The Republican journal., 1896-12-31

School Dresses.

| The first little frocks that demand at
tention in the winter season are those for
school wear. Even very small girls have
their own ideas as to how they should
dress at school, and it is positive cruelty to
dress child in a way that makes her I'M
happy, particularly now when there are so
many pretty styles to choose from. Til ere
are two patterns for skirts-one gored,
| and one made in straight breadthS. The
| former is quite on the fashion of IA woman s
gown, with the front breadth narrow at
| the top and wide at the bottom, but while
there are not so many cores, and the skirt
is not exaggeratedly full, great care must
be taken to have the front and side breadths
+! fit well; just little fulness can be al
| lowed, but not enough to make it appar-
ent.
| The straight all around gathered skirts
are not as fashionable as they were, but
many mothers like them as being more
youthful. If child is at all inclined to be
stout, these straight skirts are not pretty,
| for Of necessity they have great deal Of
/ fullness around the hips; but where child
| is slight, the fullness is more becoming
| tn an the gored skirts. Plaids in all sorts
of materials are considered smart, and are
generally made up with the straight
| skirts. A pretty French model has the
waist with quite full blouse effect in
front, straps over the shoulders, and put
on in yoke fashion, with belt and bands
around the sleeves to match, of white
| satin an inch and half wide, braided in
a Grecian pattern with black soutache
braid. This on a gown of red and black
plaid is immensely effective, without being
too elaborate. Another plaid gown of
green and blue has a yoke pointed back
and front of plain blue cloth; this is
braided with narrow and wide braid, and
band of the same finishes the belt. An
all-plaid gown unrelieved by trimming is
not always becoming, and these different
effects relieve the hard look Poplins are
greatly in favor in paids, and an exceed
ingly pretty frock in the red and white and
yellow plaid which is always so be-
coming is prettily trimmed with bands of
narrow black velvet ribbon, finished with
loops and tiny gilt buttons. Four of these
straps are put over the shoulders just
little way apart, from a belt, and the
bands around the wrist and neck. Tiny
gold buttons on the black velvet look very
bright and youthful, and the whole frock
is as smart as one could wish.
The different chevots are much used
for school frocks. Blue and black, red
and black, and, the different browns are
considered the best The blue and black
require considerable trimming, or else they
will look too old. They are generally
made with jacket fronts trimmed with
black braid, but even then are not suitable
for very young girls. A pretty model of a
brown choViot has the 'gored skirt and
plain waist which has the revers turned
back from the waist to the shoulder and
covered with linen This looks youthful
and pretty, and is most becoming II has
also a belt and collar of brown surah.
The regular all cheviot frocks are made
with the gathered skirts, and the waist full
in front but tight fitting in the back
They are sometimes trimmed with braid,
but the braid must be put on bands or Il
yoke of some bright color, otherwise it
will make the material look too dull and
heavy. IIarper's Bazaar.