The herald., 1895-02-02
FOR WEAR ON THE WHEEL.
FaShiOnableS Insist on the Skirt
Over Knickerb0ckers.
How These Feminine Trousers
Should Be Made.
Short Jackets aud Bweatsrs-rhe Lon &
Skirt with the Fuitnsss
over tho Knee.

the minds of the feminine world as to
the proper costume to wear in riding
the wheel, says the New York Herald.
Some women have boldly sailed forth
in knickerbockers or in boomers, con-
tending that those were the only correct
things to wear. Certainly they are much
I more comfortable and enable one to ride
better, just as it would be easier to wear
them on horseback or to swim without
wearing any clothes at all, but that they l
are necessity is simply absurd. Some
of the best and most graceful women
riders never think OF attiring themselves
in so grotesque fashion.
Knickerbo ckers are undou btedly, from
this tims forward, to be part Of the
feminine costume, but unfortunate
not visibly so. They are made of black
satin for golf and for wear il the streets
are muddy. or ior long tramps in the
country, but they are Invariably hidden
by a skirt. When part of the bicycle
costume, they are made OF the same
material as the costume itself, and like
riding trousers, are lined with chamois.
They must be carefully fitted and we'll
cut, end no amateur hands should De
Entrusted with the making of knicker-
bockers. They are very full over the
knee and are gathered just below it
with narrow elastic band. They are
fastened at either side OF the waist. and
the emartest ones have several cores
over the hips. The black satin ones are
fastened with strap and buckle. and
look very much like the satin and velvet
knee breeches that used to be in fashion
years ago for mems wear.
NEW YoRK's LATEST FAD.
Long leggings or CATERS are always
worn with knickerbockers in bicycling.
These leggings are very difficult to get
we'll fitting. As yet no one, bootmaker
or tailor, has attained the acme Of per-
fiction in them. Many of these are
made of the same cloth as the knicker-
bockers and are buttoned to the band
below the knee. With legs 80 we'll
clothed there is far less danger OF CATCH
ing cold and much less danger from
falling than when many skirts are worn.
The newest fashion in walking skirts is
cut that flares out 80 well from the
hips that it quite does away with the
vary poor look an ordinary drens skirt
has W hen not held out by under pettis
coats.
The Michaux Cycle club, which is
New York society'e latest fashionable
fad, has evolved great manv stunning
costumes, although those worn there are
not always go we'll adapted for the road,
where allowance must be made for the
wind blowing the skirts back against the
guard of the wheel. On this very &C.
count short skirts are preferable. In the
hall where the cycle club meets the long
skirts look much the best AZ, OF course,
the same difficulties do not have to be
encountered.
Mrs. Goldy of Washington, who is
perhaps one of the most graceful OF
women bicyclists, rides almost invsri-
ably in skirt reaching just below the
tops of her boots. 1t ia of heavy cloth,
three yards and quarter in width
around the bottom of she skirt. 1t fits
very smoothly over the hips and the
fullness is very cleverly arranged, SO
that it prevents the ugly drawing over
the knees, which outlines the figure in
anything but an artistic manner.
SKIRTS AND LEGGNGs.
Mrs. McCoskry Butt. who is q capital
rider aid can do all sorts OF wonderful
things on the wheel, wears q very trig
little costume of dark blue tweed. 1t ls
made with skirt and jacket aud white
sweater. The jacket is a short one, ex-
ceedingly jaunty in cut. The skirt ls
not very wide, and is shorter than most
of those now worn. Ii hangs we'll, the
iulnesa being very evenly stributed.
With this costume Mrs. Butt wears a
pair of blue knickerbockers, long tan
leather CATERS and tan colored shoes
There is great discussion as to " beth
heavy material and unlned do
not hang better than those
of the lighter goods, which are lined
throughout with heavy ssteen. One OF
the tailors in New York has made a
great many skirts OF the Scotch cheviot,
such as is used in the golf capes. very
full around the bottom of the skirt. The
material, which is plain one side and
plaid the other, is of necessity very
weighty, but it does not seem to hang
30 satisfactorily as do the skirts made
of homespun lined with sateen and fin
ished with IL or IA rows of machine
stitching. In a bicycle skirt there must
be no seams or facing which may by any
chance catch in the wheel. A recent
invention has been introduced by an
invetsrats woman enthusiast of the
sport. 1t consists of loops on the leg
Rln&e, Wulcn at regular distance apart,
are fastened to buttons on the skirt.
This, it 10 commended by all who have
tried it. prevents the blowing up OF the
skirt, and is far better than the plan of
weighing Il with shot.
One of the newest models for bicycle
SKIRT has lately been brought over from
England. 1t fastens at each side OF the
front breadth and short way down
from the weist line opens into dou Die
box plest. The back of the skirt is full,
but there ia vsry little fullness over tn
hips. The extra fuilness given by the
box pleat i'll front Is one OF tbs bsst de-
vices possible. for ii entirely hides the
motion of the knees, which ia absolutely
necessary IL bicycling aud which eve
the mos prejudiced in favor oil the sport
cannot but admit 10 exceedingly ngly.
SMART COSTUME.
One of the smsriest bicycls coetunes
worn this winter is that OF Mrs. Willie
Allen 1t il made OF covert cloth, of
rather darker shade OF brown than is
ordinarily seen 1t hangs apparently
perfectly smooth over the hips, with tho
fullness entirely in the back. But from
the hips down to the bottom OF
the skirt it is remarkably full |
and reaches TO within few nches vi
the floor. The waist OF this costume il
very trim, tight-titsiag Norfolk jacket, |
with quite a long basque cad sleeves