The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25
OF INTEREST TO WOMEN
THE PERENNIAL SUBJECT OF SHIRT
WAISTS COMES UP AGAIN.
What the Rev. Mr.. Van Dyke Thinks
About Girls-A Halloween Party
-Christmas Bulbs.

There is scarcely a winter wool that mas
not a cotton understudy. says writer on
the subject of shirtwaists in the New
York Sun. There are cotton tweed, mop
sacking. wolfe, homcspun and even cordu-
roy, which in white launders beautifully.
Very fine weave cotton brocade and fne
brocaded linen both mercerized, are equal
ly rich and expensive, and will be worn
a great deal at shirtwaist luncheons, which
are great fad of this years debutantes.
To compete with cotton this season wool
has been compelled to resort to various
strenuous methods of self-advertislng. II
has been developed until it will wash like
cotton, whether it is pale or dark, plain OF
fancy. 1t has beautiful new color com
binations and proud mercerized effects and
rich silky weaves.
In the wash French f1annels every possi-
bic variation Of the pastel shades has been
introduced. and, with all the delicacy, they
are permanent. Thin, crisp Scotch fannels
are coming over, printed in the most mar
Vicious stripes, colors as brilliant as an
Italian landscape and as impervious to
water. And from Saxony we welcome the
most extravagant flannel fads, lustrous
wool printed in pale and vivid figures and
woven like Paris crepe or crinkly Shanghai
silk.
Naturally, there are many new and fancy
models, but the smartest girls wear very
simple waists, with absolutely no trimming
save the conventional embroidery. Most
OF the shirtwaist shops have put out one
new model, which will be followed in all
their ready-made garments.
One well-known house has for six years
adhered to its original model with but the
slightest variation from season to season.
Its design for this seasons cotton waists
Is moderately full bloue, with plain
box pleat in the front and the fullness taken
up in four unstitched pleats on each side
or the box plat at the neck.
The back has a pointed yoke, and is plain
across the shoulders, with suggestion of
fullnes at the belt The sleeves are almost
the plain coat style. just a preceptible en-
largement at the elbow, as though merely
for convenience.
The wash wool design, made without any
fullness either in the front or the back, has
the usual button box plat, with two plaits
OF the same width running from shoulder
narrow plaits, brought together at the belt.
Stocks with large string ties are the cor
rect neckwear at this house and the belt
is the old style narrow effect in patent
leather or SEAL
Another shop is less fearful of novelty, or
perhaps does not dare to be so individual.
There the cotton waists are tucked across
the yoke with hemstitching. They have
the exaggerated fullness over the bust and
very distinct droop at the belt.
The sleeves are the full leg of mutton de-
sign and the stocks are elaborate creations
of intricate needle work. Even the plainest
shirtwaists this year are worn with stocks
of the finest handwork, usually of white or
white and pale blue, of fine lawn or linen,
| narrow bands held together with hemstitch-
ing, fagoting, medallions, crescent and in
sertions of thread work.
The models for the wash wool waists at
| this house have three box pleats at each
| shoulder to furnish moderate amount of
| fullnesS at the bust, and the newest wide
| leather belts are seen in brilliant colors,
| with snowy buckles of silver and rich
stones.
Nearly all the new waists fasten with
four medium size pearl buttons, and the
wrists have narrow bands with overlapping
buttoned points.
| A very full new Marseiles waist has a
| novel yoke effect of inverted, slot seam
| pleats. finished with hemsttching instead
| or the ordinary machine stitching. This
very simple waist is worn with a stock OF
| the same material, a very wide red morocco
belt and tiny coral studs.
Embroidered waists are all made up In
| plain blouse fashion, very broad over the
| shoulder and bust, but with no fullness and
scarcely any at the belt In cross-stitch
canvas, waists are embroidered with cot
| ton of the same color or black or in a
deeper shade of the same color in all
| white or all black. A delft blue fine linen
| is embroidered in a coarse white cotton
| cord, and white croSs-stitched canvas car
ries most elaborate cotton or silk designs
| in Bulgarian, Turkish or Indian colors.
A reconstructed Gibson model is also
seen among the new tailor. waists. 1t is
| made of heavy terra Gotta linen.
There is the usual box plait for buttons
| and the wide Gibson plait across the Shout
| ders and dropping over the sleeves. This
| model will be used for slender women a
| great deal in all the wash woods and in the
| less fashionable wash silk waists.