The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-12-25
MAKING nv own dresses fairly scream. !

ed Cecilia Il don't think anybody but
dressuaker can make dress fit TO wear"
beg leave to differ with you there /
made this suit entirely my myself and
saved the cost of the material by doing so
1t Is not at all difficult to make the narrow
gored skirts worn with street costumes, and
a little patience will enable you t. master
the difficulties ei5sguifs aud trimmings.
fnnges are slk Very much, aud when
used, but little other trimming is necessary.
Skirts are being made now by many with>
out the hounce at the bottom, and that
omission slmpiheS the work. The striped
petueoats are much better plain; however,
you may make those OF solid colorS. You
can easily get patterns for every part of
your dress, and with care YOU can do as
well as dreSsmaker or rather as we'll as a
dresslnaker apprentice. by whom very of
ten your work Is doue.
DO they wear the dresses low at the
throat, this winter? inquired Mrs.
Brown.
Dresses extremely low are not suitable
Tor cold weather, and do not look well at
any season on some people. Fashion
should never be tyrant bat always ser
want, and common sense should have as
much scope here as anywhere When it is
the fashion to Wear dresses very igh at the
throat, some ladies', with short neclss, look
almost ugly with narrow collars directly
under the ears when fashion DEGREES the
opposite extreme, the stout ones are be
eomingly colared and the spare, long necks
have the worst of it.
Il have q lady in mind who never wears
her dressescyfgh, and because linen is not
becoming to her, replaces 1t with delicate
frilis, hnlshed with edging for morning, and
dainty lace Tor dress. She has all her thin
dresses made with the old fashioned dra
perry sleeves, because she very rightly con-
slders them more suited to her style. Her
hair, too, Is allowed to fail In a natural line
from the forehead to the tip of the ear, and
whether the fashion be one thing or anoth-
er, is always confined in cluster of curls at
the back. l sometimes fancy her dressed
In extreme fashioa, and | never fail to
laugh at the picture.
she must be wonderful creature"
said Cecilia. Il might.increase in wisdom
fcr thousand years, but shouldn't he up
to that +"
The present style of couture is extreme
ly pretty, continued Jenny, land there
are few who do not look well with the hal.
brushed back from the face; but when
fashion assumes to modify one s individual
style and even expression, she should be
pushed wIthln her proper limits. | might
Illustrate my meaning further by speaking
OF the stylish little capes, caught up with
rosettes, or with strap reaching from the
neck they are exceedingly becoming to
slender, graceful persons, broadening
shoulders that incline to narroWness, and
obvlatng the stiffness sometimes seen ia
very straight, petite figures but that is no
reason why dozens OF stout ladies should
bring out more prominently their defects
with these same pretty capes Ia trimming
The bodies of dresses, the idea Of proper
ton between the waist and shoulders should
be considered, not that it is necessary to
beauty that the waist should be very small,
but that it should be proportioned to the
bust and shoulders for large waists, bre
telles, or any trimming that narrows grad
ua!ly to the belt, has this desirable effect.
On the whole, If you wish to dress well.
you must be much more soiicitous for har-
mony OF color and outline than for costll-
ness OF material. An artistic eye, rowing
up and down Broadway, finds much to dis,
please In dress, uot that it deserves sweep
ing censure, for ladies' were never so pretti.
y and jauntiiy dressed as now, and the
iaailiUno were never 50 sensible but there
Is great lack of adoption to individual
style, and great want of harmony II col
Ors.
DO you wear black so much because it's
economical r said Cecilia, awaiting herself
of period 20 put in a word.
Economical and becoming. Black is
always pretty and stylish, and lady can
get along with much less variety if black
be the prevailing color In the wardrobe. If
lady wears black dress several times in
SUCCESSION you don t notice it particularly :
you say she Is well dressed and think no
more about 1t. For the present street COS
tunes, nothing can be prcttier than black
material, relieved by q biz Of color m the
hat, or In the ribbon at the throat. In,
deed, the best dressed ladies on the prone
made this winter wear black, and many hats
and bonnetS are made without a particle of
color, the ralnness being relieved by lace
aid SATIN Persons without stout figures
and angular outlines should by all means
wear black, as 1t has suitening etfert ana
subdues coarseness and excessive enLon.
point.
That's very true" said Mrs. Brown.
II don't think I'm particularly coarse, but
cioSN ~ WY oOoouiiilS W me. l. shall take
the opportunity to put on mourning this
winter tor Mr.. Browns second cousin. and
wish you could tell me what to get"
L am glad to be able to DO SO; have
been looking at mourning goods Lately 70, a
friend Ia the country. Serges are very
much worn Tor mouralng, and the English
serge, which makes a servieeabie suit fol
travelling and common wear, may be bought
tor dollar yard besides serge, empress
cloth and popim alapacas are proper for
street suits. Fer heavy material, serge
braid Is suitable trimming, the Hercules
braid being much used OF course the ma.
! tcrlal of tue dress is used to make all kind,
Of trimmings, but the style must lie simple
ana severe, as any mourning costume should
have an appearances of plainness-puff
and Hounces not according with the idea il
Is meant to convey. For full dress, heavy
lustreless silk should be worn with Grape
trimmings. Purple and grey are not worn
for half mourning, but black material trim
med with pleanngs OF the same or with
folds OF silk. The collar may be fastened
with purple knot, and little of the same
color may appear IN the hat; W th suits the
pettlcoat may be purple For cloak you
can have astrakan or dead black beaver
bordered with astrakan or with silk folds.