The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-30
THE WOMAN OF FASHION
rs BITHIN0 GOING OUT or FASH
ION ALTOGETnER2
Some Reasons for It's Decreasing Popu-
1arity-Prettiest Suit to Be Bought.
White Serge and soutache.

There was nothing done at Narragan-
sett the day that / took a run down
there. 1t had been cool for few days.
and bathing was not In order. l wondlc-
ed whether It were not going out Of
fashion. 1t was no longer in vogue at
Newport. for the dip taken there isn't
worth talking about; and even at Maria
gersett, where It has been so much moe
Itru'ar, the uncertain weather this yea
son has delayed II and apparently thiuned
II considerably. / think the illustrated
magazines have a great deal 10 do with ii,
also For from April TO November they
are full Of dashing graceful forms clad
In such costumes as have appeared no
where save i'm the imagination OF the
artist who sketched them. The pictures
are so much prettier and more graceful
than the average girl In her bathing cos
tune after II has been immersed in salt
water is and the summer piazza pre-
sents q busy appearance OF bent heads
earnestly scanning brilliant pictures,
while the poor disconsolate bathers. in
their necessarily more sedate costumes,
are taking their plunge in solitude. II Is
too bad to deprive the bather OF all her
glory In this fashion.
In spite Of the descriptions OF ravlsh-
ing bathing costumes which we read so
often. and the gllmpses we eaten OF them
as they emerge from the cloak and dis
appear beneath the first big wave, a
member Of that sex which always wears
such particularly ugly suits, remarked:
81 never saw a woman look pretty In the
F-ff rf1f n
the cause Of womankind. but he would
not retract particle.
All these trifles would seem 70 indicate
that bathing is going out of fashion. /
went the round OF New York's fashiona-
BILE shops the other day, 10 see II they
were doing much business in this direc-
ton. / noticed the shelves were very
full. with scarcely a single gap. Ihey
didn't look like the shelves that but a
few weeks ago were filled with organizes,
but which are now scattered with few
remnants and pieces OF ugly patterns
that will not sell. No. decidedly the Or
candies are more popular than the patn-
Ing suit this year. Some Of the shops
were trying 10 work up public enthusiasm
by displaying them as bargains, but even
these spots were noticeabiy deserted by
the few shoppers that were left
None Of them was doing much this
year. as / asctrta:ned. They were max
ing no pretty. fancy, overturned ones,
and the mt ST delicate they had were OF
black alpaca, with short skirt, ana shOui-
der puffs. low, round necks, neatly trim
med With a few rows Of soutache. The
alpaca makes a very desirable material,
gs it holds its own so well against the
water.
over the v alter they say. There is
nothing new IN bathing suits" They are
made OF y1ecgne, Of light, transparent
serge. and OF mousselin de laine. They
are not pretty; they are still the same
old pantalettes the same old blouses'
generally blue, trimmed with scarlet
braids. The beauties dream OF a lovely
Greek style, with a large floating skirt;
hut it would scarcely do for bathing. For
the sake of little variety they are
made.
But, after all, fine white serge makes
charming suit, trimmed with many
rows of white soutache. The neck may
be cut round and puffed, the short
sleeves are also puffed fully, and the
trousers, reaching only TO the knee, end
with a ruche. The tight-fitting combined
stocking and trousers. are very cOnven-
lent, over which hang the short skirt
These suits. the very finest OF them,
cost only 49, The dark blue serges are
frightened with scarlet or white braids.
and can be further adorned with white
pufiings or short flounces. The serges
look very well In the water.
Fancy gallOon makes wonderfully pref
~ effects. a young mother that led a
little four-year-old TO the waters edge.
wore serge that was trimmed with
wide, fancy braid. II trimmed the trous-
ers, the skirt. and ran up one side 10
the reck. Then II went around the neck
and down the front in short pieces;
trimming the small sleeve rufles rs well.
The little maiden wore a pretty fan
mel, striped white and pale blue, trimmed
with a ruche OF white. From the full
blouse hung very short skirt. and there
was fancy ribbon trimming at the neck
and belt. She had a big Tyrolese straw