Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-04-08
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Correspondence on topics Of interest 70 the ladie,
Column, oxford Democrat. Paris. Maine.
SPRING AND SUMNER FASHIONS

Correspondence on topics OF insof3eS 10 tne LUG
Il sofcitod. Address: Editor HONEnAKERs
COLUMN, oxford Democrat. Paris. hains.
SPRING AND SUMNER FASHIONS
Whatever you have or whatever you
don't have for your spring and summer
outfit there are certain things of line
that must be remembered and carried
out. With these you can wear what
you please and look we'll. Without
them you will be hopelessly out of style,
and no amount of money or richness Of
material will redeem you. First, your
garments must cling to the figure. No
pads on the hips and no bustles are per-
missible. You must look as slim as pos
sible about the hips and as far down az
the knees, where your skirt may begin
to fare.
Every woman should study her own
figure, her "style," and adapt to her
own use such notifications of the pre-
vailing mode as are most becoming to
her. Because you are short and stout
you must not think the broad shoulders
are not for you, and so 60 about in a
fashion two years old. Extend the
shoulders as Dame Fashion tells you to,
and then in some way drop long mar
row line from your chin to the farthest
edge of your long, clinging skirt. The
low-busted corset and the long, dropping
waist-line will all contribute to the effect
of height. If you are very tall and slen-
der the broad shoulders will build you
out, the fancy sleeves will give fullness
to your arms, while your hips and lower
body can hardly be too small.
1t would be great saving of time and
energy if every woman would take time
to make a thorough study of herself-to
learn what style it is that is most becOm-
ing to her, whether the severe or fussy
or ornate, the long lines or those that 60
around and around - and bearing the
results always in mind apply the mode
of the moment to her own individual
need. But never, never, cling to an old
style. Nor should you 60 to the extreme
of new one. Every style can be made
becoming to every figure. All that is
required is little ingenuity, or, a better
word, common sense. 1t is the duty of
every woman to look as we'll as she can
and make the best appearance circum-
stances will allow. A few facts relating
to her individuality borne constantly in
mind when new clothes are under con-
sideration will greatly simplify the prob
lem, diminishing the usual time and
worry expended upon clothes, and enable
her to have a modish appearance wheth-
er the financial outlay has been great or
little.
Coffee color will be one feature of the
spring cOstuming. You will see it every
where and on everything. 1t will pre-
dominate in gowns, in millinery, in fact
everything which women wear, with the
possible exception of shoes. 1t will last
until the warm weather has become ad-
vanced, and then will give place to white,
for white is always and above everything
else the correct thing for hot weather.
You cannot make mistake in getting
coffee color for your gowns, your hats or
your gloves. There will be sprinkling
of pinks and blues in wash-gOwns and
lightweight fabrics, but they will by no
means have the prominence that they
have had formerly. If you want to be
distinctive, and you can wear them, give
variety to your coffee and your white
gowns by adding one of a soft sage-green
and another of lavender. These are try
ing colors to many persons, 80 are seldom
seen, and will give you touch of indi-
viduality. Your separate blouses must
be either white or cream-color, and you
must be very careful how you wear them,
not with anything and on all occasions,
as heretofore. When you have on sep
arate blouse you must be sure that a
jacket of the same material and cut as
your skirt is on top of the blouse, tucked
| under your arm, or otherwise close at
hand. If you have colored shirt-waist
you must have skirt of the selfsame
color, material and pattern to 60 with it.
This constitutes the shirt-waist suit, and
nothing prettier will be found for some
time to come for mornings and business.
Batistes show an endless variety in
color, quality and design. Some have a
tiny silk stripe in Persian effect. Fancy
grapes are another of the summer nov
elites. Colored pongee is a new thing
that bids fair to be popular among those
who can afford it.
Paris says that all, or at least many,
of the spring and summer gowns will be
made with sashes instead of belts, and
accordingly ribbons are shown in sash
width. This will add to the graceful
beauty of the moments mode. Belts
are trig and have "style" all their own,
but surely in summer, if at no other
| time, curves and pillows are the things
to be worn.
Short sleeves are bringing in revival
Of mitts. Gloves, particularly long ones,
are too warm for wear in the summer
months, when thin gowns are in order,
yet bare arms are not appropriate for
even informal wear when uncovered
hands can be shown with IMMUNITY, and
so the mitt comes in as a natural cOnse-
quent. They are being shown in black
and white silk.
Parasols are shown in linen-color, as
last season. This will share the favor
with black and white. Many of them
show petal-puff at the point, which is
the new touch. Lace, tucking and shir-
ring, as last year, will be a feature of
this years parasols.
Among jewels coral is still fashion
able. 1t has grown in favor rather than
diminished, and is set with pearls in
beautiful design.
In Paris they are wearing the hair at
about the middle of the head. But SELL
sible fashionable folk, while adapting
their mode of hair-dressing to the fash
ion, wear it high or low or "middle be-
tween" as is most becoming to the con-
tour of their faces. A very new idea
for dress occasion and the home is to run
through the hair a two-inch velvet rib
bon of black or some other color to
match the gown. This encircles the
head from the base to the top, where it
finishes with fiat bow of irregular ends.
|-Woman's Home Companion.