The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-01
BEAUTIFUL TEA GOWNS
GARMENT IN WHICH EVERY WOMAN
LOOKS AND FEELS AT HER BEST.
May BE Made of Inexpensive Materials
and Yet BE Charming-Some EIab-
crate and Costly Gowns.
Correspondents of the Indianapolis journal

NEW YORK, Oct. 30.-No garment worn
by woman possesses a more potent charm
than the tea gown. Essentially feminine in
its characteristics, ii is graceful, becoming
fascinating, and is apt to present its wearer
at her best. It's soft materials, flowing lines,
abundant lace bespeak womanly tastes and
exercise an influence as certain as ii is SUBJ
tie. Tailored suits, dinner and evening
gowns. reception costumes and the like all
have their place, but when the hour of re-
Taxation comes. and the woman of the
world slips into her tea gown she assumes
or resumes. with it the distinctly feminine
side of her nature, let's go the restraints i'm
posed by the whirl Of life, allows her nature
to relax in harmony with the deliciously
soft laces. the restful absence of all stiffen-
ing, the luxuriant sense of ease. Women of
the West relax too little; they live at too
high tension. The tea gown, with its
influence toward repose, should be found in
every wardrobe, should be donned as fire.
quently as conditions allow. Picturesque,
attractive. useful, it fills definite need
and should be encouraged in all its forms
from the most luxurious to the simplest.
Certain qualities ii must possess else ii
fails to be a tea gown. but it is by no means
Lovely colors, soft materials are to be
found at every shop for exceedingly small
sums. What is needed to insure success is
taste. discretion. judgment rather than q
spendthrift's purse.
To be sure. ample opportunity is offered
for extravaganza. Chiffons. laces and sim
liar delicate fabrics not alone mean outlay
but are perishabe, yet they are bewitching
md oil 70 r,f
taste To turn aside and choose more dur
able materials, to bear resoutely IT. mind
that their freshness is ephemeral and when
that is gone nothing remains requires some
effort, but Ii is effort that brings its own
reward. China silks. louisine silks, voile,
crepe sole, albatross, cashmere and fine
wool yelling all will endure all ordinary
usage. yet all can be made effective and
charming need be. Lace as a finish
need not mean excessive cost, and much
can be accomplished by taking advantage
OF genuine bargain sales. Bits of brocade
Can be so purchased and many a tasteful
accessory II not foundation material. Less
az bitrary than gowns of any other sort.
the tea gown allows a wider range of pur-
chase and OF choice, and often can be made
with entire satisfaction from mat srial that
would not be sufficiently up to date for
more formal wear, yet is beautiful in itself
PRETTY AND INEXPENSIVE.
At the moment soft woods and silk and
wool mixtures have great vogue. AS lovely
a tea gown as need be desired is made of
simple yelling in pale yellow and is
trimmed with Lierie lace the lining being
India silk. The gown falls in long. grace
full lines from a shallow yoke that is COM
pletely hidden by the big square fchu
collar. The yelling is accordion plated
and is finished by two narrow bias frills
at the lower edge. The collar is mostly of
lace and is edged with lace frills which
are extended round the long, narrow scarf
like ends and give a jabot effect. The
sleeves are soft and full, plated at their
upper portions and forming big puffs at the
pointed frills. Nothing more graceful
nothing more charming need be asked by
any woman, yet the cost is moderate and
the labor far from excessive. The pale
yellow suits the owner to a nicely and
renders her at her best, but the same gem
eral idea could be carried out in any color
or tone preferred. One of the inherent
charms of the tea gown lies in the fact
that ii allows the use Of bighter colors,
more daring effects than the more formal
gowns, blue, pink, brilliant red. dashing
yellow, are all allowable, and many lovely
brocades are seen. Such a design as this
one. with its long unbroken lines formed
by the plating, suits plain materials bet
ter than any other sort but fiowered silks
can be used to give most satisfactory re-
suits. "A most striking tea gown, included
in an autumn trousseau, is of pale blue
Louisine silk. showing a shadowy flower
design in suggested, rather than aggres-
sive pinks. The gown is made with a long
train, but is slashed to form panels at
the front. The panels are plain, but fall
over an under-slip of white that is banded
with the flowered silk. The square neck
is finished with deep bertha of venise
lace, which is continued to form jabot
at the front. The elbow sleeves are Of
the fowered silk but are slashed to re,
with deep falls of lace. At the waist is
worn a jeweled girdle. The stole effect
obtained by cutting the narrow front panels
up above the waist and passing the girdle
under them is chic and singularly becom-
ing, as il gives the long lines that mean
slenderness and length. The better models.
whatever their material, aim to avoid guam
titles of lace, unless 1t be of some
good sort Abundant frills. jabots and
the like of coarse, imitation lace are not
singularly effective, yet requires COMPARE
lively few yards. Better by far to choose
such a one and let the lace be fine than
Hand work, fancy stitches and embroidery
are much used and much liked. 1t Is al
ways possible to add these with little cost
If one be deft, yet nothing gives so ele-
CANT touch.
FOR A YOUNG GIRL.
AS lovely tea gown for young girls
use as any have seen is of voile in pale
pink and is a mass of accordion plating,
with ribbon frills and bands of embroidery.
The gown falls from the shoulders nearly
to the floor in unbroken lines. At the edge
Is plisse frill and above 1t soft puff Of
the material outlined at both edges by
bands of embroidery showing faded pinks
and tender greens. At the neck is a big
fchu collar of silk. similarly embroidered
to form a border. and in figures that en-
bellish each point and the center back,
which Is edged with deep frill of louisine
ribbon. The sleeves are in elbow length,
made with horizontal tucks to form caps
in ribbon frills. At the waist is a loosely
tied sash of the ribbon that is bowed at the
left side and falls to the hem. The lining
is simple white china silk. The embroidery
Is most successful, adds touch that is in
dividuai and unique, yet was executed by
the young owner herself during the sum-
mer months. when long, lazy afternoons
meant ample leisure
More elaborate gowns are of chiffon. of
mousselin of lace. of silk and of velvet and
silk combined with lace. A gorgeous Inn
ported model is of chameleon louisjne silk
that shows a blending Of gray and pink
suggestive of a sunset after a shower. COM
bned with a front of fine cream-colored
Alencon lace, with chiffon and a border of
ermine. The front consists of a wide lace
hounce at the lower edge OF alternate rows
deep fall of lace across the open square
of the neck. The robe itself is loosely fitted
and is hoTdered by a narrow band of the
fur. The sleeves are unlined and are of
chiffon shirred into close-fitting puffs at
the shoulders and held by cuffs of the lace
Finishing the neck is a collar of lace that
gives a cape effect at the back and over
entire effect is exquisite. The materials
ar all the color &C.