletot, fitting the figure in the back and loose in 
front, with odd turn-over sleeves in Chinese style turned 
back with wide facings of silk. 
Cashmeres and other fine woolen goods are shown in 
new shades which cannot fail to please all; dark myrtle, 
olive greens, deep royal blue, and a beautiful shade of 
golden brown, which promises to out-rival all the rest in 
popularity. 
There must necessarily come a reaction after the rage 
for Spanish lace, and it is said it will give place to the 
imitation of Chantilly, 
