The suburban citizen., 1902-03-15
THE MODERN LAYETTE.
rho Average Daby's Outfit Costs One
Hundred Dollars.

Hundred Dollars.
One hundred dollars is the price of
the average baby's wardrobe. A lay
ette that was bought in Paris recently
cost $1,000, and there is society Of
charitable ladies' that finds 1t possible
for $40 to make up a perfectly ade-
quate wardrobe for babies with whom
dress is not matter Of supreme mo-
ment; yet the average mother who
does her duty by her infant is obliged
to spend not less than $100 on a nice
layette, inclusive of the basket and
bath tub, as well as the bibs. This
seeming extravaganza is due to ira.
dition that babies shall be dressed in
handmade clothes and it 10 the ex-
penses of the hand work that makes
baby clothes so costly. The hundred
dollar outfit does not include tucks,
real lace or embroidery, but it does in
clude q thoroughly comfortable though
q far more limited trouseeau than
mothers used to think necessary.
Dresses, gowns, bands and caps by
the dozen are no longer hoarCed up
against baby's arrival, and the old es-
innate for a complete layette is cut
down by half, while of that half the
major portion is made on improved
patterns. The clothes have been great
ly reduced in bulk, and what the baby
evidently appreciates most is that they
are arranged to slip Of, AMI on with
the least possible trouble. Nearly all
the flannel used in the modern infants
clothes is Of the new variety that is
| guaranteed against shrinkage by a iu-
dicious Intervening of cotton; the
bands that are bound first Cbout their
bodies are merely rinked at thc edges
instead Of being broadly homncd, ana
by day a gertrude ard by night a pin.
ming blanket take tie place Of the
clumsy flannel petticoats.
A gertrude is a rico little flannel clip
that goes next after the short, woven
undervest and the body band. 1t is
sleeveless and low nccked, and fGstens
on the shoulders, so that when it is to
be adjusted or removed a hand slipped
under the wrapper or night gown I'M
fastens Il, and the garment is drawn
down and off without the least 6ificul-
ty. At night the pinning blanket takes
the place of tie gertrude, and is as
easily extracted, should need arise,
and in the laudable effort to reduce the
superhuous weight of clothing, hens
are, if possible, done away with every
where. The skirts of the best made
garments are completed by brttonholed
scallops, and even the pinning blanket,
which is split oren all the way down
the side and folded up and pinned back
at night, so as to hold the lower part
Of the body in n sort OF capacicus fan
nel sack, is scalloped and buttonholed
OF all its edges.
At the big shops where infant sup
plies have an extensive department all
to themselves the most charming pal.
metto travelling baskets are sold. These
baskets are square and made wholly
Of bleached palmetto woven upon a
framework Of tough light wood. In
side fl two trays and yet there is
space enough for packing every stitch
Of the layette and the baby's toilet ar
ticles beside. Two stout brass locks
hold the lid fast, and when in actual
| travelling service the basket wears
! slip cover Of white canvas reinforced
! and bound with white wash leather
The top tray OF this basket is lined
with blue sateen, covered with white
muslin rufiled with Valenciennes. and
Into pockets and under flaps and straps
dt all the blue celluloid toilet articles.
Last, but nowadays not least, in the
important items OF an infants outfit
are the white Turkish towelling OF
aannel overalls that the nurse or meth.
er puts on when bathing the haby.
Sometimes it is merely a particularly
long and ample white towelling apron,
/ but the best overalls are made Of gaily
striped unshrinkable flannel long and
full in the skirt, high in the bib and
provided with bag sleeves to tie at the
wrist and above the elbow, thus afford
Ing Perfect protection from suds end
splashing water.-New York Sun.