The morning times., 1897-02-28

A1lsOu lGlttNNlbhs ifontNtAs ~ pNNOh'SS ~
dent that it is possible for a woman OF the
poorest taste to put herself in the hands
OF modiste and a clever maid, and become
averitablc model of the latest ST yles witho ut
the slightest exercise of good judgment on
her part There are many such in swell
society whose gowns are quoted as eN-
amples OF the exquisite taste Of their
wearers, when all the time they only rep
resent the ideas of a fashioable costumer
supplemented by the offices of accom-
plshed maids. 1t would be more in keeping
topoint out the maid as a paragon OF good
Judgment, and il would be of more service
10 the public in general TO know how the
maid dresses herself with comparatively
few resources at her command
The real genius in such matters is the
woman who manages to appear stylish
and Gell-dressed upon a small amount OF
money. in reality, she is the woman of
fashion,, because she actually designs her
own dresses instead Of paying a large sum
for French taste in the costumes she wears,
and for that very reason she may show
better Judgment in suiting her own in
dividualiry than would a stranger who
has hundreds Of other women in mind.
a great many such women of fashion
have already begun to think OF their
summer clothes. The first question that
occurs to her is, How many of last years
dresses can he worn unis season."
For the consolation OF those who be-
wall the advent of the small sleeve. let
me say right here that the summer
dresses viii be allowed great deal
of latitude in this respect. The soft, filmy
materials, do not admit Of being drawn
tight over the arm. The effects hot pretty,
and the stuff will not stand the strain.
But worst of all, such sleeves are extreme
ly uncomfortable in Otweather. For these
reasons the sleeves on many of the sum
mer dresses now on exhibition do not differ
much from those OF last season. one sees
large, fluffy puffs and soft draperies that
are in keeping with the new materials.
Such puffs and draperies do not stand out
with the aggressiveneSs of a season or two
ago, but they have d loose, comfortable
look.
There is reason for tlis lack of what
was once called chic in the set Of sleeves
in the quality of the leading summer ma
terials. The newest things are soft and
flmsy, with very little dressing. These
who have Iamentel the loss of starch from
their linen dresses on account OF last sea-
sons sojourn at the seashore may take
heart again. for they Will be better suited
to the times than if they had never been
worn. For this reason piques. duck and
canvas will not be SO much in favor as
heretofore.
Challies lend themselves very nicely 10
the soft draping that will b. III vogue. and
they will, therefore, be much worn. The
new designs have satin stripes of the same
tone as the groundwork. with figure in
some light color. A dark blue. for instance,
has a blue satin stripe with small white
polka dots. A cream white ground with
satin stripe in the same tone has a spray
OF pink forget-me-nots and green leaves. In
general the figures in challicS are rather
small, while those in the organdies are
Just as large as ever aud very close to-
gethcr.
y great many organdie waists are Icing
made up nowadays for use next summer.
These are very easily made. and the young
woman OF thrift and foresight will spend
Some OF her winter evenings making as
many rs She can afforif for the hot weather
to come. II more young women in the
large cities would remember that they
need thin waists for summer before the
Fourth of July is upon them to compel i'm
mediate attention, there would be more
well-dreSsed girls in the offices, and more
money i'll the savings banks.
Tomorrow, to speak by the calendar,
is the first day of spring. and though it is
the beginning OF a cold. stormy month. il is
only an opportunity to stay in and prepare
for the days that are to come. II will he
an excellent time to make the sLirt-waiSts
and the organdie waists aforementioned.
-Four yards OF organdy will be plenty
for a very pretty waist. Those now being
made are lined with thin silk OF a very
cheap grade. One with pink ground and
a large dark figure is made over pink silk
The lining is made to fit the figure COM
fortably, but need not bind anywhere, as
this would require too careful fitting
and would be too great a strain on the
19-ceut silk lining. The organdy is then
draped over the lining, being laid in small
pleats at the waist to give the required
fullness. The neck is merely finished off
with d straight band, over which any
ribbon and lace stock may be worn. The
sleeves of this waist are the hardest task
but with a litthe patience they can soon
be mastered. They are Of the nIltton-leg
cut, with good deal of leg and not much
mutton-that is to say, the puff is very
short. The sleeve is lined with pink silk,
which is puffcd with the organdy at the
top. Below the puff the organdy is laid
in small tucks running across the arm to
the wrist and at the bottom silk and or
CANDY are cut in a point that projects
over the hand SILICA OF percaline will
be found more serviceable but not 50 cool
as silk
In accordance with the general droop
in dress, shirt waists have lost some of
their starch. Tie newest cuffs are not
stiffcned, but are made to turn back
like the cuffs OF n mans neglige shirt.
Waists of wash silk will tie found very
useful, and these again may he made at
home, while it is still cool enough to
sew. Pink or blue Chambray is a pretty
material for summer waists and is es
peciaIly desirable because IL does not re-
quire a lining They look very pretty
with small bishop sleeves with the fine
knife pleated nounce at the wrist.
Some OF last summers dresses can he
refurbished with the new ribbons which
are among the greatest novelties yet dis
PLAYED. They all come in at least two
tones. Four-inch ribbons in two shades of
green, or gray, or in gray and white,
yellow nd white. lavender and white can
he bought for Sixty-tw cents yard which
is not an extravagant price, considering
that one need not use much OF it. Such
ribbons viii serve TO ina ke the short sa shes