Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-06-30


of the fashion of the day.
There is probably not another ma
terial that is use1 as extensively fol
all kinds of attire as silk. There Is
an enormous variety of grades and
styles in the market, from the lightest
and flimsiest to the heaviest and stiff
est, from the cheapest to the most ex
pensive There are silks for every
purpose, silks for every taste and fol
every pocketbook. Silk has many ri
walls, but not one of them enjoys the
popularity which that materials seems
to have. 1t is used for every pur
pose, for walking, travelling, afternoon
and even bathing suits.
Appropos bathing suits!-That is
subject, which just now is of the
greatest interest to the many thou.
sands who intend to spend the sum.
mer or at least part of 1t at the sea.
side or at one of the hundreds of in.
land lakes, patronized by fashionable
society. Time has produced a re-
markable change in the style of bath
ing suits. 1t is not so very long ago
that bathing suits were principally
made of two materials, fannels and
serge, either in blue or white and
trimmed with parallel bands of cotton
braid as their only ornament
The primitive simplicity of the
bathing suit is a thing of the past
and today the fashionable sea shore
girl no longer speaks of her bathing
suit but of her sea shore outfit, which
usually includes half dozen or more
of the most coquettish and captivat-
ing creations of the dressmakers art,
intended to serve for several distinct
purposes. The outfit usually includes
two or three suits for actual bathing
and swimming. as many more for sun
baths and as many more for lounging
and display.
In years gone by the object of the
bathing suites seemed to be, to dis.
guise as much as possible the grace.
full curves of the feminine figure. even
under the most difficult conditions,
that means, even after the fair swim.
mer or bather emerged from the wa.
ter. That was the critical test. Now
1t Is different Nowadays batlJng
suits no longer attempt to disguise
the forms of the body, but rather seek
to disclose them as far as is compaU
ible with modesty. The bathing suit
of the present day is so constructed
that 1t is not only becoming before,
but also after use. To accomplish
that result, IL has become necessary
to make the costumes far more elabor-
ateate and they used to be and it is an
actual fact that some of the bathing
costumes seen at fashionable seaside
resorts represent small fortune.
Silky mohair sicilenne seems to be
the most favorite material for bathing
suits this summer. II resembles silk
and wears much better, particularly
in salt water. Another fashionable
material is sole elaine, which comes
in great variety of handsome colors.
Among the latest materials used for
bathing suits are taffeta and a kind of
waterproof silk gloria.
For trimming silk braids embroid-
cries and even laces are used in many
charming ways. OF course, there are
other braids and various kinds of
ribbons used for trimming, but none
of them are as effective as embroid-
cries and laces. Some of the bathing
suits are almost as deliberately trim
med as dres skirts and the costumes
actually make the impression of abbre.
Waited promenade costumes.
The latest wrinkle and one which
will be of interest to a great many
timid women. who have hitherto for
gone the pleasure of sea bathing be-
cause they were afraid that their skill
in swimming was not sufficiently great
to make the undertaking safe. Some
clever person has invented neat
little ,contrlyance, which can be at
tached to almost any kind of bathing
suit, is inconspicuous and at the same
time an effective life preserver, 1t
consists of a rubber bag arrangement
which, completely hidden in the puffy
shoulder part of the sleeves. can be in.
fiated by means of a thin rubber hose
and Is buoyant enough to keep the