The San Francisco call., 1904-03-06

IT was on the Rue Saint Honorei
The pretty American girl hesitated,
came to full stop. turned and en-
tered,
When she emerged. fully an
hour later. her face wore the expression
OF a woman who had been dazzled by
line clothes. She had purchased d shirt
waist Of linen, so fine that you could
have twisted it into a roll no bigger
than your finger and she had ordered
Il embroidered with violets Each vio-
lei was to have petals of glossy silk
with the finest of openwork surround
ing each flower. The price was-well.
never mind the price!
american shirt waists are the fad
of the hour in Paris. The French, who
caught on so slowly. TO our shirt waist
idea, have now taken ii UP with aVidity
and the American shirt waists. made in
France. are among the most delightful
OF all articles Of wearing apparel. They
fit around the neck and shoulders for
no woman is as critical as the Arneri-
can woman in this respect, and they
set neatly around the belt and waist
And 20 these sterling qualities the
French have added the exquisite detail
for which they are famous. The French
shirt waists show the wonderful en-
broidery Of the converts and they ex-
hibit the peculiar artistic qualities for
which the French are so well known.
A waist made Of softest lawn had
the entire yoke peppered with French
knots The lower edge of the yoke was
bOrdered with fringe. deep. soft. white.
creamy fringe, warranted, by the way,
TO wash like a pocket handkerchief Set
into this waist at frequent intervals
were oblong figures of Irish lace, each
figure surrounded by violet hued stitch
cry, with French knots surrounding
each figure.
Another shirt waist, this one built
of spinach green linen, was inset with
circular tan coiored figures, each figure
outlined with narrow white wash braid,
and the whole waist dotted with tan
and white embroidered circles, caught
into each other.
The Philosophy Of Shirt Waists.
The shirt waist fever, which was
thought TO have abated somewhat,
has broken out afresh and in a form
which threatens destruction. not only
TO the pocketbook, but to the eye
sight. Where shirt waists were made
by machine before they are now all
hand stitched, and the tueking, the
shirring, the stitched bands, the strap
pings and the pipings are all laid in
by hand, where once they were all, or
partly, done by machine.
The introduction of the shirt waist
and its universal adoption by women
means a great deal not only in the
line OF expenditure, but in the line of
saving as we'll For while a woman
can waste a great deal of money upon
shirt waists. she can also save great
deal Where she once was compelled
TO spend a goodly sum of money to
obtain a new suit, she can now get one
at very reasonable figure by taking
advantage Of the opportunities offered
her in the shirt waist line.
A woman who dresses very well in
deed is preparing her Easter gown.
IT will consist of a pansy-hued cloth
skirt, which was once an old white
skirt, colored a pretty purple and
shaped into trotting skirt. And with
this she viii wear a pansy colored
louisine shirt waist, piped with white
taffeta, and trimmed with a deep
white lace yoke collar, upon which a
bunch of violets are fastened. Her
hat will be an English toque, pointed
in front a la boat shape, and trim
med with viole4z.
Another woman. who has more
taste than money. and who will dress
well In spite Of financial obstacles, is
the owner Of a black lace shirt waist,
one of those heavy lace affairs which