Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-24
FOR UP-TO-DATE WOMEN
The Shirt Waist Problem That Comes Up
Every Summer.
What to Wear and What Not to Wear
The Number Necessary for
Luxury and Comfort.
Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.

| Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.
| This Is indeed ''shirt waist time" Those
| who are left to suffer in cities wear them
| whenever they obliged to go out
| the hot streets. and those who are lucky
| enough to have escaped to green fields
practically live in them unless they belong
| to the piazza contingent and never indulge
| IN any more energetic sport than rocking
| in chair.
Year before last there We're whispers
| that the shirt waist was on the wane
| Last year We were told its death knell had
been rung. but lc. this year It appears
| more popular than ever. Outdoor sports
| have made 1t Indispensable
| Since We arc to have shirt waists ard
yet again shirt waists let US give a littl,
study to their proper mana cement I: has
been emphasized before that no other gar
| ment has been subjected to such abuse or
| bean worn in SO slovenly a manner The
appearance of the shirt waist as we often
see It Is enough 20 make the smart wo-
man give all Of hers to her maid
| The shirt waist should not he overworn
In the country where 1t is possible to do
| so 1t Is much better to wear light pretty
| and inexpensive GOWNS. which have
dainty. summary and feminine effect. saw
| ing the shirt waist for golf. tennis bicy-
| cling or rowing. But for the occasional
| day in the city. or for those who cannot
| leave town. the shirt waist is ALWAYS the
proper garment
| For travelling a starched shirt waist is
not wise IL one has anv distance to 60
1t is stiff. soils easily unless very dark in
color. loses It's starch and thereupon all
| Its right to existence. A cool. dark silk
| waist. with detachable collar and cuffs
II preferred; is more suitable. Indeed. IT
may he laid down as a general rule that
| all cotton fabrics should be eschewe,t by
| the traveller.
| The Details Vary.
| The details OF the shirt waist vary from
| year to year. and it is regretts bic. but true
that no matter how slender the purse shirt
v aists should either be made new or be
| remodeled every spring This year it was
| not SO difficult to do, as there little
| change in the yokeS. One had only to
| make the sleeves and cuffs smaller tuck
| instead Of shirr the sleeve into the cuff.
and cut off The collar and wear detach-
| able white collars and cuffs.
The number of shirt waists necessary 10
| a luxurious treatment of the question is
never less than a dozen. The number nee
cssary for comfort and cleanliness is quite
| half that number In color and material
OF course. they vary. according to the
| taste Of the wearer and the fashion OF the
| hour. One girl. who is favored enough by
fortune to be able to have hers well made.
and of as many colors as Joseph's coat.
| was enamored of pink. All of her waists
were some shade Of that gay. youthful
| color. and when she appeared daily. fresh
| and dainty, in yet another pink shirt waist
even more becoming than the last her
choice of colors seemed wise one.
The Obstruction of shirt waist lies in its
| freshness. its simplicity. its fit on the
| shoulders and its trimness at the waist
| line. These four cardinal virtues should be
borne In mind when donning the garment
First, its freshness. 1t seems incredible
that well-gowned women. who have spared
no pains and expense to have proper gar
| ments for various occasions. should yet
not be scrupulously careful to wear them
properly. Yet such is the case. Nor is
there any excuse for the woman who,
though she has been Obliged to consider
expense. has been more lavish in her ex-
penditUe Of time. thought and labor, and
thus achieved the adjective Of we'll
groomed.
Should Always De Fresh.
Save on candy ice cream. soda water,
car fare, embroidery, or any of the dear
delights of a summer resort but never
wear shirt waist that is not perfectly
fresh. or that does not look as If 1t and
the collar attached had just come from the
laundry. 1t costs fifteen or twenty cents
to have a shirt waist Numbered. and two
cents for each collar. Buy a few less bar
gains from itinerant East Indians this
summer and use the money for larger laun-
drv bills
The simplicity Of a shirt waist depends
upon the way in which it is made and the
material used. The shirt waist proper was
originally intended to be of a material nearly
If not quite as heavy mems shirtings.
and simply made. This year there are diff
ferent little tucks and frills added to dim
ity and silk waists. and to white waists
purporting to be shirt waists. but the SIM
pie. fresh waist of percale. batiste, madras
etc. is by far the most satisfactory.
To secure the perfect-fitting shoulders
should be lucky enough to be able to have
ones outfit made by some good woman
tailor. or Industrious enough to get a good
seamstress and good pattern, and have
ones shirt waists made at home. There
are q few shops which have exclusive de-
waists, but the price one pays for these is
so great that II almost justifies the tailor
and costs nearly twice much as those
made at home.
The trimness at the waist is problem
which can be solved in different ways. Be-
sides the dart, the best tailors have a tape
to shape the waist under the arms. The
best device Of all is simple piece of dress
betting with a buckle sewed on one end.
This is buckled on over the shirt waist.
and the fullness Is then adjusted, and can
be pinned to the belt. though IL the waist
is we'll shaped no pinning should be neces-
sary.
Thus managed. fresh. well-fitted and SIM
pie. with a white collar and a weIl-tied
ribbon stock. the shirt waist becomes ,
powerful ally Of the woman who values
appearances, as every true woman should.
MABEL BOYD.
Hence These Tears.
From the Chicago Post.
The boy came into the house weeping,