The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-05-11
THE FASHIONS.
SCARCITY OF DRESSMAKERS AT THE BUST SEASON.


 The Ready-Made Gown Useful Insti- tion-Three Types of simple Gowns which Have Superseded the shirt Waist Dress--BreteIie Gowns With and Without BoIeros--Beautiful New Wash Materials.
 In New York city it is almost naecs- sity to purchase spring and summer gowns at least month before they are meant to be worn, for at this season the supply of dressmakers is by no means equal to the demand. A large class of women rely almost entirely on ready-nlade gowns, not because they prefer them, but bucause if is so diffi-. cult to get others made. Those whose purses are deep enough to purchase February silks and muslins are not usually troubled, but the many who must wait until the first prices are lowered have difficulties.
 To meet the growing demand for ready-made gowns, the quality has im- proved from year to year, until now it is possible to buy very satisfactory garments. If any serious fault is to be found with the ready-made gown it is with the materials that go into it. As far as style is concerned it is superior to anything turned out by the average dressmaker. The best designers and operators are employed by manufactur- CTS in these days. It is a pity that they cannot furnish also the best materials. In the rush Of competitor most gar ments are made to sell and not to wear. Of course, it is not impossible to buy a gown whose wearing qualities are ex- cellent, but the risks are great, es- pecially in silk garments.
 An indication of the, demand for ready-made garments is seen in the fact that correct riding habits are now offered in the best shops. A little while ago such thing would have been thought absurd. A woman rich enough to ownsa horse, or even to patronize a riding school, went to her tailor for her habits, as a matter of course. Now adays any number of riders buy their habits The price is lower in the shops, but not very much lower. A good cloth habit cost from $6o to $50 while a heavy linen habit for summer riding may be had for s20.
 Among gowns offered this spring the simple one meant to take the place of the erstwhile poplar skirt-waist suit are legion. There are three types of i these gowns; the guifnpe dress. which comes near being new model of a shirt-waist suit; the bretelle suspender suit, and the short bolero suit. The bretelle is best suited to young women with slender figures. One or more of these gowns will doubtless be found in | the summer wardrobe of nine out of ten girls under twenty-five. A number of pretty models are offered. A rather original suit in rough blue pongee called hone-spun was made with a box-pIaited skirt. The bretelles were four instead of two, and were joined on i the shoulder by a two-inch band of the Dongee doubled and stitched to make 1t sufficiently stiff. The bretelles were narrow at the waist line and slightly broader at the sholdeur. The middle brettles were cut a little differently having square necked effect over the white lace blouse, and showing slashes from the waist line to the top of the vestee. A wide girdle is part and par eel of all bretelle suits, as it is of al most all gowns.
 Sometimes the bretelles do not extent to the waist line. but end in a shorl bodice or corselet. This was the cast in a blue and green checked chiffon taffeta. The skirt of this gown wal plaited on a round hip yoke Ther' was a round bodice corresponding tt the yoke, about two inches below th' , bust. From it four shaped bre telles crossed over the shoulders These were trimmed with a fancy gal < loon and were buttoned to the bodic / with small silver buttons. The folded girdle was fastened with buttons at thu F, left side. "~-'a-~,-+ s!, l i Another model was shirred both Il 1 the skirt and in the breteiles,s Ih l material was chiffon voile of a lovel! shade of old red. The skirt was fin i iishet3 around the bottom with thre wide tucks, nuder each of which shoWe' ! a narrow fold of taffeta, giving the skir ] firmness. The two bretelles widens' l verys much at the shoulders. The ,3 were shirred closely on either edge an were lined with taffeta, the silk show II ing in a narrow fold on either side. Tn ; girdle was of the silk. The blouse Wor 2 with this gown was of lace, a dee ! cream, almost coffee-color, and the col ar and cuffs were trimmed with folde bands of the silk ussd to trim the gown I3 These are the three best types of tn ,@ bretelle suit All others are variation (which do not differ widely,
 l There is not much to say about tn l guimpe dresss which has not alread I been said. The square-necked gov l with the high-neeked back is the con honest type of this gown. Rathe dressier is the gown cut square bot back and front, while the low, roun meek is almost too festive for the stree Pongee, silk, yoile. and linen stree gowns are made with square gnimpe fbut it is not advisable to show too muc 1 of the transparent effect in the stree Just the merest bit cut out at the bae 1 is not objectionable, but it cannot | 1 thought good taste to exhibit practica l ly a decollete in public. l-ss~..
 1 A charming home gown of violet an