Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
Neat Print and Lawn Dresses
INCEST for the House.
WALKING SKIRT and SHIRT WAIST
PrettiIy Made MusIins Both Youth
full and Stylish.
TUCKING NEVER MORE USED

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
NEW YORK, August ,, 1899.
A dainty lady of my acquaintance often
tells me of her pleasant memory of her
mother at the first meal of the day. The
household was gentle one. Pleasant
greetings were exchanged at the family
meeting place, the breakfast table. Every
thing went smoothly and with precision, al
though the time had passed when manners
were fashioned by that stately dance, the
p1inuet One circumstance which row
seems rather small fingers most persistent
ly and fondly in the memory OF my 1rlehd'
and that is the spotless and simple cotton
print frocks in which her mother always
appeared behind the coffee urn. Although
that was but half a century ago, yet times
have changed so very much in regard TO
conveniences and appliances for ervice
that we have to be told of the manner Of
living even then to know how truly lady
was loaf giyer." From garnet to cellar
in her neat print gown she went over her
house Truly, she looked we'll to the ways
of her household nor thought her lot hard
one though she was busy a great part OF
her day, even in families where the clrcum-
stances were easy and the domesucs plenty
This, OF course, If she came of the ener-
getic New England stock from Whlch the
mother in question was descended, and
lived in a climate where constant exertion
seems TO be in the very atmosphere How
the children of that woman and of other
women like her remember those plain
morning gowns, which had never about
them the slightest semblance of wrapper
or neglige and were suitable for the work
to be accomplished in them as was or is
the quiet business suit which the man OF
the household dons for his morning meal
The Handy Shirt Waist.
The modern woman is apt to appear in a
bicycle or golf skirt and shirt waist at
breakfast, if it be summer and IN cloth
street dress, if it be winter. And, although
her methods and ways are different yet
will her children rise up and call her bless
ed if in spite of her outside occupations she
is still their loaf giver. Certainly, she has
no more leisure than had her grandmother
who fulfilled the biblical ideal From whlch
may be deduced the fact that the so-called
weaker half is most industrious, having
always been and always being busted about
something, whether 1t be domestic cares OF
social distractions.
Shirt waists although very tidy, are not
the ideal morning waist if one Is not gong
ont OF course a shirt waist and skirt
make a very fresh picture in the morning,
especially if a white shirt is combined with
a white skirt. and the whole completed oy
a belt and a tie of spotless white. But
shirt waist is not really very cool garment
nor an especially comfortable one The
ideal purposes for shirt waists do not in
Guide them as 2QoTnInenlS IoC lnS HOUSE. at
least not cotton ones, starched as they al
ways are by that important parsonage, the
laundress. For all outdoor sports, for wear
in town on hot day when a boned waist
is impossible for trips away from home
which are purely informal and do not end
festivities. the shirt waist is in its element
Where Simple Points Come In.
But if you are at home, and intend to stay
at home; if you are giving your father,
brother or husband his breakfast and per-
haps arranging the day for several children,
and have thoughts of a future interview
with the cook with a possible housemaid
to see to, or if you live in the ordinary
American way, with one maid and supple
ment her work by busting and looking
after trifies yourself, then eschew the shirt
waist and skirt of a different material, and
have little print or lawn gowns.
Looking over the mid season models
which not too elaborate for morning
wear one sees repeated in every conceivable
material and with every possible trimming
one dress. 1t is made with a long under
skirt which touches the ground unless its
wearer refuses to sweep: over this a tunic
of some flowing fiaring shape: and the
waist is a round waist. always with a yoke
Sometimes the trimming is ruffies, some
times 1t is lace, and If the material is heavy
1t is merely stitched along the hem or there
are bands of the same or of contrasting coll
ors stitched on. This last treatment is very
popular with piques.
food Design to Copy.
IA very pretty dress of this sort was of |
dark blue lawn. The underskirt had wide
ruffie on it, and the edge of the tunic or |
overskirt met the ruffie. The tunic was /;
apparently cut longer both in the front and |
the back than 1t was on the sides, exactly |
as IL a square had been cut out of each /,
side Then this irregular tuIic was edged
with two rufiies, about two inches wide, of
the same lawn. The effect was indescriba-
BILE. The skirt seemed to dance when the
owner moved, all because of the ruffies on
the flowing and oddly SHAPED tunic. The
waist was fulled into yoke of alternate
strips of white Valenciennes and blue mus
lin, and on the wearer's head was a blue
straw hat. with fiuted brim. and over the
brim nodded corn flowers, carrying out the
dancing effect Of the tunfc- This was a
breakfast gown designed fer wear at a |
rather elaborate house party. but neverthc-
less it was morning gown. and seemed to
carry with it cheerful rhythm on ac-
count of its flowing lines.
chambray in pink or pale blue makes A
charming morning frock. and trim 4
med ~ cotton dresses are this