New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06

A SUMMER OF PALE CoLoRs.
Smart Washable Fabrics and Their Trim
mings-The Short Skirt Craze.

The chicness Of black seems 70 have departed
Black has been discovered TO be useful economical
and generally becoming. and little by little. II
has lost It's prestige and reputation for smartness
II IS impossible 10 be both Partisan and practical
When the aI-black costume aud9cious and
unusual. Paris gave II great deal OF attention
but that was yesterday. To-day the preference ~
for white Snow white. cream white and oyster
shell white. Second IN importance. come the palsst
tints-champagne. maize. shadow gray. silver blue
Fart nouveau violet and April green The spring
and summer cottons show all these beautiful new
tints. and attached 70 each IS the heartbreaking
legend that they viii not fade" But they VIII,
unless great care r. used IN washing them.
Dresses with waists to match are 70 be worn
more this summer than for years past. The only
separate waists that VIII retain marked popu-
Iarfty are shirtwaists. City business women can
not afford the time and the care OF entire cotton
dresses: Il would mean one a day. and when
women can AFFORD that they stop working
But where Il Is possible to AFFORD thess pals
tinted cotton daytime dresses. they VIII be al the
rage for warm days. white, even more than pale
colors They VIII be worn IN tho house. on the
golf links yachting and driving. and even for
short trips on the train
In all these fabrics the coarse threads esrry ths
day. There are cotton cheviot. canvas. vsstins.
cross stitch" wolfe. hOmespun and the new roos
weave" OF course. fine weaves are fashionable
and fancy cottons and silk gauzs for svening wssr.
But FOR daytime fabrics the paler the tint ths
the weave 50 COaFSes IN Iacls Llal soEne
OF the wide mesh eottons call for silk linnss. and
as many OF the newest cottonS ars SO and 81 .
yard the call does not seem unostsntatious
Pretty generally the printed cottons viii b made
up with coarse. yellow lace. or viii be plain ana
machine stitched. The advance models OF whits
ard linen colored dresses are almost Invariably
trimmed with cross stitch embroidery IN vsrious
color combinations and IN old fashioned patterns
The cotton shIrtwaist dresses have collar. cuffs
and belt IN cross stitch embroidery. and frequently
r1Trr
red are combined on the Insertion bands for tan
dresses Delft blue IS seen on white and brilliant
Bulgarian and Russian color effects on the darker
linens
Naturally there Is considerable apprehension "a
20 whether or not II Is going 70 be possible u
wash successfully these dsicately colored gowns.
a,d there f. also the fear that this effective col
ored cross stitched embroidery Is going 70 fade
Girls who cannot AFFORD to pay a quarter the
price Of a dress at the cleaners every week and
who know the pitful wrecks the average wash
woman can make OF the most beautiful pale tinted
gowns hesitate not a little about the purchase OF
a dress that does not promise more than one at
! trae+fvs weeks wear. Yet IL a girl VII launder
her own pretty frOcks or take the trouble 70 Keep
some one to do Il properly. she need have no fsar
Of the paIest and most elaborate Of cotton gowns
Here Is a suggestion that viii make the label
| mot fade a comforting truth. First OF al. re-
move any stain from the frOcks with gasolene;
lust "a soon as the gasOlene dries. put the dress
H
spOOnfuls OF bOrax: leave il 20 soak Tor an hour'
| then rub lightly in hot suds made with tea Tea.
] spoonful OF bOraX 70 q gallon OF water ana nalL
a cake OF shaved CASTLE soap. Wiring well rinse
in warm borax water then in clear cold water
Dry out OF sun. IL possible. and In the wind ~
possible. When the dresses are nearly dry sSLetS,
Into shane and clap few minutes IN the haIds
and iron quickly on the wrong side with n0s
iron.
This same process IS excellent FOR washing stocss
and collars and belts OF silk embroidery, ana 70
cleaning light coIored SILK or Isle thread stoes-
| ines and makes ribbons look Ike new. The com
bination OF soap and borax achieves the miraci'
| Of cleaning the goods. yet holding the color. -
Lightweight cOttOns will be pretty generaly
made up with the full 1850 skirt: heavier cott0ns
with the new circular design that ITS close over
| the hips and swings out TO the width OF an ~
skirt at the ankles.
/ And fully One-haf OF the new shirtwaist dresses
| will be made short. least two inches from Es
/ ground And even for dressy afternoon wear. a
| lot OF the silk and crepe gowns are being maze
| short and there will be short muslin skirts tor
/ summer dancing IL IS true there has never YET
| been such a vogue for short skirts FOR al oc-
/ casious as will be next summer.