Evening star., 1900-02-03

ing eye that those box pleats so prettily cat
stitched together with white silk did not
have great folds of silk underneath as real
box ploats would have, nor could IL have
been made that way and then have had
the surplus or superfiuous silk cut out. 4
perfectly fitted lining Of silk used, and
over this the blue silk put with the
shallowest of tuCks turning out and cat
stitched together on the bodice and about
the hips on the side and in front. The back
of the skirt was, of course, laid in a deep
box pleat, which had no pretense about it.
A Simpler Design.
Leaving these new and discouraging mod
els which require the touch of genius TO
bring them to their difficult perfection, ii
is relief to turn to the skirt with box
pleated back, which promises to be as popu-
lar this spring as the skirt with the habit
back was yeaI ago. Although boX-pleated
skirts were heralded for last fall yet very
few of them were worn, and now they will
be quite enough the rage to make up for
lost time. Single, double or triple box
pleats, according to the form or fancy OF
the wearer, and stitched almost immovably
In place, caught only part of the way, or
simply pressed with the heavy iron of the
tailor, one may see them among the new
models
Fortunately, it has been found quite feas-
ible to make the habit back skirts into
graceful box-pleated affairs by one of two
methods. The way employed depends on
the original length of the skirt and also on
whether IL was cut with or without seam
in the back. If il was cut without a seam
and is rather long il may be cut from waist
line to hem in front and a front gore in
serted. After this gore has been put In IL
will be found Ihat enough fulness has been
thrown TO the back TO provide for the
double box pleat
The Other Way.
Another method which is used when the
skirt has seam in the back is to make a.
single or double box pleat, then attach it
to the back of the skirt, to be remodeled.
and, after basting it carefully into place.
cutting away the cloth underneath then
stitching the box pleat down to the skirt
Both methods require more goods of the
original weave and always when fresh
material is put with old there has to be a
most careful cleaning of the old TO make
them amalgamate.
Another way of remodeling skirt is sim
ply to use a new Partisan model which
provides for two side CORES instead of one,
each outlined with braid or some other
trimming. So 1t is only necessary to in
troduce a second side gore with discretion
and trimming to give the necessary fullness
TO make at least two side pleats in the
back.
The Circular Skirt.
The circular skirt is as popular as ever,
and will continue to be so, for it is impos-
sible to make crepe de chine and other
dainty creations with severe box pleats.
or even with tucks and kills. Circular
flounces and foot pleatngs of lace, chiffon
and silk still continue to be the Ideal of the
softer and more diaphanous materials.
1t is in this class of soft and feminine
draperies that the hint of the coming fuller
skirt is most clearly seen. For gathered
skirts in nuns velings and challies are
actually a part of some of the imported
gowns. Not gathered in front, for the
straight line of the front shows no change,
but over the hips and in the back are these
little cords, which show a swing of the PEN
duium from habit backs toward hoops.
1t is pleasant to be able to record that
skirts show tendency to shorten TO a
length which makes II possible to put one
foot before the other without first looking
to get a quarter of yard of material out
of the way. 1t is to be hoped that wise wo-
men who have had none but reception
gowns made so long will make the most of
this tendency toward sanity in the length
of trailing draperies. MABEL BOYD.