A picturesque costume for the autumn

1902

Source: Illustrated London News

“Men, alas! cannot dress prettily nowadays — at one time they had the best of it there, too — and that is certainly a source of diversion and consolation in a troublesome world. To many women, new dresses form the chief novelty of their existence; and well do the arbiters of fashion take care that variety shall be provided for us in that direction. One of the novelties of the moment is the free use of a rich orange or mandarin yellow in millinery, and for the small bits of colour that the tailors introduce to brighten their dark cloth gowns.”

“In the hats, the vivid colour appears chieﬂy in the form of fruit; perhaps as tiny oranges, that have a right to be yellow, but often in some nondescript cluster, shaped like peaches or apricots, but made by the tint unlike anything real on sea or land. Dahlias, again, appear frequently in that brilliant guise.” [Continued below]

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A tiny twist of mandarin yellow velvet on a hat or at the front and cuffs of a dark tweed gown is quite sufficient to lighten it up. A very vivid green is also much used for the like purpose. White felt, by the way, is particularly good trimmed with the new yellow; and autumn leaves in many tones of red also come well on the snowy white foundation. Narrow cords and tassels, sometimes in a dark tone to match the gown, but more frequently in some bright contrast, or in gold or silver thread, put in the most frequent appearance of any decoration of the hour. Triple or double capes over the shoulders are much used for indoor gowns, though to my thinking they always give an outdoor aspect. The capes in silk. instead of in the cloth of which the costume is made, are more dressy. The fancy for combining green and blue has mounted to a height that is already akin to vulgarity; but a shot - green and blue glacé silk in three-fold capes upon a dark blue smooth cloth dress was rather chic. Some new ribbons are produced that shade gradually from bright green to deep blue, so that rosettes made up in it give the fashionable blend, and can be used as choux on the gown or trimmings for the chapeau at choice. The Toreador shape, practically a turban, is liked in felt by some; and this is sufficiently trimmed with a big shot-ribbon rosette and a quill or two. Flat rosettes, like those of a coachman's cockade, are also made to trim these hats, but on a very big scale; and these flat rosettes are centred with a fancy paste button or other ornament. Our Illustrations show a three-quarter length coat trimmed with lace, velvet, and tassels; and a cloth costume with double skirt for autumn wear (image). Pope has told us that to complete the spendthrift’s ruin it is only necessary for him to “have a taste”; but some lucky people can combine having a taste with present respectable good citizenship and possible eventual proﬁt. Such are the expert collectors of old china, whose “taste,” charming in itself, is necessarily combined with a home to keep the treasures in, and who may feel certain of the increasing value of their well-chosen “bits.” To aid each other in judging and understanding their subject, several well known amateurs of old china have formed “The Ceramic and Art Collectors’ Society,” Mrs. Croly, Bolton Mansions Hotel, being the hon. sec. The society is conﬁned to amateurs, no dealer or person buying or selling for business being eligible. The members meet to study each others’ collections, and to read papers on their hobby. My readers sharing this taste will be glad to learn details from Mrs. Croly. FILOMENA.

Bibliography

“Ladies’s Page.” Illustrated London News. 50 (1 November 1902): 664. Hathi Trust web version of a copy in The University of Chicago Library. Web. 14 December 2015.

Last modified 8 May 2009