Montour American

Winter
Novelties
..IN..
Dress

The winter gowns are very dainty. Tucks, featherstitchings, laces and even fine embroideries figure largely upon them. The rumor that we were to return to simpler styles has not been realized.

Even in street and mourning costumes this tendency to elaborateness makes itself felt. Young widows this season wear charming dresses quite as fanciful as if they were not mourning at all. The illustration shows one of the latest designs of this sort. The gown is made of soft eudora, with a tucked pouched bodice and a clinging skirt having a long train. The waist has a front of crape embellished in a crisscross effect of tiny bias folds of the same crape. The panel which forms the vest extends down the front of the skirt, and a narrower band of it heads the full bias ruffle of tucked eudora which gives such a pretty flare around the feet. A narrow turndown collar and cuffs of hemstitched mull are permitted to relieve the severity of these thoroughly chic widow's weeds.

To leave a rather somber subject, the most graceful little fur jackets are now being shown in the shops. Many of them barely reach to the waist line, and the others have tiny close fitting coattails or else postilion backs, the upper half of the coat being pouched into a jeweled belt. Ermine and sable is a favorite combination in a jacket of this description. The animal boas heretofore so popular are being replaced by stole shaped scarfs similar to those worn by our grandmothers.

FOR A YOUNG WIDOW.

The new muffs are absolutely without stiffening and present a flat shape. The more dressy are made with a narrow top, widening out gradually. Long boas of black and cinnamon bear are both inexpensive and fashionable. Sable fox is another fur which is within the means of those who have small purses. It is lustrous and very handsome.

Never before have evening cloaks been so elaborate. There is just at present a fancy for all white or all black garments lined with rich brocades, chiffons and laces. Gun metal gray bengaline makes a very chic and useful garment trimmed with incrustations of deep coffee lace and fastening with beautiful jeweled buttons. Perhaps the most practical coat is made of black peau de soie. It can be used for both day and evening wear. I recently saw a garment of this sort on a woman who was going into Delmonico's. It was made with a short empire waist and the triple cape effect so stylish at present. Each cape was edged with Persian embroidery. A fluffy scarf of chiffon appliqued with the embroidery fell from the fastening of her collar almost to her feet. A casual movement revealed the fact that the coat was lined with a flowered Persian brocade, whose warm tones harmonized with the embroidery on the rest of the coat. The newest sleeves for evening garments are either cut flaring or else they are tucked from the shoulder down to the elbow, where they form a puff, which is held into a snugly fitting cuff at the wrist.

The latest thing in separate blouses is the monogram waist. This is made of tucked flannel, with a stitched stock and belt, fastening with a medallion of the goods embroidered with the wearer's monogram in contrasting colors. This monogram also appears chevron fashion on the left sleeve.

The most up to date skirts for street wear are finished with rows of wide and narrow folds simulating tucks. The prettiest evening gowns of the season are made of black point d'esprit or white net banded with wavy lace insertions. If ruffles are used, they are smart edged with narrow ribbons-velvet ribbon for the black dresses, satin for the white. Crushed belts of black panne are finished in the back with short bows and long sash ends of black chantilly.

The latest hair ornament for evening wear is a double wreath of tiny pink roses. With this is worn a corsage bouquet, also of the same tiny roses, from which depend a score of tiny pink velvet streamers, each knotted around a rosebud.

HENRIETTE ROUSSEAU.