The Washington times., 1894-07-22
THE BLOUSE OF TO-DAY.

| 1t Is No Longer Cheaper and IlI.Fittine.
for 1t Has the Sanction of Fashion.
Cheap little skirts are no longer in demand.
The day was when a blouse meant shirt Of
cambric or muslin, which could be worn with
the skirt of q Summer dress when linen
bodice seemed too thick. II was q comfort
able thing also for wear under an outdoor
jacket A little later and 1t came out in wool
ems, warm enough for Winter, but it remained
humble and npretending-quite the poor
relative of the stately, more expensive waist,
made to match the rest of the gown. Then it
took an aspiring ut, and determined to push
forward in the world.
The blouse Of to-day Is costly thing, fash
Toned in velvet, satin, moire antique. 1t act
ually dimes ont, it goes to theaters, and has
become one OF those elegant personal requi-
sites which no society woman can manage to
do without. II you want blouse to wear
with one of those everlasting black silk skirts
which has survived its own original bodice,
have velvet or satin blouse to go with it.
1t is almost impossible to enter a store with
out becoming the purchaser OF "a blouse You
may only require paper OF pins. but you will
be decoyed to the blouse department, and
once there your fate is sealed II one sue
cessfully resists the pink canbric with its
polka dot, 1t is only to succumb to the seduc-
tive graces OF the shot silk. There is sort
Of fascination about these garments. The girl
whe once takes to blouses never quite gives
them up again. 1t is n mania and must run
its course ere one can expect TO see the plain
gown waist and skirt in ono restored to US.
Tho blouse is an incalculable boon to the
girl who knows how to put on her things,
but it is fraught with disaster to a careless
wearer. Considerable judgment must be ex-
ercised in the purchase, or that pleasant fut-
ter OF excitement which always thrills a
woman who has made good bargain will be
succeeded by down sinking of the heart as
she finds herself the owner Of blouse that is
too wide at the neck. too short at waist or
sleeve and OF gigantic proportions in the
shoulder piece. Our shirt factories are turn
ing out these blouses by the dozen, and as
the supreme obiact OF the wholesale makers
appears to be economy of material, the diff
Guilty of obtaining a satisfactory fit is as great
as in any other ready-made garment; no
amount Of pulling and twitching will get
badly mado blouse into position. and a girl
can no more wear a bad-iting blouse than a
man can wear srumpled shirt.
Speaking of shirts, We are threatened with
an epidemic OF colored shirts. Already tri-
angular surfaces of bright blues and vivid
pinks nre observable, where once the glisten-
ing whiteness OF three-ply linen held sway.
Girls will have to consider how these bright
dabs of color will harmonic with their
dresses and their compilations. A girl may find
her heliotrope muslin Or crepon killed by the
blue-breasted Adonis who honors her with
his attentions. while a red-haired girl will do
wisely to keep the pink-shirted admirers at a
safe distance. Some very pretty blouses are
made of unbleached, undressed linen. and
they are indispensable for durability. A girl
can make these linen blouses really dressy
and ornamental by little embroidery in
cross stitch in Turkey red, blue or green cot
ton