The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-05
The FIRST FALL WAISTS
THE STYLES DO NOT DIFFER GREAT
~ FROM THOSE NOW WORN.
and Collars Are Features-Pret-
ty Silk BIOuses.

city in spite Of the fact that changes are
apt to be far from radical, that from one
season to the next variations rather than
| actual broad differences are liable to occur.
This year the opening display lacks none
of the usual characteristics and has brought
forth eager buyers by the score. The day
when we discussed the possible doing away
OF the odd waist is past. Dealers, designers
and the public have come to a realizing
sense of it's perpetual place. 1t has become
a necessity. The fact that, for a time, it
was overdone in no way affects that truth.
1t is a necessary and integral part of the
| jacket suit and, in one form or another, the
| jacket suit Is likely to remain for an in
| definite period of time. That the best taste
| demands it shall be worn only with such,
| for the theater or for informal morning oc-
casions is far from meaning that any sign
| Of it's disuse is TO be observed. Capricious
and captious as women are in matters of
| dress they, after all, recognize a desira-
BILE style when it is offered and odd waists
| will no more disappear than tailored suits
will cease to exist.
The everyday shirtwaist, or shirt, as our
J English cousins and our smart tailors like
to say. is not overelaborate, but is shown
! in a variety of materials and designs. Vest
ings of merceriZed cotton are specially
noteworthy. and are both handsome and
comfortable. They are quite heavy enough
for warmth, yet not too heavy to launder
well, and have the great merit that is in
separable from washable fabrics of coming
forth fresh and inviting after each trip to
the laundry. White will be a favorite the
winter through, but some of the grays with
white and other combinations are delightful.
In addition TO the vestings, such heavy
stuffs as cheviot are shown, and are pre-
ferred by many women to every other sort.
In these, again, white is predominant, but
stripes and figures both are shown. Fine
French fannels always are in demand, and
already are on sale. Plain mauve is con-
spicuous as a favorite, greens. pinks and
blues are many, but stripes predominant, as
is apt to be the case in fiannels, although
l have seen some very pretty dotted and
Powered effects. Pale blue, pink and many
charming greens appear to have precedence
among colors, but white stands first, as it
has done the summer through, and there
are many beautiful mixtures. Roman
stripes are shown, and are effective for
quite young girls. In addition there are
that are a delight. One that / noticed
specially Is woven In somewhat broad
stripes that are alternately white and soft
dove gray, with which are mingled threads
OF softest color, forming a pattern not I'M
like the familiar one Of the Paisley shawl.
Others are striped white with dull green,
with old pink, and with wide stripes made
up of narrow ones of varying colors. Some
OF the daintiest show all-over designs, and
are woven with borders that are used for
trimming. Among these a blue, with tiny
rosebuds scattered about, and finished with
a border of white that is a mass of the
little buds, comes TO my memory as having
a peculiar charm. Others are of plain
color dotted with white, and show borders
Of white Powered, and yet others again
show soft grays and dull green's as the
ground color, with flowers of various sorts
scattered over the surface.
The white fiannels are charming. Many
of them show figures or stripes in silk while
others are Of wool but i'll stripes that show
quite different weaves. Embroidered dots
too are seen and such pale colors as blue,
pink and mauve on the white are charming,
but all white Keeps an unrivaled place and
has the unquestioned advantage of being
free of ali danger from fading, a fact
which, in itself, is amply worth considering.
Silks are of the simpler sorts, soft finished
taffeta and louisine. The more fancy weaves
are wisely left for the blouses, which serve
quite a different purpose from the shirts.
New designs give marked evidence of the
broad shoulders that have become so gen.
eral. Yokes, cape effects, epaulettes, every
thing that means breadth are seen. Sleeves
are the full ones of the summer or the severe
shirt sort. So far, no notable change has oc-
Cured. One of the best of the many new
models is made with a yoke that extends
over the upper portions of the sleeves to
give a yoke effect and down the edge OF
each front, following out the stole sugges-
ton that is so popular. Below the yoke
the fronts are tucked to the bust but the
back is plain. The closing is invisible, in
princess style, and ornamental buttons fin
ish each edge. At the neck is a clerical
stock The princess closing hv the wav
appears to hold. 1 notice it in many of the
new designs and some exceedingly hand
some velvet waists made with the slot
seams of last season and so closed are
shown by one of the leading dealers.
SIMPLICITY SHOULD LEAD.
Personally 1 do not like over-elaborate
shirt waists. Capes and the like appear to
me out of place. The garment is essentially
q simple one. Elaboration should be left
to the blouse, but tastes differ and there is
a sufficiently big contingent which favors
change from the seveity of tailored models
and has forced one of our most autocratic
makers to introduce wide, full sleeves with
his autumn models. That the plain shirt
will be worn is true beyond a doubt. There
are numberless women who will have no
other sort, but they do not make up all
the world of wearers and the season opens
with evident intention to suit all tastes.
Even the most severe models give evil
dence of the broadened shoulders and the
more fancy sort show straps and eqau-
lettes galore. A pretty waist is made with
broad straps over the shoulder seams that
are pointed and extend over the sleeves.
and below these straps is finely tucked.
Another has the broad box plat of the
summer, with double box plaits from each
shoulder at the front and one at the center
back and is simply finished with straps
stitched over the seams. With both these
the sleeves are full at the wrists and gath
cred into straight cuffs. But the narrow
cuff is no longer supreme. In Shirtwaists,
as in blouses and waists of other sorts, the
widening influence upon which l have re-
marked in previous letter. is apparent. A
most effective waist, which / saw In red
flannel, is made with sleeves that are quite
snug above the elbows, but very full be-
low and finished with cuffs that form deep
points at the inside seams. Otherwise the
waist is quite plain, being made with a
wide box plat at the center front and three
tucks that extend from the shoulders TO
the yoke depth and trimmed only with
tiny pearl buttons. Many models show
Jokes at the front, but not those of earlier
days, anu these are extended in various
ways. A pretty one becomes almost a
cape. it's edges falling over the sleeves and
Is cut in points at the lower edge, which
serves 10 hold the tucks that extend for
several inches below, then form full folds.
AT the front are box plaits that meet to
form a princess closing. The sleeves are
full. with straight cuffs, and handsome
buttons are used to hold the central box
plaits. A more elaborate waist still is
shown in merceriZeo vestiDg, but is quite
well suited to wool wasting as we'll. From
each shoulder, at the front, is a box plait
and at the center front is tire usual box
plat. over the waist is a separate piece
that forms a shallow yoke at the back,
deep points over the shoulders and stole
like points at the front, whose edges are
concealed beneath those of the box plait.
The collar includes a turnover that Is cut
in harmony and il, the yoke garniture and
the box plat all are finished at their