News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-04
THE WINTER FABRICS.
Plain Winter Dresses, and How They
Should be Made Up.

inexpensive dresses that are also
pretty and gay are made with the basque
of different material from the skirts-a
fashion always popular with economists,
as it permits change and variety in
limited wardrobes. For such suits,
Harper's Bazdr tells us, the basque may
| of Jersey cloth, and the skirt one of the
fancy plaids now in vogue, or else a
| dark Scotch tartan of mixed blue and
green, or of the newer striped woods
that may be in lengthwise stripes for
short women, or IN stripes around the
skirts for those who are very tall. Thus
blue cloth waist with plaid skirt COM
bining blue, brown, red and olive
shades is a favorite dress for young
ladies to wear in the mornings either at
home or on the street. The blue cloth
is rightly called waist, as it shows be-
low tho waist in the front only, while the
back has two loops or stout eyes set just
below the waist line, On which the skirt
drapery is hooked. The skirt is made
in conventional fashion, with a pleated
lower skirt and drapery that may be
long or short in front, but must be very
full and long behind; this drapery is ar
ranged on the tournure to droop in two
soft loops by catching up the upper part
of the long breadths that cover the back
of the skirt; cluster of small pleats or
one large pleat is taken at each side and
in the middle of the back drapery to
| give this effect
The velveteens that are sold for 81
yard and upward are used for basques,
and there are also ribbed velveteens like
corduroy that combine tastefully with
cloth or camels-hair OF the same shade.
The soft wool stuff may be used for the
over-skirt only, and the skirt may be of
| velveteen as far as it is visible below the
over-skirt. Girls from twelve to sixteen
years of age, and also their older sis
| tiers. get serviceable wear out of these
durable velveteens, which are in good
taste when simply made and without
much trimming. The dark brown and
green velveteens of plain surface. and
| the ribbed or striped velveteens in dark
blue or garnet, appear to find most
favor.
For older women the cloth finish fan
nels are used for inexpensive street
dresses, made up with a little braid on
the basque and apron, while the foot of
the pleated skirt has a bunch of tucks
or of braid above deep hem. When
made over an alpaca or silesia founda-
ton skirt there need be only q deep
pleated and tucked founce across the
front and sides, while above this is a full
apron that may have, by way of orna-
ment, linked rings of mohair braid; in
the back there are two long box pleats,
deeply folded in triple layers extending
from the belt to the foot, and tucked to
match the front The best basque for
such a dress is in coat shape, of even
length around the hips, as this coat
effect will make the dress appropriate
for wearing in the street without wrap
in the intermediate seasons of spring and
autumn, for women of small means
should choose their wool dresses with q
view to wearing them the greater part of
the year, at least in Northern climates.
The fronts Of the coat are single
breasted, and may be buttoned their en-
tire length, or else cut away below the
waist line. Slit pockets curved slightly
are set in the fronts, and there is small
treast pocket for the watch. The col
lar, whether turned over or standing, is
nearly covered with rows of the mohair
braid, and there are three or four rows
around the cuffs. This design, though
not new, is preferred to more elaborate
models which detract fro n the neatness
of a plain costume and make it look
Hfussy' and common