The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-16
FOR THE GIRL GRADUATE
WIDE CHOICE OF MATERIAL FOR
THE MAKING OF HER GOWN.
May BE Costly, hut the Simple Inex-
pensfve styles Are IN Pretty and
More Suitable.


as are June and wedding bells or June and
roses. 1t is very nearly impossible to think
of one without the other. While the day
which marks the end of school or college life
and the entry into the world may be bit
less solemn than the one which makes the
girl a wife, it is possessed of much dignity
and is quite sufficiently important to war
rant preparation for weeks in advance, to
mean special gowns and the consequent dis
cussion thereof. This present May and
coming June make no exception to the rule.
Countless girls all over the country are pre-
pairing for that last day of school life, that
is so apt to seem like the open sesame to
all sorts of delights, and numerous young
women are planning to bid good-by to the
college that has sheltered and stimulated
them for the past few years. AS a result
all the feminine world, for who is 80 I'M
lucky as to have no daughter, no niece. no
cousin, no friend in whom to be interested,
is on the qui vive for pretty frocks and
suitable gowns. Groups of eager girls are
seen fitting about. Proud and happy moth
ers are met at every turn, and the general
atmosphere is one Of pleased anticipation.
The season is one of fllmy materials, and,
as a natural consequence, there is generous
range of choice offered the graduate, but
custom declares so insistently for simplicity
that there Is less change in these gowns
from year to year than in almost any other
sort. Favorite materials are chiffon cloth.
silk null. organdie. white batiste and Per-
sian lawn. Crepe de chine, simple silks and
such woods as canvas yelling and eolienne
are used, but preference for the thinner,
more youthful fabrics is marked, and the
ORC bar Of 1v1fr int fhA xr-fdn
wide world will be made therein. Laces and
fine hand work make the accepted trim
mings. To the latter there is no limit save
that set by time and the amount that can
be expended. but the former confined to
the simpler sorts. Cluny-real and fmita-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, Mechlin, Paraguay and
Mexican are the ones preferred. but. as they
offer much variety, nothing more need be
desired. Such richer, heavier laces point,
duchess and the like are reserved for the
bridal gown. which is so apt to follow close
on to this simpler creation. The girl who
| makes her bow before the world should do
so girlishly dressed. Time enough for rich
ness and splendor when she enters the es
tate of matrimony and takes upon herself
the real responsibilities of life.
DETAILS VARY WIDELY.
General cut and style follow those Of the
| season. Shirrings and tucks are very near
| ly craze and both appear in generous
numbers. Berthas are much used and
| sleeves are loose and ample. Yet when all
these generalities are stated there remains
| much to be said; for details vary. and de-
| tails make important elements of the sue
cessful gown. College graduates, being
young women, wear trained skirts and are
allowed somewhat more elaboration than
are the school girls. Those whose parents
are wealthy are ordering chiffon cloth trim
med with lace and enriched by hand work,
| but no girl OF moderate means need feel
abashed because of the fact, for organdie
and fine batiste are essentially smart for
| the purpose and will greatly outnumber the
more costly sort That the chiffon cloth
| is lovely no one can deny. AS its name
| implies, II Is chiffon of extra weight and
cacy. Ii takes on greater dignity so to
| speak and assumes folds that are delight.
AS dainty and charming graduating gown
as one could ask is made of the material
over louisine silk yelled with mousseline
The skirt is shirred to form a yoke. is
| finished with deep graduated flounce, that
| is tucked at Its lower and shirred at its
| upper edge, and shirred again midway be-
| tween the two. The yoke is made of Para
quay lace and the shirrings and tucks are
| all put In by hand. The bodice closes at the
| back and is made with yoke of the lace
and a full under portion that is shirred at
its upper edge (waist and sleeves on con-
| tinuous lines). is tucked above the belt
| and is shirred closely at the waist line to
| give belt effect. Its sleeves are full and
are tucked above the straight cuffs of lace
The yoke is of the drop sort and falls over
| the tops of the sleeves. to the line of the
! shirring, so giving the broad effect that is
so much in vogue. Both it and the sleeves
are unlined and midway between the tucks
| on the waist and the yoke is an inset of
| lace. The chiffon so treated is exquisite
The soft folds mean no perceptible bulk and
| the whole effect is a delight; but, let me
| hasten to add the same design can be made
| quite charming enough IN organdie The
| lace Is a single one and of no great cost
/ although effective, so that the organdie re-
/ production or reproduction in null need
1 not mean any excessive amount Null is
always lovely. The silk sort is much liked
| its own. but the plain cotton and the mer-
| cerized kinds are charming and quite as
| graceful IL not so lustrous and elegant AS
| lovely gown as any graduate need desire
| is made of the cotton null combined with
| Valenciennes lace rendered charming by
dainty needlework. Both waist and skirt
| are made with deep yokes. These yokes are
made In deep points, formed by strips of in
| sertion and intervening wedge-shaped
pieces of fine hand-tucking and are edged
| with narrow frills of lace. Below the
| Jokes the null Is cut in points and gathered
1 at the apex of each. The sleeves are made
| with harmonizing deep points that extend
from the shoulders well down toward the
| elbows and form soft dropping puffs be-
! low. At the waist is to be worn a sash of
louisine ribbon that is bowed at the belt and
| tied in loops at the ends. The entire effect
| is charming. girlish, just what we most
| desire in a gown of this sort vet the ma
terials are all simple and of moderate cost.
FOR GENERAL USE.
l OrgdnOy always is charming, and Is much
| used. and fire batste is dainty and smart.
| besides which it has the merit Of launder-
ing satisfactorily, whereas the organdy
| must be cleaned. Shrewd dressmakers are
| making both materials in a way to allow
| Of general use the summer through De-
| collete waists are in vogue. and indeed al
| most essential for evening wear, vet are
| not permissible for the graduation exer-
| cises. Many of the handsomest gowns I
| have seen are made with separate sleeve
l less guimpes, which give yoke effect yet
/ can be removed and the gown worn low
when desired most exquisite organdy,
with trimming of fine tucks and Mechln
/ lace, is so made, and is finished with a
| deeply pointed handkerchief bertha. The
/ skirt is cut in seven cores, all of which are
| joined by means of lace insertion. and is
/ edged with a deeply pointed fiounce. The
| yoke of the guimpe is all lace, and tiny
| bands that are feather-stitched and is as
| attractive as can be. The sleeves are long
and form dropping puffs. and are exceed
Elbow sleeves are seen. but are not so gem
| eral nor quite so smart. although ALWAYS
| pretty. really lovely gown, ordered by a
| graduate of our own Barnard is of sheer
| batiste, and is made with TRANSPARENT
| yoke and elbow sleeves that terminate in
pointed frills. Shirrings are exceedingly
fashionable. but are not advisable for such
gowns as are to be Numbered. A lovely
chiffon is made with the skirt shirred IN
| that point and the knees, and waist that
Is shirred to form a yoke and the upper
| portion of the sleeves, and which is trimned
only with wide tucks above the hem OF