Morning journal and courier., 1884-11-13
PLAIN WINTER DRESSES.
Fashion, Comfort and Cheapness Conn
 bined.

bined. From Harper's Bazar.l
 1 Inexpensive dresses that are also pretty and gay are made with the basque of differ 1 ent material from the skirts-a fashion al- ways popular with economists, as it permits change and variety in limited wardrobes. | For such suits the basque may be of plain 1 cloth or of velveteen, or else 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 \ wools that may be in lengthwise stripes for short women, or in stripes around the skirt for those who very tall. Thus a blue cloth waist with plaid skirt combining blue, l brown, red and olive shades is a favorite dress for young ladies to wear in the morning either at home or on the street. The blue cloth is rightly called waist, as it shows be- | low the waist in the front only, while the | back has two loops or stout eyes set just be- low the waist line which the skirt drapery is hooked The skirt is made in convention al fashion, with p1eated lower skirt and dra- pery that may be long or short in front, but
 must be very full and long behind; this dra- pery is arranged on the tournure to droop in l 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 eff I feet.
 The velveteens that are sold for one dollar yard and upward are used for basques and there are also rib velveteens like corduroy l that combine tastefully with cloth or with camel's hair of the same shade. The soft wool stuff may be used for the overskirt only, and the skirt may be of ve1veteen far as it is visible below the overskirt. Girls from twelve to sixteen years of age, and also their older sisters, get serviceable wear out of these durable velveteens, which are in good
 
 trimming. The dark brown and green vel veteens of plain surface, and the ribbed or striped velvet in dark blue or garnet, appear to find most favor.
 For older women the cloth finished hannels are used for inexpensive street dresses, made up with a 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 foundation skirt there need be only deep pleated and tucked hounce across the front and sides, while above this is a full apron that may have, by way of ornament, 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 dress is in coat shape, of even length around the hips, as I this coat effect will make the dress appro-
 priate for wearing in the street without a wrap in the intermediate seasons of spring and autumn, for women of small means should choose their wool dresses with 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 but I toned their entire length, else cut away
 below the waist line. Slit pockets curved
 slightly are set in the fronts, and there is 8 small breast pocket for the watch. The col | lar, whether turned over or standing, is near ly covered with rows of the mohair braid, and there are three or four rows around the
 cuffs This design, though not new, is pre-
 ferred to more elaborate models which de- tract from the neatness of plain costume
 and make it look 'tfussy" and common.
 tsBut John P Robinson, he sez they didn't
 know everything down in Judee." They cer-