The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-17
Some Winter Gowns.

In the winter maiden's fancy
lightly turns to thoughts of Clothes"
to paraphrase famous quotation. This
is the season when the woman of small
means, who has no wish to look
"dowdy." tries with much deliberaton
to decide whether she shall turn her
last seasons gown upside down or
downside up. Perhaps few hints from
practical experience may be of service
in the making of useful gowns for the
coming season.
A correspondent asks how she shall
make wooden gown for house wear.
This need not be very difficult under
taking, though formidable to the busy
housewife. The first requisite in wooden
gowns now is perfect neatness of finish,
to initiate the work of tailor. The
make should be simple; its stylishness
depends largely on the draping. The
rough cloths popular last winter are now
rather out of favor; smooth material is
preferred.
A pretty gown is of navy blue tricot
cloth. The gored skirt is quite plain,
without any plating. AT the foot are
three rows of black silk braid, laid on
flat. AT the left side is a side. plated
panel, extending from the waist to the
foot of the skirt. 1t is eighteen inches
wide at the bottom, narrowing to about
six inches at the top. The drapery is
all neatly bound with the silk braid.
The back drapery is made of one
breadth of the stuff, which is fifty-four
inches wide; it is perfectly square, and
is bound with the braid around one
end and side. The top is plated across
in large side plaits, and the unbound
side is also plated right up into the
waistband, so as to leave the drapery
hanging in one large point, with the
fulness in heavy vertical folds, which
hang very gracefully over the dress i'm
proven There is a short apron front,
coming from under the panel. The
bodice is short, pointed in front, with
position back, all neatly bound with
the braid 1t should be fastened with
small, fiat black silk buttons. This is
really a stylish gown, and has very
neat tailor finish. A little bonnet or
toque may be covered with the cloth,
and with cardinal feathers or ribbon
bows will be very smart.
The drapery here described is really
the prevailing mode; it is repeated over
and over again, with but trifling varia-
ton. The short apron shape is certainly
to be in high favor again. Its con-
temporary, the killed skirt, is again
coming into vogue, and we see some
handsome cloth gowns made in this
STYLE The skirt must be killed all
round in shallow side plaits; the drapery
over it Just the same as that described
for the blue cloth, minus the braid. The
bodice is similar in shape, or may be
varied by vest.
VESTS are very much worn, and are
great assistance when one is reno
waiting an old gown. This is sometimes
difficult, when one has not enough of
the original material to produce good
result. Suppose the eXperimenter has
partly worn gown of myrtle green
cloth. After making rough estimate
we would purchase about three yards
of geranium red cloth-that is, sup
posing the wearer is young and bru-
nette, The green bodice should be a
cutaway shape, with vest and cuffs of
red. The skirt may be killed in broad
plaits, alternately red and green; the
drapery green. Or, if the supply of the
original stuff was scant, the entire
killed skirt may be of the red This
would be handsome gown, not at all
made-over" in appearance.-Rurdt
Nelo Yorker