The times., 1897-04-18
THE w OMAN NzN
agzzazR : OF ~F>MAsH1oMN


At last the suspense is over, and those
who have heroioaIly refrained from dis
playing their finery during Lent may now
don their laurel wreaths- W hich, of
course, means their Easter bonnets-and
sally forth to reap the reward of absti
nence in the admirIng glanceS or the null
titude. Those who thought it was common
to appear in new clothes on the same day
that everybody else did, and came out in
theirs last Sunday, are secretly sorry for
it and wish they had kept them fresh
But the most melancholy folks are those
whose Easter finery was for one reason
or another not forthcoming in time to
wear.
1t is perhaps rubbing it in pretty hard
to tell these people about the clothes
that other folks are going to wear, but it
viii at least serve as glittering exam
pie, which, fortunately, is not too late to
follow. If we stay at home or go TO a
strange church Ito hear the music" Just
because we have no spring costume with
which to astonish our acqUain tances, we
can now profit by the example of those
who kept their lamps oiled, and may come
out in fresh finery after the others have
lost their first bloom.
1t is to these that the following bits of
advice are more particularly addressed.
In the first place, if you have not already
purchased a new flannel or serge dress for
wear during the early weeks Of spring, it
would be better to wait now until later,
when goods are being sold cheap and ready
made dresses can he had for song Better
save the money which would be used for
this and add t. the sum needed for the SUM
Iner street and church dress.
OF course, one cannot entirely dispense
with a wooden street dress at any time Of
the year. but f the winter gown has done
duty as long as this. an old dress refurbished
will last the So of the season with a little
JudiciOus management. Nearly everybody
has an uld gown of three or four years
standing that went out of style W hen large
sleeves and wide skirts came in. Such
gown can be fixed over with the greatest
ease. All that is needed is a gimp bolero
and a cuff around the hand with perhaps
a band of braid or some folds of the mate
rial around the bottom of the skirt. Some
OF the old dresses are very like those worn
now. L have in mind a heliotrope silk with
little figure init, which was trimmed with
velvet of slightly deeper hue.
This dress is at least five years old, but
1t has a velvet bolero, tight sleeves, with
small velvet puffs at the top, and
wide velvet belt. The skirt has the three
narrow ruGfles, set at intervals of ten or
twelve inches apart, which were just COM
ing in when the dress was made. Fortu-
nately, the owner had about two yards OF
the material, without W hich she could not
possibly have remedied the skirt econoni-
caIlv fhiS has ont rnffIiDo ,auourb
to reach the hips, thus making flounccd
skirt of the latest fashion. The bodice
needed very little altering, but there were
some stiffened silk epaulets over the shout
ders which served to make cuffs and a
knot with which to catch up the velvet
puffs in a butterfly effect.
Folds of the material contribute to the
trimming of a great many spring dresses.
They are used on both waist and skirt.
A blue robe for street wear has two-inch
folds starting at the neck of the bodice and
reaching Just below the bust line From
there the effect is continued by rows of
gimp braid running around the bodice and
the upper part OF the skirt. The waist is
a blouse, but is belted with a girdle Of the
material fastened with a fancy button
Z ae bottom OF the skirt is trimmed with
rcws Of braid for about six inches, and
a owe this there ts an embroidered pattern
OF leaves This embroidered trimming
al 9ears again in the epaulets over the
Six res. ami the sleeves are trimmed with
lets of braid from shoulder to wrist.
4 mother dress, some what similar, has no |
bF:sid at all, but simply the folds. There |
a :, five rows OF these laid at intervals OF |
iotr inches on the bodice, with the fifth |
f,aiiag o few inches below the waist |
s,aoHnd tire hips. giving princess effect |
10 the dress Epaulets made OF folds and |
e4l.el with rufflcs are set on at the shouI- |
Ger. A high ruche around the neck and /