Kansas City journal., 1897-11-14
Quincy, III


Quincy, Ill.
It is a truth which we find by experience
that the great shops are simply trying on
until November. with its election. brings
about the choice of the American people to
decide on q style.
The experienced woman who dresses well
fights shy of early fall fashions. She knows
the trick of the shopkeeper. and she doesn't
propose to have him ''try it on the dog"
Even the woman who has gone abroad and
procured her Paris fashions in August is
not SO entirely wise. American women do
not adopt everything that Paquin and
Doucet spring upon the public. and often
times a woman who has paid $50 for a
gown returns home to find that its pattern
has been followed out on raw material and
on every retail counter in the city.
This is the case with tho blouse.
heard from Paris that the blouses are
exceedingly popular, but they are more the
vogue for outer coverings than for bodices.
However, II you want blouse, make one;
nothing is more attractive, nothing more
durable but, do not consider 1t an origina!
style. Thousands are literally cast abroad
the woman who goes in for strict origin
ality. The great majority Of women. how
ever. want something becoming. and let me
assure you right here that you Will look
far and wide before you can get anything
more fetching for an afternoon toilette
than a velvet blouse to wear with your
The economy lies in the fact that with
three and half yards of velvet, an odd
bit OF tha far IN oR
make in your own home in two days a
Russian casaque that will set off cloth
a luncheon, serve you for a theater, give
SOU class on the street parade and for the
church service. What more can you ask
for any one garment than this?
Button 1t on the side or clasp 1t with
oxidized ornaments. If you have them.
and IL you are more chic you will try to
aim for the heavy metal belt set with dull.
irregular stones. a Ia Bernhardt, far down
II you cannot afford real velvet the tmi-
tations on the counters are excellent. There
is not much fit to these blouses, but the
general air must be artistic. If you wish
to have your blouse open in front insert a
loose vest Of chiffon or lace or brocaded
silk. In truth, there are a hundred ways Of
enlivening a casaque and making OF your
self a well dressed woman at small ex-
pease.
1 was asked a question about silks for
bodies yesterday. Let mo answer it for
all ofNyou. Taffeta Is worn. but not SO
.o IN silks Of any auay TSs
Austrian silks with their exquisite luster
are more wearable. as they are less likely
TO crack. and come in beautiful colors. They
yield themselves to tucking, and rumor was
ali wrong when it said that tucking would
not last through the summer. The SILK
tucked, ending in the full pouch blouse: the
sleeves are tucked down from the shoul-
ders, leaving the fullness over the elbow.
Very little other trimming Is used on them
and never were silk waists SO fashionable
to wear under coat or with tailor skirt.
Writing OF bodices reminds me of sashes.
1 remember living In furor Of envy for
one solid month in my life 1t was occa-
stoned by sashes. They were the rage. I
didn't own but one. My next door neigh
Dor allowed me to open bureau drawer,
and in It saw six brand new sashes which
were rolled up in tissue paper. was 1s-
but the tragedy of that moment fingers in
my life yet. still see those sashes. I still
remember the pangS of envy and the
knowledge that one Of the commandments
was being smashed to smithereens'' in my
my voice and ask where she got all those
sashes. the terrible knowledge was that she
had them. and more terrible still was the
fact that each one of those sashes would
have gone with one Of my gowns. And
now sashes are again the rage. / wonder
what fortunate woman has six. l hope
shall not see them. In fact. / intend to be
very careful about opening bureau drawers
belonging to anyone eise-while sashes are
the SO.
However. I discovered a way of getting
them reasonably, which has quite delighted
my envious soul. 1 bought yard of ex-
Quisitely striped Roman silk. separated it
in half. stitched the ends together, fringed
II on each side and at the bottom. and be-
hold, as beautiful q sash az one could buy
for s.. This does not make a bow at the
back, It is true. but those are NOT worn by
extreme modish people: you must simply
cross the ribbon far down on the waist at
the back and fasten 1t with a crescent, or
II you have great medallion SO much the
better. Crescents. however, very
modish, and you can buy one loaded with
Initiation turquoises which will serve your
purpose perfectly, while this effect is in
vogue.
1t is not necessary that you cross this
rash in the back; you can tie II in a tiny
bow-knot under the left arm and let the
enfa hang down. Be sure that in every
cal lone end is half as long as the other
bul IN all your gowns have a SASH
great New York costumers consider
no. ,ess compete-unless il is n tailor suit
VI hout SaSn- lneN hasten them with
tws little pom pons at the point of the
bod e in the back and allow the fringed
end to fly.
I'd YOU are using ribbon. be sure It is
moi Q. Plain satin and taffeta have gone
out of vogue: the Roman taffetas are the
preI .rence, but for all evening wear use
the MORE effect.
I'd, turn to debutantes' frocks which are
afalSs Of great moment Just now. one high