The Indianapolis journal., 1904-01-24
A Looh at Summer Shirtwaists
Though Still Signs OF Spring Visible in
India shops

rics for shirtwaists and suits is attrib-
uted, in considerable measure, to the i'm
minence Of the st. Louis exposition. The
visiting woman can make her trim shirt
waist suit of dark color do the duty OF
three or four white ones, be apparently
spotless all the time and save a miniature
fortune in laundry bills. The fancy that
women took last season for travelling In
their thin shirtwaist suits will probably
be continued this year also, and the trav-
eler will find her gray or tan frock quite
respectable at the journeys end, and not
obviously grimy and smoky as were the
light ones of last season in spite OF dust
coats and care. All colorS evidently are TO
be popular this year but the gray tones
have the lead in the matter or frocks.
Blues and pinks for separate waists are
shown in a variety of attractive tones and
patterns
OF the higher-priced fabrics there is
nothing more exquisite in finish than a
piece of white silk from CharVet, which
is one Of the handsomest novelties ever
shown here The soft silk of exquisite
texture is patterned with tiny leaves, each
Of which combines two or three different
weaves The material costs So a yard, but
even at that price 1t Is not apt to prove
an elephant on the dealers hands, as there
are but ten yards OF 1t in town, and those
yards arrived here by happy chance. The
silk madras patterns are beautiful In color
and finish; among the prettiest are those
of white with a Russian cord of gold, OF
gray with a cord Of lavender, and of blue
with a cord Of pink. The silk and linen
novelties shown in pattern lengths, too,
are out of the ordinary in beauty OF de-
sign and finish, and the stripes or white
and blue. patterned with delicate leaves
and flowers, are more like dreams come
true than like shirtwaist fabrics designed
for the tub.
A pretty idea in the making of the shirt
waist suits OF the summer will be the use
of plain color for the skirt and the same
fabric in figured pattern for the waist.
Thus a skirt of plain gray plumetis will
be matched in a waist of the same tone
with a cord and tiny triangles OF black,
and the skirt OF plain tan silk madras will
be effectively combined with the white
fabric threaded with a gold cord. In the
silk madras there is besides the absolutely
plain color for the skirt. a gold-colored
fabric brocaded with the most delicate Of
white leaves. which combines charmingly
with the white and gold corded patterns.
The white linen waist is still 10 be much
in evidence on hot summer days, but this
season IL is not the waist of butcher $
linen or the heavy Irish linen that will
be to the fore. The modish white linen is
a fine French fabric of soft finish-smilar
in effect TO the fine linen over which our
grandmOthers pricked their fingers and
wore out their patience in fashioning the
frills and furbelOws which adorned the
shirts OF our grandfathers. The embroid-
cred shirtwaist. too, is passed unless the
embroidery be the new Bulgarian variety
Waists and suits alike adorned with this
embroidery are 10 be among the smart
items of miady's summer wardrobe
FOR WHITE FROCKS
For the fashioning Of white tub frocks
there is a new material really lighter in
weight than the heavy linens of last year.
but a trife thicker in effect 1t is the
Victoria ~ Diagonal and its effect is
similar TO that heavy white serge might
have. were the serge made OF cot
ton instead OF wool The fabric costs only
30 cents a yard and is thirty-two inches
wide The diagonal is shown also in cham
pasne color. The dyed pongees. which will
be among the pretty and useful fabrics for
the shirtwaist suits and they VIII be shown
In brown, gold and navy and gObelin blues
As 10 the style of the shirtwaist that re-
mains practically the same Blouses come
and blouses CO. but the shirtwaist bids fair
/ 10 20 on forever. Every now and then
somebody arises and predicts stridently the
I total downfall OF the shrtwaist. but next
season the shirtwaist Is here. IL is the one
garment known OF womankind that remains
/ practically the same, and in spite Of the
encroachment OF the fancy bodice now and
| then upon its domain. IL holds its own un-
dismayed. The shirtx,zist proper IS ALWAYS
In good style. and as II has only to look