The St. Louis Republic., 1901-03-31

! SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Paris. March 23.-Hail to the shirt
waist!
AS it now is, it is Il thing Of beauty
rs well rs utility. Therefore, doubly
welcome is this little garment which has
really been the salvation Of the neat
woman.
1t is an undisputed fact that women of
small means were never able to appear
as we'll dressed before the coming of the
shrtwaist as they have been since its
advent.
If the airiness of the fabrics brought
out for frocks and blouses is any indi-
cation, the summer will be a sultry
one. The dainticst of transparent stuffs
are to he had, and these are in delicate
f., colors and snowy white. White will
certainly he exceedingly fashionable.
In the sketches that are here given it
will readily be seen that there is Il de-
cided fulnrss of sleeve in the newest
waists. One Of these pretty blouscs is
in pink lawn striped with white and
small black figure. Straight down the
front over the button lap, there is
| strip of white lawn insertion. At each
side there is Il cluster of three tucks and
then strip of embroidery and three
more tucks. There is 4 cluster of tucks
! running up and down the sleeve, but
not reaching either the wrist or the
! shoulder. The tucks left open make 4
slight fullncss which is gathered into the
shoulder. At the wrist the sleeve is cut
quite wide so there is considerable full
ness at the cuff With this blouse there
is worn a white linen collar that is
turned over at the top, and a black satin
tie. The back of the blouse has two
clusters of tucks at each side of the mid
die, but no embroidery.
The other blouse, suitable for either
light wool or cotton materials, has tucks
run in to simulate yoke. The original
| of this sketch was made Of fabric half
wool and half silk. With hem-stitched
linen collar and black satin cravat it is
just the thing for wear when the day
is too warm for jacket and yet little
chilly for cotton blouse.
There are a number Of dotted ma
terials among the smartest stuffs for
embroidered dots in cOlors are wonder
fully fetching. The dotted swisses will
be used extensively for shirtwaists and
one Of the very prettiest ideas Of all is
Il fine white muslin blouse trimmed
down the front and on the cuffs with
French knots. Any woman who EN-
broiders knows just what a French knot
is and how to make it. Waists trimmed
in this way are regarded as altogether
the most refined and dainty. The work
is done after the blouse is made, and not
put on" In ready-made, by-the-yard
fashion. 1t is quite the thing, nova
days, you know, to have garments that
display handwork. Indeed, the art of
fine needlework is being revived.
The wash silk blouses are finding all
the favor they deserve. Some of the
very daintiest and most desirable are of
white silk run in most minute tucks, and
others are of the corded variety which
is very smart or course the white silks
woven with cords are made up plain.
Tucking the material would spoil it's cf
feet. Light pink, blue, green and, in
be found among the wash silks. Many
of these and. indeed, the most of them,
are corded Plain white taffeta and
pcau de sole blouses are somewhat
dressy and will be worn FROM now to
the end of summer for afternoons. With
the spring jacket suits the white silk