The morning times., 1896-07-05
For fountain Climbing Short
Skirts Are Being Used, and All
Outing Dresses Follow the
Bicycle Costumes-rlate-
terials Used.

Alpine dress will this year 1t is said,
show great modifio alton over the past.
Times are changed since woman tucked
her petticoat up to her ankles and was
thus dressed to climb Mount Blanc. Hun
drcds of women are now pedaling the
Swiss valleys in knickcrbockers, and it is
not suppusabe that they will change them
FOR skirts to span dizzy foot bridges in the
clouds. For note that however much the
fashion of a skirt for the bicycle is spread
elsewhere. with French women in general
ii is> the knickerbocker that remains the
choice.
There have in fact been some costumes
made for Swiss expeditions that are
masterpieces of tailoring art and the
last word OF chic. One OF these is as
follows: 1t is of navy blue serge made
with Il loose box coat and knicker0ockers
and trimmed with black braid nd Bra nd
bourgs. The jacket has no seam behind.
and the undeTarm seams are straight and
are left open at the bottom like the seams
OF shirt. The length from the neck
down in the back is about twenty inches
1t is double breasted in front with the
Brandbourgs over. The collar is so cut
that II stands high behind a nd fla res over
on the edge, an effect that 10 pro-
duce requires pressing iron ard skillful
hand Braid edges the collar and the froi {;
brand also runs in several lines Down the
sleeves and dow II the kniCkerboc kers
These last have a special cut Some OF
the fui!ness Is A0red out round the top.
II he.
figure.
Under this dress is worn a combination
Raunel, and tricot wooden blouse that
pS on over the head, and the effect is
'mp!cted with tarraulin sailor hat,
dgh black CATERS and Alpine shoes The
1oes are ordered of the mountain shoe
n!akers on the spot. as ordinary shoes,
however strong, are not a lapted To climb
Ing. They must be not only stout, but
broad across the toes, and have the soles
griddiel with nails. and the elegant grace
of the costume in contrast with the heavy
clumsincss of the shoes furnishes the great
est element of piquancy to the dress.
II enc is going not to he high Alps. where
It is likely to rain every day, but say to
Mount Washington or to the Rockies, there
is possibly more latitude in the choice OF
material ami design, ana there exists in the
fashions actually being worn Il number of
elements that can be utilized t % make raw
fshing mountain gowns. or that can mt the
same time he adapted for the bicycle. There
Is one observation that may be made on the
adaptabihty of the following costumes
Bicycle skirts are usually plain, or at most
are trimmed with lines running up and
down. They are not trimmed around the
buttom, but the intclli gent reader will
know how to compromise OF the design.
A model for wool excursion gowns in
great favor with young women is a bodice
that is both blouse and Jacket. Imagine
a blouse cut low aroun1 the neck and cut
open down the front to the belt over n
high inner bodice or guimpe of another
color, with below the belt little round
basque some four inches wide. The neck
that runs low in front runs high behind.
runs up to form point in the middle of
the neck band.
ThiS pointed back. il may he said, is on
gowns Of all sorts and is one Of the novelties
Of the season Instead of being cut down
low in front sometimes the front edges run
up to the collar band and meet. and from
here n curved outline is cut round to the
pcint behind. leaving the under bodice to
show over the shoulders like thin crescent
moon. The inner and outer bodice are OF
course made on the same lining and it is
only in effect thatthey are two.
Made upon this model is Il gcwn Of haiZe
colored wool trimmed with white braid,
over guimpe of white silk The braid is
in four rows straight round the skirt with
a fifth row above in loops. and the same
pattern is carried out round theneck. down
the fronts and round the basque. This