The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-19
THE SUMNER TEA GOWN
NEGLIGEE GARMENTS FOR SUMNER
MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS.
The japanese Robe Has Been Adopted
and Improved On-COnfectionsT Too
Dainty for Common Wear.
Correspondence of the indianapolis Journal


its leisure for lounging and its heat that
develops inertia. creates special demand
for loose. comfortable cool garments in
which to loll about ones room or to take
the daily siesta. AS result numberless
exquisite materials and designs are offered
and every opportunity is presented to make
oneself lovely under all conditions of pri-
vacy.
We live in an age of luxury. That self
evident fact requires no reiteration at my
hands, but its truth is doubly impressed
on the mind whenever the question of tea
gowns lounging robes boudoir gowns and
the like comes UP for discussion. At the
moment the variety of exquisite things that
are offered is fairly bewildering. One feels
the truth of how happy could 1 be with
either" with peculiar force. To be compelled
to choose becomes trial. Like the chill
dren turned loose in toy shops, we want
everything we see. From the kimonos, the
genuine sort spelled with a final o, and the
Americanzed ones that are spelled some
times with o, sometimes with an a. to the
elaborate tea gowns that allow of receiv-
ing ones intimates; from the simplest of
combing Jackets to the exquisite coffee
coats, our English cousins call them
every style. every graduation of quality
and Of beauty are spread before US To be-
gin with the Eastern models, there are XII
monos of silk, Of linen, of pongee and OF
cotton. all of which are attractive. One
of the handsomest of the genuine models
is made Of Japanese silk in lowered de-
sign. with bands OF plain color. AS we
all know, the sleeves and the width or
the lack of width. found in the garment
are its distinguishing characteristics. The
little ladies of Japan. wearing no beruffled
skirts beneath. manage to be comfortable
with little fullness The sleeves are the
curious ones that only a Japanese knows
just how to handle. Shown on a wax
figure they are picturesque and alluring.
one seen to-day at an Eastern bazaar is
tempting h. the extreme. The foundation
is white with design of exquisite tumb-
ling crysanthemums in pale yellow and the
bands and the accompanying sash are of
plain green that matches the leaves of the
flowers
AN IMPROVED MODEL.
Had 1t not been for later glimpse OF a
westernized model in similar silk my heart
would have been won, but calm contem-
platfon convinced me that for Occidental
women Occidental garments possess fit
ness and true charm. That marvellous
belt, or obi, that our Acknowledged sisters
tie so deftly and make express the mar
ried or the single state, those strange loose
sleeves lost part of their charm when con-
fronted with a kmona made amply full,
unhampered by any confinement at the
waist and with ease-giving sleeves that fall
from the shoulders, yet are generous in
width In it we could lounge. nap or read
| with freedom and with comfort, and
beneath Ii could be worn the frilled petit
coats that belong TO femininity and to
warm days. In addition to the silk ones
are others of pongee of linen lawn, of sim
pie cotton fabrics and of Oriental cotton
crepe, every one of which materials is
offered in colors and designs that in them
selves are delight If Eastern friends
caVil and are inclined to sneer that we
keep the name and have so changed the
! garment we can afford to smile. We owe
| the East many things. If we can absorb
| something of its spirit of calm and de-
| liberation while wearing its borrowed robes
| we add another debt of gratitude big
| that the one question of criticism may well
| be allowed to pass. We are a nervous peo-
! pie. We live at high tension most of the
! time If a kimono or kimona or any other
/ restful garment borrowed from wiser, calm
| er folk helps to bring out a less strained
| condition it may well be hailed and held to
| with a tenacity despite any little comment
/ that our adaptation may cause. The lovely
| kimonos of Powered muslins and lawn or
pongee and of silk undoubtedly tempt us TO
| hours OF rest and in so doing amply fulfill
| their mission.
| More elaborate negligees take a hundred
! different forms and include costly lace
| perishable chiffon and what not that is
| ing gown that would grace any family
| breakfast table is made with yoke full
| fronts apd vatican back. with bell sleeves.
AS saw II the material was pale yellow
| India silk and the yoke was oVeraid with
| lattice of black Chantilly insertion. while
| jabot of lace finished the front and friIs
| of lace the sleeves. Another in much the
same style is OF lowered chiffon showing
| shadowy pink roses over a foundation of
! pink China silk and with trimming of white
| lace, and still a third, far simpler but not
! less dainty, is of lovely lowered null over
! lawn. II is by no means necessary 10 spend
wildly to obtain good results. The charm
/ of the summer negligee lies in its color
! and its daintinesS. Better by far the null
or even lowered muslin or lawn unlined
that is kept exquisitely fresh than the
/ rarest chiffon allowed to become bedraggled
or soiled. That lovely, tempting material
/ is for the wealthy few and would well be
eliminated from the lists of less lucky folk
! Fresh, ii has a charm beyond words It's
! original cost Is not extreme and often
proves a snare. but it soils quickly is rum
| pied and rendered passe with q few wear
/ ings, when its only proper place is the
! afford to discard a tea or breakfast gown
| as often as the necessity may arise add 70
| their other privileges the big one of wear
| ing chiffon. We who are compelled to count
cost must needs turn aside and rest con-
tent with the muslins that can be laundered
| a need; but as their variety is great and
| their beauty indisputa BILE, and as fresh rib
bonS render them charming in the extreme
| the loss need not be an overwhelming one
in spite of the subtle fascination of the
beautiful chiffon.
PRACTICAL AND PRETTY.
A really exquisite morning or boudoir
gown that comes from across the sea is of
cream null over pale blue and depends al
| most entirely on fine stitching for its eff
feet. The foundation is a simple Slip To
| it is attached a deep hounce of the null
the edge of which is finished with hem
| that is deeply hemstitched. The gown
proper is tucked from the shoulders nearly
TO the knees. where the tucks fall free to
give a second hounce effect the edging be-
! ing hemmed as described. The sleeves are
| in elbow length, tucked and finished with
! double hemstitched frills, the upper of
which show applications of cream lace in
motifs. At the neck is a fichu-like collar
! also hemmed and finished with motifs that
terminate in jabot-like ends that fall TO
| the edge of the lower fiounce Scarcely
| anything more exquisite could be devised
yet the material is simple and the stitching
| that makes the element of cost, could well
| be done as fancy work. so filmy and deli
| model the slip is of China blue India silk
| but any chosen color can be used, and fine
| lawn can be substituted without serious
/ loss Of effect
] Lace is craze in negligees and in tea
gowns, on the gowns of more formal
/ use. One OF the most elegant tea gowns
| i have seen is entirely compOsed of Chan