Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-16
CHAT ON FASHION.

Midsummer suggests hot weather gowns,
and the thinner and lighter these are, the
more appropriate they seem. Then, too,
there is harmony in their fashioning, and
the time suitable for their wearing, al
though all of them are dainty enough for
an evening wear. These gowns are not
only thin, but fashion at the watering
places DEGREES that when meant for evening
wear they are to be low-necked and short
sleeved. This is well when the neck is fair
and the arms plump, but scrawny, yellow
necks and sharp elbows have no charm, and
even the pretext of GOODNESS scarce fur
nishes excuse for so glaring offense against
good taste. There are lessons in dress that
women are slow to learn, especially if they
do not study their weak points. If this
study was more common, the eye would
not be so often offended by seeing protrud-
ing shoulder blades and angular hips &C
centuated by smooth-fitting coats or see
short women affecting the highest collars
and fullest pulled sleeves. 1t is little Won
der that women covet the wearing of the
dainty sprigged muslin, the pretty en-
broidered white goods and the filmy laces
that are offered this season, but let those
with whom nature has not been over
bountiful forego the GOODNESS, that is after
all more the seeming, and wear the Innings
in even the summer dress Most of the
white wash goods are lined with the same,
as then the shrinkage in the laundering is
alike
There may be said to be two styles of
summer bodice, one of extreme severity
and simplicity and one most complicated
with lace jabots, drapery and gorgeous
sleeves. OF course, to the latter class be-
long most of the thin tissues, French
batists and chambrays and made in one
piece often, with bodice opening over
tucked chemisette, finished at neck with
deep Byron collar. The front breadth,
plated on each shoulder, opens in center to
button diagonally, continuing below waist
line to hem. This is held in to figure by
pointed belt coming from the sides. Rows
of briar stitching form the sole ornamental
ton to many of these chambray gowns.
The sleeves are full bishop ones. En-
broidered and other muslins are made sur
plice, having the shoulder fullness pref
tily shaped into a pointed yoke. These
muslins are made still more dainty by fine
Valenciennes edgings. How cool and charm
ing are these simple sprigged muslins,
seemingly summers ideal dress material,
not too expensive for the many and too de-
sirable to be sneered at by the few; pretty
for many an occasion, with brightness I'M
impaired by frequent washings.
The pretty old-fashioned organizes that
are too delicate for the washer-woman's
tenderest mercies, are made over silk the
color of the figure. The common way of
making is to put bias founce with a
shirred heading on the overskirt. The
bodice is gathered on close fitting lining.
in sections alternating with various gath
cred pufs of muslin. A coat skirt is gath
cred below the waist, while the sleeves
have deep cuffs to match corseiet.
Nets will continue to be worn during the
heated term and are likely to overlap into
autumn. The newest nets for black gowns
are OF light quality, like that used for walls,
made up over rich ribbed silks in pale
gray or stem green rather than black, if the
fancy so dictates. The bodice is a full
round one, with the net gathered full over
the silk and striped leus:hwise sometimes
with ribbon. Ends Of bodice are slipped in
side the dress skirt, heA oy belt Of satin,
fastened with bow. Net skirts are gath
cred all round the top and handsomely Dor
dered at foo. with applique. Unless one is
slim, very slim. cae IS apt % look 'sbasgy''
in one of these gathered net dresses. Some
of them are most elaborate, with not only a
fun sathered skirt Of lace from three yards