Evening star., 1904-04-30

of trimming is the problem which must be
solved.
Naturally. the first aid is the wise selec-
ton of materials. Certain fabrics lend
themselves particularly well to the prevail
ing modes of decoration. and it seems as if
manufa cturers of wooden. silk and cotton
goods have foreseen this sartorial crisis.
The new voiles and etamines are more
silky in their finish this year, and crumple
| in the hand almost as readily silk. These
are particularly valuable for fashloninS
smartly trimmed afternoon costumes. The
best taste demands a silk drop skirt in self
Tone though the dashing woman still hum
gers for the drop skirt of contrasting but
harmonizng tone, such as pale blue or yell
low with brown voile, pale green with hello
trope, and so on.
demand than this season, since 1t lends
itself well to shirring. 1t can be bought at
all prices, starting at 80 cents yard, and
in various widths. 1t comes in all the pop
ular day and evening shades, and invaria-
bly, calls for silk Innings.
A Good Example.
1t is one of the few materials which will
admit Of the shirring in conventional de-
signs which mark many of the imported
gowns. A frock from Paris, recently
shown at an opening, illustrates this fact.
The material Is oyster colored crepe de
chine, combined with lace medallions.
made over soft silk in self-tone The skirt
is shirred at the waist to form a yoke,
which is short over the hips, deeply pointed
in the back and stops on either side of the
'front.' where the seams of the middle gore
would naturally come. This forms a semi
circle on the hips, and a plain panel for
the front gore, with plenty OF fullness on
the sides and back.
Just below the knees there runs a hand
of medallions, overlapping slightly and be-
low this comes two tiny shirred ruf1es of
the crepe de chine. Then comes a four
inch band of ornate shirring. laid in the
form of hollow squares, with a medallion
set in each square, and below this are
three rufies of shirred crepe de chine,
graduated so that the deepest is around
the foot of the skirt.
The bodice is tight-fitting in the hack
with shirrings tightly and smoothly laid on
the silk lining. A smooth-fitting woke of
all-over lace to match the nledallions has
plain, tight-fitting collar, and is met by
the blouse proper, which is curved at the
upper edge in the form of half moons, cut
ting off the yoke at the shoulder line.
Elaborate Trimming.
At distance of perhaps an inch these
half moons are outlined by shrrings in a
conventional design not unlike half petal
OF the lotus bloom, which, after following
the line of the half moon, run down in four
tiny shirrings to the waist line, tapering
almost to point. Directly under the upper
curve of this shirred design is laid medal
lion, which gives four shirred designs and
four medallions across the bust
The lower half of the sleeve is formed
OF tight-ftting shirrings, and the upper
half Is voluminous puff, with semi-cr-
cular cap shirred tightly into the arms
eye. and finished with a shaped ruffie, coy-
cred with medallions. The girdle is pointed
and covered with all-over lace, and finished
with buttons in nouveau art.
Among silks, the newest favorfte is mes
saline, which resembles both India silk and
chiffon, and is most pliable and dainty for
the much-trimmed frock. 1t comes in all
the plain colors and can be combined with
lace or chiffon decorations.
pretty mode for this fabric is illustrated
In a calling costume of champagne messa-
line, in which handrun tucks sh.rring and
a novelty braid showing champagne. pale
blue and gold, are combined.
A Tucked Yoke.
The skirt has a yoke of tucks running
around the hips. but cut by lengthwise
strips of the braid. The tucking forms a
point or v-shaped piece in the front gore,
and from this point, running around the
skirt, are eight or nine rows of shirring,
which gives the necessary fuliness to the
garment. The skirt has a slight train, and
is finished with three-inch-wide tucks
The entire blouse is laid in hand-run