National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-06-20
WHAT LADIES WEAR.
. Close-htting Garments All tho Rage
The Chemise Out of Date-Tight Lac.
ing Again in Vogue.


ing Again in Vogue.
Homemade underwear for either ladies
or children is almost thing OF the past.
SO cheap and altogether desirable are the
different grades and kinds OF garments
turned out by the manufacturers that few
ladies care to devote precious, fleetlng time
to making underwear for themselves. The
style OF garment known as "Jersey under
wear'' is also superseding the old-fashioned
creations Of muslin. A dress cannot fit
perfectly or be artistic in effect If the
underwear beneath II does not 1T without
wrinkle or fullness. The chemise Is I'M
satisfactory, for It has been found almost
impossible to make II so that the dress
worn over 1t fits as well as II there was no
chemise, at all. Albeit, there is
no other garment which, by it.
delightful as the almost discarded chemise
II seems to be the one garment selected by
fashion upon which unlimited flights Of
fancy and experiment can be INDUCED 1t
may be made Of cobwebby linen lawn
and delicate frosty lace Of crepe de chine,
OF muslin trimmed as taste may devise, with
Valenciennes t0rchon, or embroidery, or, IL
may be Of dotted linen lawn with white
ground and tiny bits Of color in brown, blue,
or pink, profusely decorated with narrow
"flat NaI' lace. There are drawers to match
this style of chemise, and ladies who cannot
accustom themselves to wearing woven nets
alone are making great use of these gar
m i for travelling purposes. There are
batiste, and others OF gray, long In the skirt
and plain about the bust, with just a dainty
edging Of lace. They are dainty, exquisite,
and Quakerish in effect. The prices OF these
colored chemises range from 30 cents to 50
each.
"We do not sell one-fourth as many
chemises as we did before the introduction
OF the fine woven year, said q State street
saleswoman. "That is made to conform to
the figure so perfectly and to assist so sat
isfactorily In the making up of q figure by
artificial means that the majority of women
who take genuine pride In their appearance
are using It exclusively. Many wear corset
covers, seeming to think they cannot be
dressed with simply jersey vest aud a cor
set or waist under garments. But these
with fine natural figures are apt to wear
nothing but the vest and corset beneath
their dresses, for they don't care TO destroy
the symmetry thus brought out. Depend
upon II, woman with fine bust and shout
ders is not going TO swathe all their lines out
of sight in ruflled and lace-trimmed muslin.
II she's made up she'll doit, but not other
WISE But the woman with the fine waist
and bust is lacing this year terribly. Why,
the fashionable waist now must not exceed
twenty inches, and eighteen or nineteen Is
better. Last year the regulation waist was
twenty.four or twenty-five inches. Look
at the French fashion plates. The waists
In them actually run down to point.
There was plump and beautifully shaped
young lady here not long ago ordering I'M
derwear, corsets, bustles, and so on. She
is a regular customer, and we know her
measurements. i selected the same num-
Der In corsets that she is accustomed to
wear. No, nor she exclaimed, Give me
an 18-inch corset. I'm resolved TO bring
my waist down to that size II there are
corset laces In Chicago strong enough to
do it.'n
"What material in woven underwear is
most used?h
"Of course more of the gossamer is sold
than anything else, for II Is cheaper and
satisfactory in every way. Many ladies of
good taste make exclusive use of imported
balbriggan wear. The American balbriggan
is good article, but the sleeves In the vests
are not set in TO fit the shoulder as well, and
the yokes to the drawers are more clumsy.
They are, consequently, not so desirable for
those who have tendency to embonpoint.
The American goods sell at 80 cents, the
English at 76 cents to 81, and the French
$3.50 to Sc. The natural tint is more used
than the white or gold. Ladies' who become
Will not wear anything else. The stiff,
starched, frllled things they once walked
around In arc regarded as denominations.
Balbriggan drawers impart an ease TO mo-
ton impossible to exercise when the legs
were incased In the old-fashioned arrange
ment.n
''Do the vests have low necks and short
sleevesY'
"Some do and others have high necks
with sleeves reaching to the wIists.n
"Do the vests requires alteration
"Seldom. Some ladies with very slender
wrists have piece of the garment taken
out. There is little likelihood of getting
woven vest too tight unless II draws under
the arms and across the bust, and the
majority OF women experience no difficulty
In that way. IL the under garment does
draw too tight across the bust 1t will ruin
the looks OF the dress, for II gives fiat APP
pearance. silk underwear Is much worn
by invalids, particularly those troubled
with rheumatism and neuralgia. IL ranges
In price from "a 10 SIG. Some prefer the
ak and worsted and claim 1t generates
moro electricity than the pure silk. These
garments can be bought from 50 80 to "a.
Here is some underwear for babies" she
said, exhibiting a tiny vest of fine merlno
with dainty fucings OF soft silk and ex-
quisite little catch stitches 'erhere are
garments now for babies from the age of
One.hour upward. They cost from 30 cents
TO 81 per set, aud can be had In fine merino,
Berlin wool, and silk"
"Are the woven garments used for bridal
out0ts?n
'eNot altogether Most brides are sup
piled with q complete stock, but they in
variably make use OF more elaborate gar
ments Of linen lawns, fine cambria, or crepe
de chine, and let their woven underwear
remain In the boxes. We had an order for
bridal set not long since that was q mar
vel. 1t was night-dress, ehemise, and
drawers made OF crepe de chine and mass