The Washington times., 1902-07-06
By MISS MANHATTAN.


AN/ nine portion of 1t, arrays it
self for its daily dip, and,
as preliminary to :. re-
freshing plunge into the briny foam,
strolls along the sandy beach. it will be
observed by spectators that the bathing
suits of the fashionable set present
many novel features and are more pic
turesque, as well as more becoming,
than those seen in seasons past.
For one thing, skirts are much fuller
than ever before, and costumes are more
trim and more graceful in general ap-
pearance, while the ornamentation upon
some equals that used upon toilettes de-
signed for more formal occasions. This
extra fullness to the skirt. while it adds
no bulk about the hips, renders the
fashionable bathing suit degree more
modest than those we have grown ac-
customed to seeing al popular resorts.
Silk the Chosen Fabric,
Silk is the chosen fabric for bath
suits. Not a flimsy variety, like China
or India; but rich satin duchesse, shin
ing taffeta and soft-twilled surah. For
two reasons these are considered the
best materials for wear in the water.
One is that brine has no i'll effects on
the texture and the color of such fab
rics, and the other, even more important
than the first, is that silk costumes do
not cling to the figure in the distressing
manner Characteristic of serge and
flannel. The girl who wears a silk suit
looks as fresh when she emerges from
her dip in the surf as upon her first ap-
pearance.
AS to colors, somber tones will prevail
among the really fashionable set. though
bright costumes will be seen as usual
There are some women who would not
miss this opportunity to make then
selves a conspicuous feature on the
beach
Bloomers Thing of the Past.
Bloomers are thing of the past, and,
instead of their clumsiness, modish
suits are made with skirt and blouse
together. to be worn over silk-ribDed
tights. Swimmers will fully appreciate
the advantage of this change. for it was
extremely difficult to make any headway
in the water when weighted down with
this unnecessary cloth. Finely-woven
tights over which thin stockings are
drawn leave the limbs perfectly tree.
while the skirt is so short and light
that its weight is scarcely noticeable.
The blouse may have short or long
sleeves and the neck may be cut out
or left high, according to whether or not
the fair bather has an objection to the
coat of tan which will surely tint ex-
posed arms and throats.
How to Get Novelties.
The best shops offer very pretty suits,
but If a woman wants something trim
and jaunty, a cortume which will not
find its counterpart anywhere on the
beach, she leaves the designing of her
bathing suit in the hands of her modiste.
True, the expense in this arrangement
will amount to much moro than double
the cost of a handsome ready made
suit, but she is willing to pay the diff
ference in order to possess a genuine
novelty.
A Bewitching Costume.
In the wardrobe of a fashionable
woman who expects to spend the sea-
son at Newport there was a bewitching
bathing costume. It was all black and
the material was imported taffeta
Across the bottom of the skirt and bor-
dering the jaunty sailor collar and short
sleeves were applique designs of white
linen cut in trefoils. Each pattern was
carefully buttonholed with white mcr-
cerized cotton so that the hand work
on the costume was no small item. The
belt with this suit was a soft sash OF