The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-21
The TaiIor-Madc Shirtwaist.

New York Evening Post
The truly mannish shirtwast. such as is
fashioned by the distracted but highly re-
Enumerated cutter and filter of the "haber-
dasher for men and tailor-made women"
is very scant and austere affair this sea-
son. Such fulness as il can boast is drawn
primly down into a point below the waist
line and the back is set in fiat pleats or in
groups of tucks stitched down fiat from
neckband to waist. The sleeves are not
skin-tight, but neither are the shirt sleeves
in any sense of the term. They are spare
but shapely, with just suggestion of full
ness at the shoulder, tapering down TO
trim cuff which is plain but softer than the
cuff of other seasons. There are various
versions of even this severely taut and neat
model, but the favorite pattern has four
narrow pleatS on either side OF the front
and the back is treated according TO the
pattern of the stuff. set in tucks, In groups
of pleast or left plain and drawn very snug
~ into the waist-bet.
For the woman who thinks her artistic
style does not harmonic with trim sever
ity there are sailor waists and waists with
embroidered yokes and bishop sleeves. but
these fanciful affairs the smart shirt maker
alludes TO as makeshifts, seamstresses'
work home-mades and other contemptuous
terms. One mighty haberdasher calls them
alterations whatever he may mean by
that epithet. In more homely words.
woman dubs the fancy : shirt waist
neither fish, flesh nor good red herring"
The colors of the madras. linens and cot
ton cheviots are of two extremes. There
are stripes in pastel shades and unusual
combinations, such as pink. blue and green,
gray and yellow. green and yellow. green
and gray, lilac and blue Then there are
bright, staring, vivid tones of red. purple
blue, orange and green combined with
equally bold shades OF other colors and not
always contrasting colors either. Many of
the linens have the appearance OF richest
silks. so lustrous, firm and smooth are they
and so exquisitely clear are the colors of the
pattern.
Although madras and cheviots are in de-
mand, many women are buying linen only
tor their summer shirt waists. 1t is cooler
and washes beautifully, of course but the
lew madras are so fine and firm few per-
sons could tell them from the linens.
IL is expected that more white shirt
eny previous year and this in spite of the
fact that the colorings and the reproduce
tons of the patterns in madras have been
brought to their present stage of perfection
only within a year. Never has there bee.l
such an infinite variety of designs to choose
from as there is this year.
Even in the white shirts there is great
variety. There is linen tafetas striped
and dotted or strewn with stars. howerets
or feurs-de-lys There are embroidered
lawns, silk linens, batistes, duck and piques
Black and white promises TO enjoy a GER
tain popularity, too, not for second mourn
ing alone. but because IL looks cool and
stylish with colored hats and gay para
soils.
The very thin shirt waist, with the trans
parent yoke and sleeves of openwork en-
hroidery. is being offered for sale and being
bought the TRADES of last years clergy
men Notwithstanding