The Washington times., 1894-03-19
Some New Thoughts
About New Dresses.

Perhaps we have not had the time nor the
money (Which is really the true reason that
most of us have not even dared think, much
less hint, ut spring dresses and hats and coats
and capes and flnery) this year; but If we
have been lucky enough, or unlucky enough,
as the ease may be. to have dressmaker and
the material-and what bewildering variety
there is. to be sure, and it is all so cheap. too,
AMI so pretty-we may evolve something
really charming from our own inner con-
sciousness- the dressmaker's-for l be-
lieve they do have ideas sometimes,
though o!tener it would hardly be be-
leyed when one sees the monstrosities
so often created in the name Of fashion. Free
dem. Only the woman who does the cutting
and slashing herself knows the meaning of the
word.
With very little money and that expressive
thing called "gumpt:on" one eau dress very
prettily this year. There are so many beauti-
full colorings and such variety of materials
to choose front tweed, serge, suiting, their
, names are endless. In ready-made dresses,
and they were never so well made nor so
cheap before, there is the familiar blazer
suit. little fuller in the skirts aud longer
than last year. Then there is the old Eton
suit. which seems to fit better in the back.
"But there is less danger of soul and
body coming apart" as one young
lady expressed ii. And the shirt-waists
are with us again in every shade
and condition, made of lace and silk net, ac
Gordon plated over rills. They are too CON-
Portable TO be easily given up. Lace, chiffon,
frirNs rlapFV and /.
utilized. To be worn with Eton suits lace
blouse waists are fastened to u satin neck
hand or drawn over the bust, surplice fashion.
Gingham and cotton shirt waists are made
rs last year, the high band buttoning twice
ut the neck, and with either high or turned
over collar.
r. Simple ginghams ana wash dresses of all
descriptions, says the Bazaar upon these timely
topics, were never in such demand. The
housemaid frock. with beited waist. lego
mutton sleeves and nearly straight skirt three
yards or else four yards wide. remains the
iayorite design. 1t is in two pieces. The
unined waist is gathered Just below the
throat and at waist line front and back. The
only seams are those on shoulders and under
the arms High collar band. requiring two
buttons to fasten it, has turned-oyer collar
attached of the gingham. edged with en-
broidery or else entirely Of embroidery. mar
row cuffs to match on sleeves, skirt gored in
h.,
widely hemmed, and is gathered to Il belt of
the gingham Qined with stout muslin). which
passes over the gathered part of the waist and
Is concealed by belt ribbon.
Dimity gowns are made very simply straight
hemmed skirt of five breadths and half
pressed in pleats from top to bottom and
gathered to a belt that is covered by a crush
belt of the dimity bias six inches wide,
edged all around with white beading through
which baby ribbon is drawn. This belt goes
above the edge of an unlined waist, the top
gathered full and drawn in shallow round
yoke OF three pulls, with row Of the rib
boned beading on each shirring between the
puffs. The last row of beading is an inch
above the armholes, and TO this is added !
scant bertha. sloped from six inches deep on
the shoulders to only three inches of depth in
front and back. The beading trims the
bertha and also the wrist of the muttea-lec
sleeves. Four small rosettes of the black rib |
bon are In front o. the yoke. A bias stock of
the dimity matches the belt Thread buttons |
fast, the front
For older ladies are lavender dimities. with |
yoke skirt, that part below the waist falling |
scantily on the hips and trimmed around |
with three rows of black satin ribbon halt an |
inch wide. To this is gathered straight
skirt four wards wide. with three rows of rib
bon above the hem, and the whole is mounted |
on white lawn foundation skirt gored |
closely and faced with dimity black satin /
belt ribbon three inches wide is attached to
the SKIRT and ends il square bow on the
left side. round waist has a broad jabot
down the front of the dimity scalloped and
dotted with black. Pearl buttons fasten the
front. Three rows of ribbon are around the
wrists of the large tapering sleeves, and the
collar is black satin ribbon stock
For tall girl is blue and white striped
dimity. the skirt covered with three wide
ilounces. each pressed in pleats that show the
blue stripe. and each finished with an inser-
tion of butter-colored guipure above two
inch hem. These are mounted on white
Victoria lawn skirt. To get the pleats right
the blue stripes should be three-fourths of an
inch wide and the alternating white stripes
an inch wide; the latter are folded double |
The waist is pleated in the same way, straight
Town from neck and shoulders to the belt
over fitted lawn lining which las bag seams
md no whalebones, as the ends pass under
he belt and are held in place by it, Two
insertions cross the waist, one in the arm
lo!es, one just below them. The tapering
eeyes have three pleated frills at the ton
'eaching to the elbow, and the close lower
,art has three insertions around it. Blue
ATTN ribbon three inches wide. folded as a
'cllar. is tied in square bow in front after
new fashion, and meets in two little ruffies |
n the back. The belt of ribbon has a bow
With long sash ends in the back.
Thin lawns, organdy muslins. dotted Swiss. |
and batiste skirts have rows of in ;
ertion of lace or embroidery put in parallel !,
ows or else zigzag about the hips aud again :
ear the foot. Two nounr>s, each ten inches .
eep and gathered CT band, are around
atste skirts that are three and half yards ,
Tide at the foot. but narrow to the belt. where :
hey have two other iiounces slightly narrower
dded to give very full effect Triple
ounces covering dotted Swiss muslin skirts :
ach have narrow insertion of embroidery
ar-nt "A hsa xatfa - 4
given by attaching two skirts to founda- =
on skirt of the same, the upper skirt reach = =
IL plainly to the knee in front, then meeting
! the back to fall to the foot in full pleats.
he lower skirt is sewed straight around on
lie foundation, beginning under the upper
ljrt. Lace. embroidery, rows OF ribbon. or i
narrow ruffie edge each skirt. For very r
outhful white dresses narrow rufles cover q
Ie entire skirt and the sleeves. and Others i
ave accordion pleating instead. Some of 7
e prettiest thin waists are finely tucked 8
ngthwise from bust to belt, and full above. v
IA tl.ava av,l L