The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-23
HOW TO DRESS CHILDREN.
Superiority Of the Kate
GreenaWay Style Over
the French.
COMFORT AND SIMPLICITY COMBINED
Two Pretty and Effective towns
Spring and Summer
Styles.

In a leading fashion journal, recently
saw an article condemning the Kate
Greenaway style of dress for children.
The writer deplored the fact that even
''in Paris the influence OF the odd fancy
garments designed bv Miss Kate Greena-
way was at last felt" The writer further
says:-"Some Anglo-Saxon writers have
compllmented the French nation on the
fact that they have Mt last grasped the
superior artistic value of these fashions.
but for my part, I heartily decline the
honor of the compliment. Il | hope that
II rapid change will soon procure us some
eulogy which we will have better
deserved and can more sincerely appre-
ciate.
"Those who view the matter without
prejudice will acknowledge that the fact
of Disgusting healthy babies who want to
play and run about. in ditninutive grand
mothers clothes, may be amusing to the
mothers and their friends. who can laugh
at the funny effect produced by the con-
trast between the youthful appearance OF
the child and the venerable style OF the
dress. but this Is by no means KIND TO the
child, who does not enjoy these clothes
which are too wide and too long for 1t
and in which it cannot play"
Then tile article goes on to praise the
French fashions and refers one to a page
of illustrations of children and their
dresses, 1t reminds one of the ADVERTISE
ments of medicines which say:-"Ours
are The best; others will be forced GU you.
but ask for and get only ours"
This is the way l regard this revolution
opuTpct tho Kata GreaNaway atvla or
dressing for children. 1t makes them
look like grandmothers? What non-
sense! They never looked so sweet. so
simple and so childish in anything as
they do in these dresses. On the other
ha nd, you must admit, u grandmother
VIC uld look %absurdiy youthful In such Il
cos tune. The utter absence of frills
and furbelows. the lack OF business, is Il
very good thing for these youthful
daughters OF Eve. in whom too soon crops
out the feminine love of dress. The Kate
Greenaway style has this besides in its
favor, a child 50 clothed is not dressed"
up. is not made conscious OF its clothes, q
tendency which even grown women cau-
not always overcome in much trimmed
gowns.
HEALTHY WAISTS.
The waist in these Kate Greenaway
gowns is unconf1ned, a healthy custom.
and in marked contrast to the pictures Of
llLLlc EITlS "a LulTkctuh uu lOuElccu, WriCu
show the waist to be SO compressed as to
require only a belt of some sixteen inches.
Which fashion, judging by the real
children we know, do you think Is beue-
ticial or ~iniurious? l have recollections
of many groups of children at the sea-
shore, clad in these Kate GreenawaY
gowns, who seemed to enjoy life immensely
III spite or their alleged uncom[ortaDle
garments.
In one particular, however, l am in
clined to agree with the writer, and that
is against the too great length of the Kate
Greenaway gowns. But surely Il sensible
mother. when she sees her little one trip
ping on 1t going up stairs, will modify Its
length to proper proportions.
Hope the result of this article against
this happy device by an English woman
will not Dear fruit. No doubt it is diff
cult for the French, whom all agree are
the great fashion designers In the world.
TO follow a style Designed by others. but
surely they are too sensible to kill u good
thing on that account.
Do YOU know, after seeing cinderella
at School," and noticing how gracefully
aud unrestrainedly the young ladies
danced and acted in their pretty Kate
Greenaway gowns, a young friend OF
mine remarked, "Ithink / will get a house
gown made after this style. II looks SO
comfortable" | myself thought it would
be a very pretty idea if young women
would adopt this picturesque style. Or
course | contend 1t makes them look
youthful, but what oma will rebel
against thalP
TWO PRETTY COSTUMES.
Two pretty dresses for the seashore
caught my eye recently. and received my
admiration. or course, you will say they
are very bright. but you know one can
dress much more brightly ut the scashore
than oil the city street. One destined for
a pretty young blonde was OF red India
silk dotted with hand-embroidered spots
of white. Til short fourreau skirt was
trimmed with II band about three inches
wide of white needle work, below and
above which were three rows of very mar
row black velvet ribbon. The short
waist was full, with a wide polluted YOKE
Of the white embroidery, aud held in ut
the waist line by wide white
s serny f bo% a, ending Inc ! buck in a H Gn.,
sleeves were leg o'mutton. with
deep cuffs OF the white embroidery. A
band of narrow embroidery finished the
neck. A large white straw hat. with Il
deep red Alsatian bow completed this
fetching costume. The accessories We're Il
large white China silk parasol edged with
lace, and white chamois gloves.
The other gown was made of pea green
crepe. with a bell skirt en- ram. This
was trimmed with a narrow band or
heavy embroidery, white. The bodice
was cut pointed in front and short GU the
hips, the front of the heavy embroidery
The lower part of the waist was trimmed
with a row of green silk balls. The white
front was partially cover ell by Il SOFT of
scarf of the green crepe, reaching from
the top of the sleeve aud tied just above
the bust, the end hanging gracefully
aud edged with green balls, the upper
part OF the sleeves was puffed high, tue
lower being a deep cuff OF the WINE EN-
broidery edged with the green silk balls.
A standing collar completed this cos
tune,