The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-03

u the snlrtwalst material is perhaps
me trlmmest waist finish, for a white
| belt gives length to the waist and white
leather soils readily and is less easily
/ dered.
The skirt worn with the shirtwaist
! may be of any one of the popular habit
materials, from tibet 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
VINO rides much, however, objects to
sacrihclng her expensive park habit to
country roads and midsummer days,
! and has complete summer habit in the
dusI-detylng tan covert or whipcord
SnadlngS, or IN mixed gray or merely
a 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 a riding outfit,
and is appropriate anywhere, provided
its owner is willing to subject it to hard
country usage It has undergone many
variations within certain rigidIv pre-
scribed limits, but the conventional
habit as made by the smartest tailors
today IS a very comfortable and ra-
tional affair.
Made in some one of the soft. supple
black stuffs that are so great an i'm
provement upon the old time stir and
stubborn cloth, and that can be nodded
to the figure as that earlier cloth never
could be, it is not fitted tightly, so far
as the coat is concerned. This coat
as turned out by the best New York
makers, is exquisitely cut, but fits so
loosely that it might almost be called
seni-fitting
The front buttons singly, the sleeve is
the mannish coat sleeve, the collar the
small coat collar, and the skirts reach
Just to the back of the horse The coat
IS worn buttoned, only the lowest but
ton being left unbuttoned, a 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 diff
ferent makers. but riding authorities
give the palm to the new safety skirt,
ana the SWEETEST habits are made upon
this model. Description of the skirt is
difficult and no picture would quite ex-
plain 1t, but it is very short, reaching
just to the heel when the wearer is in
the saddle, and is perfectly fitted
about the hips with wonderful little
dots and seams.
The old safety skirt owed its name
to the fact that it was made so that
the seam next to the horse would rip
at a vigorous tug and so free the skirt
from the saddle in case of the riders
fall, but accidents happened even with
this skirt. The new model is so cut
that when the Wearer is seated upon
the saddle there is literally no skirt
under her, though the skirt fits down
around her pommel leg With perfect
smoothness and is so cleverly strapped
that it cannot become disarranged,
yet cannot possibly catch upon the
pommel.
Before dismounting the straps are
lOosened, and when the rider reaches
the ground the extra piece, previously
confined by the straps is drawn
around and buttoned so that the skirt
is perfectly suitable for walking.
When adjusted for walking it is, how
ever, rather shorter than other riding
skirts, and boots are a necessity.
This skirt is recommended by the
| best teachers and worn by the most
knowing horsewomen.
For the very youthful rider the Nor
folk habit is a favOrite, and the tri-
corne hat, tarpaulin or straw, is much
fancied by young girls though older
riders as a rule favor the straw sailor
when they relax from the severity of
the derby. In the west one often sees
in the summer country riders wearing
soft light brown felts of the rough
rider sort with their dust brown skirts
and white waists. and the idea is a
comfortable and practical one
There is of course more or less of a
! fad for bareheaded country riding, but
| the athletic girl is not quite so reck-
1 less in regard to her complexion as
she was a few seasons ago, and more
over a protection to the eyes in a sun
light glare is really essential to COM
fort
The very light weight fine straw
trfcornes are considered by some
riders much more comfortable than
the sailors, and there is no reason why
they should not be adopted for the
summer, if preferred.
The habit with the waistcoat of
pique or linen is a jaunty thing, dear
to French women. though not often
seen lately upon this side of the water,
and in the French habit the tailored
waistcoat is of course entirely separate
from the coat, the latter being a sin
gle breasted, tightly fitted garment
The absolutely close fitting habit coat
retains it's vogue in Paris, and there