The times., 1897-03-28


sands or women who expect to appear in
brand-new finery on that day have not
even purchased the materials for the
gowns they are going to wear The mid
summer dresses are often made before the
spring costume is planned. 1t is SO
much IleaSanter TO work with the fllmsy
stuffs that VIII be a necessity in July
than WIN the stiff, coarsely y-wovcn wOOlens
OF spring Very often the summer dresses
are made entirely at home, because perfect
fit is not important as the general air
O. fluffness aHd GOODNESS, aud with plenty
of rufrles and lace this effect Is easily oh
tained
one cannot make a mistake in the use
of ruffles as skirt trimming for oTEandics
and even thin silks. The rnffles may be
either straight or on the bias, but instead
of hemming them 1t is better TO turn
them up at the edge on the right side and
then cover it with baby ribbon. This VIII
be found much easier task than endless
hemming of yards and yards OF ruffling.
Pleated rufflng in nous cline de sole
is being sold in large quantities for bodice
trimmings White with black edge is
quite popular, notwithstanding its mourn
ful aspect.
are used to trim linens andthe like that are
made over tinted silks. A linen with an
open patternin square checks whichis made
over pink lining has the pink and linen
tints combined in its rufflinE. The bodice
has a very narrow pink silk yoke that is
rounded 70 follow the lines OF the stock
collar and bordered With linen insertion.
1t fasuens diaEonally toward the left shOul-
der and the fastening is hordered with
three IowS of pleated batiSte, one pink
and the otner two linen color. The sleeves
are made to fitthe arm from wrist to shoul-
der but TO give them the wide effect which
we cannot yet dispense with, they are
treated to the same three ruws of pleated
batiSUe that are used on the bodice. The
pleating starts at the elbow and runs up
the outside of the arm TO the shoulder.
There is linen ColOred ribbon AT the neck,
batiste pleating al the wrists. and pink
ribbon knotued at the waist. The skirt is
plain.
A pretty fancy that is Characteristic OF
many of the thin dresses is that Of sewing
ribbon or insertion on in the form OF big
bow-knots The fronts of skirts usually
have about three Of them, the bodice one
or two. 1t is a much easter task than it
at first appears, and although it nutilateS
the material in an iTrevocable manner it
is a very economical style Of trimming
The skirt is made and entirely finished
off at first, ending in wide hem at the
bottom. The large. double bO knots should
then 3e traced out with pencil or stamped
in such position as is desired, after which
the lace insertion is simply sewed down
tight at each edge, following the lines OF
the pattern. In places the edge VIII have
to be gathered or puckcred TO fit the curves
but this is very easy matter. When once
one discovers the knack Of doing it, this
will seem one Of the easiest trimmings TO
put on. After the insertion has been sewed !
down tight, the material is cut out from
underneath. Small bow-knots are used on
the bodice and still smaller ones on the
sleeve puffs.
A fashion which was somewhat in favor
last year is being revived again. 1t is the |
use of rows OF insertion narrow lace
running around the bodice, the upper sleeves /
and the hips. When insertion is used as a /
sort Of yoke for the skirt, it is made shout |
eight inches wide, and is then finished with |
q single wide nounce that hangs to the |
bottom.
Narrow satin ribbon and gimp braid are |
used on tailor made dresses in the same |
way. Many of the Easter gowns have |
such trimming. A gray serge has rows OF |
black satin ribbon running around the |
yoke and upper sleeves. This ribbon is |
about three-eighths OF an inch wide, but |
when it was used in rows around the hips |
it was much wider. Often the rows Of |
braid are put on in a sort OF apron shape,
curving down in front, and reaching about
midway from the waist to the bottom.
RUffles are curved in the same manner,
but they usually start from the bottom.
Some dresses are trimmed with flowers
that reach from the bottom of the skirt
to the waist lire, but it seems preferable
to curve them up toward the back and
leave plain apron-like space in front
A few skirts are made with rows Of
ruffes set at intervals above one another
after the fashion in vogue about five years
ago. Four ruffles, for instance, are put
on Mt the bottom, above which will be a
wide band Of trimming headed with more
ruffles As this style is not very gener-
ally becoming, it is not likely to become
very popular
Rows OF braid or folds of the goods at
the bottom are better liked. A blue
serge trimmed with plaid silk has three
folds of the serge at the bottom with a
\
blue serge sleeveless jacket that buttons
with straps over plaid silk waist
A pretty style for j tailor-made dress
Is a princess skirt and box -pleated or
barrel Eton. The skirt is fitted TO the
figure three or four inches above the
waist so that the loose han ging Eton
falls over it. The Eton Jacket is trim
med elaborately with braid, but the waist
line OF the skirt is not broken with any sort
OF trimming, as this would destroy the |
effect aimed at. This dress could be worn
indoors without the Eton 10y using guimpe
OF silk or some kind of thin material.
Such q dress with the bodice running
a little farther up - say, 10 the bust
lne-makesa pretty streetcoStume without
the Eton. A gown Of this kind has yoke
and sleeves Of Guipure and lace over cream
colored silk. Six rows of mohair braid
circle the skirt, and six more at narrower
trim the bodice. The whole ef
feet of this costume is a light coffee and
cream color, but the braid is brown. 1t is
a dress which, with it's cream Starw hat
and plumes VIII be worn rather in June
than at Easter time, though II must be said
that Easter costumes viii be of lighter
hues and materials than usual on account
Of the lateneSs of the date.
Buttons will be used in connection with
braid in some cases, though they are not
TO have anything like their old sway. a
dress, which is represented in
the Illustration, has strips of braid run
ming up from the bottom Of the skirt, with