The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-06
SOME HANDSOME GOWNS
AMONG THE VARIOUS STYLES SOME
TAKE DECIDED PRECEDENCE.
Fad for Hotel Dinners Affects FASH
lon I'm ~Gowns-ShOrt Coat and Sep
arate Waists Still Worn.

Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Nov. 5.-As the season adj
vances fashions become more fixed and at
each gathering of well-dressed folk one
gains a little clearer conception of what is
to hold than at the last. While 1T still
remains true that variety marks the sea-
son for its own, certain tendencies of the
earlier autumn have become fixed and a
few laws and tenets can be laid down, to
disobey which means to be out of style
a state not even to be contemplated by
the women of up-to-date ideas.
AS I have stated in previous letters. the
vogue of the short coat for the elaborate
costumes with trained skirts seems ever
to increase. While / cannot say that long
coats are not worn, for one sees superb
suits so made, it is true that they are in
the minority and that short little coats
and loose Etons are seen on the smartest
women. Blouse Etons are worn. Only to-
day 1 saw a most beautiful costume in gray
velvet so made, but the loose box sort, or
the sort with box fronts and fitted backs
seem to take precedence. Sleeves are huge,
but for the most part short with deep lace
frills falling over the hands. Among a
number of handsomely gowned women,
cCSi a. a "CoN-hS VI thO "NShs OhC Ah6CiS
in my memory as quite apart from the rest
and largely because of the comparative
simplicity of the costume. We so often
see over dressing. women dwarfed and rem
dered Insignificant by the clothes that
should enhance their charm, 1t becomes a
real pleasure to see good style and mod
Grafton in one. This suit i'm question was
of champagne colored cloth and was made
with a box coat that extended only just
below the belt. The skirt was novel as
we'll as good. Its back was full length and
laid in narrow plaits. AT front AND sides
was a tunic that fell over a graduated box
plated fiounce, both of which were trim
self-color and white. The 1ounce Joined
the back visibly but the edge of the tunic
extended over it and was held by carved
gold buttons. The coat was quite simple
but showed revers Of white silk and a tiny
flat collar of cerise velvet edged with gold
and white, while the sleeves were huge
puffs gathered into deep. cuffs. Beneath
this coat wa worn a waist of white lace
and silk finished with a deep bodice of the
material. The accompanying hat was In
picture style of shirred chiffon velvet,
champagne color, with two long shaded
plumes held by a richly jeweled pin In
the church were many more elaborate,
many more costly costumes, but none that
appealed to me more keenly.
SKIRT TENDENCIES.
There is a marked tendency to retain full
lCii6 tit AhASo Jill ia tiO
skirt. 1t may be in the front panel or it
may be in the back, but somewhere it often
appears. 1 think / have already mentioned
the skirt whose front gore is cut to form a
hip yoke. Some of it's later developments
show the yoke extending to the full back
breadths only, so giving the long lines at
both front and back. Tall We must be to
get any satisfactory effects from these
- TIN =
apparent inches is welcomed. One even
hears that growing has become a fad
among adult womankind, certain physical
culturists claiming that it is only a matter
of will and perseverance, with prescribed
exercises, to gain any reasonable height one
may desire. Whether or not this latest de-
velopment of science Is responsible or is not
1 cannot say, but any observer knows that
the average elegant woman OF to-day Is
tall, or seems tall, and that ambition tends
that way.
Fur promises to be a craze. 1t is proba-
BILE that horse show week will bring forth
superb creations by the score, and mean
time many novelties are being shown.
Moleskin has taken a firm hold on fashion
able fancy and Is made into most elegant
garments despite the commonness OF the
little creatures and the willingness to have
them exterminated shown by the farming
folk. To be at its best IL requires touches
of ermine or of some other contrasting skin
or must be combined with lace, but its color
is undeniably beautiful and its skin soft
and lustrous. Many coats are made short
and jaunty and worn with gowns of cloth
TO match in color. Others. again. are long
and loose and become veritable wraps, but
the former are the newer and rather better
liked by the younger contingent Some ex-
ceeding chic costumes show loose Etons of
the fur with Ions skirts of cloth. the coats
showing wide draped bodices beneath. A.
a matter of course they are not so warm
nor so protective as the longer wraps, but
women of fashion appear to heed such con-
ditions not at all, and up-to-date under
clothing can be made quite 10 compensate
for the shortness OF the coat IL well chosen.
Velvet with fur always is elegant and Is
much seen. The new and lovely chiffon
sort is a ~favorite and lends itself TO shir-
rings, tucks and the like with singular sue
cess, but all kinds are used and all tradi-
ton as to trimming and finish Is cast TO the
winds. A most elegant costume for a ma
ture matron is OF the plain. familiar black