Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-01-04

LOUNGING ROBE. WRAPPER.
sibly in the matter of underlinen, and
so six different undergarments and six
petticoats are considered suitable out
fit. Less petticoats would do.
Let us begin at the beginning. Six
undervests of flannel, three for warmer
and three for very cold days, and few
of gauze if in summer Flannel tights
are worn in winter by almost every
body, and over these cotton drawers.
These are trimmed lavishly with lace,
sometimes there being six and eight
ruff1es. Bows of ribbon are often set
on, but the majority of ladies wear plain
embroidery and tucks or heavy hand
crocheted lace. In some cases ribbon is
seen through the meshes. Few ladies
of the new generation wear chemises,
but put the corset of whatever kind it
is next the vest, and over this is the
neat corset cover. Now, the corset cover
can be as plain as the wearer likes, or
it can be smothered in lace and embroid-
cry, but it is generally medium, as too
much trimming makes the dress look
bulky. So we will set that garment
down as profusely trimmed for young
and thin women and rather plain for
elderly and fat ladies.
After the corset cover, which may or
may not have skirt, comes pretty
flannel skirt, white or colored and en-
broidered. 1t depends upon the lady's
age and condition as to the outside skirt.
1t may be of eiderdown flannel in pretty
colors, or it may be silk or white cam
brio, elaborately ruffied or trimmed
with numerous ruffies of lace. Silk
skirts are not considered high style now,
but rather the white muslin with sew
eral hemstitched lawn ruffles, each
edged with narrow lace, generally va
lenciennes, though some other of the
narrow laces are used, notably cluny,
which is very durable as we'll as pretty.
All these are garments which would
really come under the head Of every
day wear. The nightdresses are of ev-
cry degree of beauty and finish, the
plainest having rows of tucking and the
most ornate being nearly covered with
lace and embroidery and often ribbons.
There are some ladies who would really
prefer to have their undergarments SO
trimmed than to put the money in a
sealskin coat if they could have but one,
SO fine and dainty is their nature.
Next to these garments come the
lounging dress, which is slipped on for
that delicious quiet half hour before re-
firing when one sits in a great easy
chair with her feet on the fender, and
thinks over the events of the day, and
passes in review all the pleasant things
that have happened, and plans revenge
and sharp sayings to pay for the mean
little stings she has been made to feel.
In the morning for the petit leve, as
the French call it, there is such cozy,
comfortable eiderdown flannel robe,
which is as simple as any garment can
be, but so loose and so warm that it is
no hardship to leave the downy bed to
don it. This is generally of bright color,
like red and blue, or pale pink and gray
or blue, and it could not be improved
upon for the purpose. For the hour or
so before breakfast that one passes in
ones room after the bath or putting
things to rights this wrapper is de-
light. Then, when the bell rings,
minutes work serves to hang it in the
wardrobe and see another gown in its
place, generally a neat, plain frock,
snug and where it can be compassed, in
bright color, or at least with some
bright spot about it, like, for instance,
basque Of red or blue, or at least with
some touch of color. Men like to see
bright colors and to take away with
them in the morning the vision Of
spark of brilliancy that keeps their
hearts warm all day. Didn't Josiah
Aliens wife wear a pink bow, and
didn't Josiah get up courage to tell her
that it made him feel like courting her
all over again?
/ have a brother-one of those dear,
needless men that are SO busy providing
for their families needs that they never
seem to notice anything that goes on
around them. There came rather sud-
den invitation to wedding, and Flora
declared she hadn't suitable dress for
the occasion, as she had been in mourn
ing for several years. Wear that dress
with the red front to it. That pretty"
said my big brother, speaking Of
breakfast wrapper made Of black cash
mere with a cherry surah front. No
words of ours could make the dear fell
low understand that the dress he had
admired SO much in silence was not
pretty enough for anywhere. So it be-
hooves women to wear something that
their sons and husbands may remember
as bright and pretty at home, and it
takes SO little trouble to do it.
find | have not described that de-
licious lounging robe. 1t is of pale blue
cashmere, gathered full at the neck and
falling from there to the feet and is lined
all the way through with white china
silk. The only trimming is bow with
loops and long ends of blue ribbon.
Now, such lounging robe can be made
of any soft material, and figured challie
would be an ideal material The color
should be chosen to suit the wearer.
Some ladies like loose sack better
than a loose robe, and others only slip
on sack while dressing, but in either
case sack is handy addition to ones
wardrobe, assit is useful in case Of re-
covery from illness and for many other
occasions shat present themselves. A
| pretty one that | know of was made out
of the back breadth of flannel dress Of