The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-04
tor ddlomen

The reign of the blouse is supreme.
Even the tailor-made gown, that most
fetching contrivanee, which is supposed
to show the admirable outlines of the
wearer. is largely affected and no longer
clings to the figure as il 1t had grown
there. The blouse is in everything. 1t
is king or queen OF whatever you like
to call it, but anyway If you wish to be
in fashion do not forget the blouse for a
single momen
Now the question is whether 1t is COM
fort or vagary OF style which has brought
this about. 1t is certainly not economy,
for the blouse takes more cloth than the
tight-fttins gown. as every woman
knows. | nave set it down as due to
two reasons. The stout women like the
blouse because it is extremely comfort
able. The women who are not stout like
it because it gives them a fuller APP
pearance than would otherwise be the
case.
The stout woman always thinks more
of her comfort and the slight woman Of
her appearance, because the stout woman
has given up all hope of ever appear
ing slight, and the slight woman envies
her composure. So it is not at all I'M
likely that the blouse has come to stay.
A modesto with whom / talked on the
subject the other day said this to me
which is so true that l give it for the
benefit of those who care to read:-"We
are gradually coming to that point where
comfort is constantly considered by fash
ion. The moment You reach that stage,
just that moment what we people who
make dresses call common sense is also
considered. The result is the blouse"
If the blouse is not worn. it is re-
placed by coat effects or the double
breasted bodice, which holds its ground,
and will be largely used this winter.
These douhle-breasted affairs all have the
left hand jabot. and since heavy woollen
goods is scarcely adaptable to this pur-
pose. the frilis will be of lighter fabrics.
such as silk, chiffon or lace. A little
later on the jabot will be made of the
bodice material, less full and edged with
fur to harmonic with the gown, or made
of a nuting of fur. While in the depth
of winter these blouses will appear made
entirely of fur. especially sealskin and
astrakan.
If there is anything which can compare
with the rage for blouse effects it is the
craze for braid trimmings. Everything
that Is susceptible to that treatment
and some things which would seem not to
be as wefl-has artistic scrolls and curves
and straight lines of braid thereon, gem
orally in a rather strongly contrasting
color, but braid at all events. The fig
ures are rrang horizontally, vertical
ly. d~iagonally, in Van Dykes, and, in fact.
in every way that the min of woman
con conceive, and really it is wonderful
how much it add to the effect of a plain
material.
Tucks. too, are much liked, and will
be seen both on street and evening
towns For the heavier goods the tueks
are rather large. and sometimes the upper
tucks of a skirt SO treated viii be dia-
genal, higher on the left side than on the
other. This gives the effect of a drap-
cry and has the advantage of being new.
Sleeves are treated in the same manner.
but straight. When this treatment is
adopted for the hight evening fabrics. the
tueks are innumerahfe and very fine,
standing out like cords.
There is practically no end to the va
riety of dress materials this season.
Plain cloths, diagonals, plaids and checks
all seem to find equal favor. The one
thing necessary IN order to be in the
fashion, as FAR as skirts are concerned,
is to have them tucked, hounced or
braided, the material chosen being less
important.
Prominent among the features for this
coming season is the box-plait, which has
returned to popular favor, and since fash
ion never does Things half way we are to
have box-plaats galore, on both bodices
and skirts. The present fancy is to have
the pleat down the front of the skirt and
bodice alike, it being widened at the neck
a feet and diminishing at the waist
Small buttons are largely used as addi-
tsonal trimmings this fail, and are some-
times employed to fasten the box-plait all
the way down from top to bottom. Oc-
~casionally, also, they are put on in groups
at the waist or bust.
-
Every one" writes Florence Hull VIM
terburn in the October "Wenan's Home
Companion. has had occasion to OBJ
serve in himself-at one time or another
some peculiarly happy performance; an
action that was wrought with smooth
ness and ease; hat was the result of an
unconsciously fine adjustment of means
to an end. and had a delightful finish and
completeness. A feat of this kind, be it
the writing of a poem, the building of
a bridge or the making of 3 perfect bow
upon an important occasion, gives us
happiness. 1t becomes a pleasant memory
and enables US to bear up against the
mortifying Instances in which we are
awkward and maladroit.
Al inquiry into the reason of our salts
factions with these rare performances
would prove that simplicity and direct
ness had largely to DO with their success.
We forgot ourselves as the phrase is,
and acted under an inspiration that
infallibly guided US straight to the
desired point, without friction or waste of
energy. And this is the great secret Of
healthful activity; to move smoothly and
easily to the point, avoiding useless and
spasmodic motions. Just as it has been
ordained that we shall suffer from jerky,
iIl-directed movements that SO far from
being a part of our progress impede it.
and waste t our muscular and our
nervous force.
"The reason why smooth. gliding mo-
lions are pleasing to us. either in our
selves or when we witness them in Others.
is that they seem to be natural and