The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-26
THE READY MADE DRESS
IND THE BUSY TfrE-SITING
WOMAN.
The sb,rt-Waist OF 1896 Admissible In a
variety of Matsriais-A Sweet Little
Waist That Came In Box.


dInar,, size and has a moderately Wen
proportiOned figure At D. posslplo 10 puS
almost anything In the line OF cloehes,
MADE up and ready TO wear. II 10 haIu
enough for the idle woman 10 drlNe hei-
sclf TO ina dressmakcr'S shop ior that
o,d.al of am hours fitting or drapins
which II is impossible to escape when one
has ones clothes made 10 order. Much
worse is n for the busy, time-saVinS Wo-
man. whose daytime is not her own put
the property OF those who pay her day
laborer's wages of, say two dollars Gay.
IL IS doubtless very much 10 her ao-
vantage that ready-made garments have
become 80 popular. Homemade under
wear. for instance, is very nearly obso-
lete. Those who cannot afford TO buy
lace-trimmed cambria underwear have re-
course 10 the woven garments, which are
cheaper because they diminish ones laun-
dry bill Time was when people Knit their
own stockings but they don't DO II any
rnore-except Of course, in primitive To-
calities. Just so. the day viii come Wheh
we shall buy our dresses In the same way
that we do our jackets but that will be
after we have experienced real dress re-
form and the corset Is no more.
Meanwhile we are interested in the
transition The ready made garments
which everybody buys now are petticoats
and other und srwear separate waists,
pay a good deal for black skirt that
serves as q foundation for half dozen
costumes. For n very nice skirt, silk or
crepon Is preferred Briilantne is also
very desirable and there are some new
varieties which are almost rs dressy as
silk Everything points to the probabll-
fly that figured brlliantine viii be the
most fashionable black goods OF the early
spring.
The real. standard ready-made gar
ment however is the shirt waist and the
raid upon IT'S rallying ground has begun.
4 collection Ct women around shirt
waist counter is like q flock of sparows
fighting for a meal. u IS altogether too
early 20 wear the waists. of course. but
the dealers have displayed them and every
woman IS trying TO get first choice.
The slirt-waist Of '96 viii not limit it.
self I'm the choice of materials. II will
be admissible in percale. dimi,y, dotted
Sw,ss and grass linen I'm all of its varie-
ties
The better class OF waists-those that
come al Sj.25 and S6.2l-all have re-
movable white linen cuffs and collars.
The collars are very high and turn over
like those on some Of the winter coats.
A few Of the cuffs turn back I'm the
same way. but most of them have the
ordinary link buttonholes al the wrist.
A shlrt-waist Of this kind can be worn
almost three times as long as the old style
by removing the cuffs and collars and
having them Numbered separately
The favorte c0ors are green and linen
brown. The greens are checked and cross
red. The browns are grass linens ard
are striped and barred i'm lace patterns.
Some OF the linens have silk dots I'm green.
blue and purple. These make the most
expensive waists and are sold for SG.25.
The new varieties OF dotted Swiss viii
be much used Almost every pattern
which Is seen in woollen materials is ini-
fated in Swiss. There are plaids, and
crosshars and stripes In every hue. and
as the material is cool it will be a great
favorite for summer wear
Last years waists will not DO for this
season on account OF that ever recurring
stumbling. block TO oc0nomy-the sleeve
This hugbear is larger than ever. as far
as shi"t-waists are concerned whatever
NAV be said of the sleeves of other waists.
II IS laid I'm plates around the top. like
some Of the last years coat sleeves. This
Is one thing that makes them so expen-
sivc-there are so many yards I'm tho
sleeves. 4 linen OF Swiss waist cannot De
bought for S. hut when one considers
that. once bought. it is sufficiently dressy
for almost any occasion. the price is not
so much Of an objection.
so much for the waists that women are
buying 10 wear when the weather gets
warm. Meanwhile they are airing their
hOdices Of silk and velvet in the boxes at
the theatre Here are few which have
lately seen:
A blouse I'm sky blue gauze. a little low
ut the neck and trimmed with band OF
Jewels Two points OF culture are placed
on the front Of the corsage with the
points dCwnwards. The balloon sleeve
reaches 10 a point a little above the 81
how The possessor Of this waist wore a
IN md ~
made 81 nothing but holly foliage and Der
riss.
bodice with a pctunia velvet corsC-
let ornamentad With frogs over a plastron
Of white mousselinc de soinc. The little
court hlsques stand out almost straight
from beneath the jewelad belt Harmless
little pieats they are. those hasques
but n rumor can be trusted those same
little rufiios bid fair 20 introduce an in-
notation In the seasons fashions. For
though thcv are very smart and indepen-
dent looking -hcv cannot stand alone, and
hencc-ihc hustle.
An.ther bodice with less aggressive
has lues is made of dun rcd velvet OPEN
inc over a plaid silk vest The sleeves
and collar are also Of plaid ana the
has1ues are lined with IL too. There IS q
belt Of velvet which fastens with fancy
buttons. and the immense revers that
stand out over the sleeves are Of black
lynx.
sweet little waist that came IN box
and has not yet been worn Is made OF
blue silk with a dainty pink figure. There
g. p piastron 81 dark green velvet over
which the blue silk is draped dlagonally
from the right shoulder 20 the left side
o. tho waist where u Is caught with two
furnower ChouN. then hangs In n long
sssh end 20 tho bottom Of the skirt The
sleeves are the kind that Marie Anioinette
wore. with cuffs that turn back. ana wide
lace that falls around the hand
Now Is The season for teas and recep-
tons as well az theatres. and the tea
gown T. very much I'm evidence
A very spectacular gown. which few Of
us can hope 20 initiate IN materials. fur
nisheS good suggestions for costume In
tess pretcntious fabric The impossible
gown T. made % purple velvet with an
errnlne- bordercd train Angel sleeves arc
lined with white satin and are fastened 10
he skirt with a bow OF white satin ribbon
The inner tight sleeves are OF pale rose
relyet From hand ~ erfnine laid across
the bust two hong white streamers fan TO
the bottom 81 The skirt. and ermine forms
the collar.
The distinctive feature OF the other tea
rovn shown Is q trimming OF laca with