The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21

Ms for Cross country riding, because ovel
the hurdles and fences lies one path to so.
cal success and notoriety,
The woman's riding outfit has taken on
new airs and graces with the growth Of the
fad, though the laws Of the eternal fitness
OF things prescribe certain rather narrow
limitations for the riding habits variety.
and the woman who resigned herself to the
etih, heavy. uncomfortable habit OF ten
years ago looks with amazement at the
comparatively neglgee effects permissible
IN the warm weather habit to-day.
We nave not gone in for the picturesque
vagaries audaciously adopted byyeome
French dmosones. and have chung Ira Their
to the severe English idea OF an appro-
pirate habit, but the shirt waist, originally
an American institution. has asserted it,
self in connection with the riding costume,
and for country riding during the summer
shirt waist and skirt is appropriate, not
only for the young girl, but also for the
grown-up
The shirt waist must be plainly tailored
one of white linen, cheviot or madras,
perfectly fitted and without any eccentric
features With it is worn a mannish wash
neck scarf, often of the same material as the
""A''' 'Ci' VI IIIc Sibil WdisI LlldISIAdl 10
perhaps the trimmest waist finish, for a
white belt gives length to the waist and
white leather soils readily and is less easily
cleaned than belt that can be Numbered
The skirt worn with the shirt waist may
he OF any one of the popular habit materials,
from thibet to linen crash, and, of course, in
many cases, this skirt is merely the skirt
OF the regulation habit, the coat being laid
aside as a concession to the heat. The
woman who rides much, however, objects
to sacrificing her expensive park habit to
country roads and midsummer days. and
has complete summer habit in the dust
defying tan covert or whpcord standings
or in mixed gray, or merely supplemental
skirt in such material, or adopts the crash
habits that have found favor with smart
folk during the last few years.
But the park habit is the cornerstone Of
the foundation Of riding outfit, and is
appropriate anywhere, provided its owner
is willing to subject it to hard country
usage. 1t has undergone many variations
within certain rigidly prescribed limits.
but the conventional habit as made by the
smartest tailors to-day is q very comfort
able and rational affair.
Made in some one Of the soft, supple
black stuffs that ore so great an improve
ment upon the old time stiff and stubborn
cloth, and that can be nodded r the figure
as that earlier cloth never could be. it is
not fitted tightly, so far as the coat is con-
cerned, This coat, as turned out by the
oest New York makers, is exqusitely cut.
but fits so loosely that it might almost be
called semi-fttng
The front buttons singly the sleeve is
the mannish coat sleeve, the collar the
small coat collar, and the skirts reach Just
70 the back Of the horse. The coat is worn
outtoned. only the lowest button being
lett unbuttoned mannish wash stock or
cravat is the usual thing, and heavy gloves,
very loose and with the wrists turned back
over the hand, are correct
The skirt is differently made by different
makers, but riding authorities give the palm
TO the new safety skirt, and the SWEETEST
haols are made upon this model. De-
scrlption Of the skirt is difficult and no pic
lure would quite explain it, but it is very |
snort reaching just to the heel when the |
wearer is in the saddle, and Is perfectly |
f'ted about the hips with wonderful little !
dots and seams.
The old safety skirt owed its name to |
'he fact that it was made so that the
seam next to the horse would rip at
vigorous tug and 80 free the skirt
from the saddle in case OF the riders fall
ou, accidents happened even with this
ehT. The new model is so cut that when
.he wearer Is seated upon the saddle there
Is literally no skirt under her, though the
fxlrt tits down around her pommel leg !