Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23
A Riot IN LACE
Summer Waists, Dresses and
Coats Made of It.
PERFECT INVITATIONS
FASHION HAS BROUGHT OUT THE
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.
Strips of Many Materials Are Put To-
gether With Fagot-
ing.

Written for The Evcuing Star
The wise woman has long considered her
laces to be as precious as her Jewels,
never-failing source of beauty. But no
matter how judiciously she has bought
how carefully she has boarded, this sum
mer will overtax her resources. She can
make use of every scrap of real lace she
possesses and still need more, for two or
three kinds frequently being used
on one gown alone.
If she does not possess long purse she
will be forced to fall back on the imitation
laces. To her delight she will find that the
limitations are so excellent that their au-
thenticity is seldom questioned. Thus re-
assured, she may trim every dress with
lace, and lace. and more lace.
Although every sort of lace is used, the
summer has its favorites. Valenciennes is
no longer the power which it used to be,
for there is reaction against the sheerer
laces. No doubt the heat of the dog days
will make it seem more delectable. Even
now it is charming on some OF the doWered
organizes. 1t is extensively inserted on
the lawn waists. and even on the white
Japanese silk blouses, but it recalls last
smart woman.
On lingerie it still holds its own. al
though even in these fields coarser laces
are rivals. Point de Venise, Paraguay and
with pleasing effect.
Silk Lace Varieties.
The different varieties of silk lace are
far prettier for the silk blouses. The shop
windows are full of cuffs. collars, capes and
stoles of Maltese lace. They are so charm
ing that to see them is either to covet or to
buy.
| While they appear to best advantage on
| the thin silk waists they are largely used
| on fine lawns, null and batistes. Their
| soft creamy tone contrasts pleasingly
| either on white or on any of the more deli
| cate summer shades.
But the heavier laceS are the most popu-
| lar They combine most fittingly with the
heavy linens and other merceriZed fabrics
now so fashionable. The Cluny and antique
| laces are regle on almost every style of
gown and almost every material. They
are marvelously initiated at cost which
| brings them within the reach of every purse.
| In spite of the coarseneSS of their thread.
| they are so open to give cobweb effect.
MANY of the lace waists are made of
strips OF antique insertion sewed together.
| They are extremely plain, as If fearful that
| characterization would detract from the
beauty of the lace. They are generally
| worn over a silk slip in white or some con-
| trasting color, but midsummer will find
| them unlined.
| The woman who has dainty lingerie will
| have need of it, for the average waist is
| literally cobweb. Special corset covers
made with little fullness will give more
| slender effect to the figure.
| A pretty waist on this order was made of
| alternate strips of wide and narrow inser-
| tion giving the effect of pattern in stripes.
| These waists are sometimes ornamented
with narrow stitched bands of white silk.
| On one waist the short vertical bands
| ending at the bust give yoke effect. Each
is finished by a white silk cord and tassel.
| Similar strips are on the upper half of the
| sleeve which is tight fitting. Below the
| oil IA sleeve falls a hinge pl1ff
| The narrow cuff is also banded with the
| silk.
On another waist the stitched silk in
| braid-like effect is appliqued in scroll de-
signs.
| Heavy Irish lace, either in insertion or
| alI-over is used not only for waists, but
| also for coats. 1t is the right weight for
| use on the thin wool fabrics as well as
with lighter silks. 1t is often made up with
| out either lining or trimming. The lace is
| elegant enough to stand alone.
Irish lace is used in the latest develop
| ment of the skirt coat. The blouse proper
| has a French back and slightly pouched
| front. 1t has high collar finished with
| a shell-like lace, which matches the all
| over. The sleeves are only moderately
tight-fitting. and widen out into slight
| and edged with an inserting similar to that
| used on the collar. The main feature Of
| the coat is the skirt. 1t is deep and far
ing edged with the lace. Its peculiar at
| tribute is that it is detachable. In mo-
ment the coat can be changed to a waist.
and vice versa.
The amount of hand work displayed
| some of these lace waists is remarkable,
and often fagoting gives the effect of lace.
A dainty blouse of pale blue mousseIne is
| cut into leaf-shaped pieces. which are fag-
oted together. The yoke and standing
collar are of oddly inserted batiste lace.
| No lining is used. A chiffon ruff1e. which
lines the mouth of the wide bell sleeves
| gives grace to hand and wrist. The bell
| sleeves are unusual, the puff below the
elbow generally being caught into cuff
| Another waist on which much hand work
has been expended is combination of
| chiffon, fagoting and vegetable lace. The
bodice is entirely of hand work. 1t is
formed of inch-wide circles of white chi.-
fon, Joined together by fagoting and In
terwoven with vegetable lace The shallow
| yoke, which extends over the sleeves III