The San Francisco call., 1905-06-11


the ocean. It is not, perhaps. as
popular in this climate as il is in
sha East. where the cool breezes from the
ocean are eagerly sought, as a great re-
lief from the intense heat of the cities.
Roston Is particularly favored in its sea-
shore resorts, of which there are great
many so near the city that the men can
very easily go and come every day. and
enjoy dip in the ocean in the morning
before going TO their business in the city.
spent the whole OF last summer at
an exceedingly popular seashore resort
On the coast of Brittany in France. much
frequented by both French and English
summer sojourners. The surroundings
were beautiful, the hotel excellent. and
the villas most comfortable. and / passed
g most delightful season there. We had
splendid walks delightful boating. both
rowing and Sailing. and daily baths. But
the French bathing suits were peculiar,
and very different from ours. We do not.
IN this country, derive our fashions in
bathing suits from the Partisan modiste.
We devise our own styles, which are
quite different from theirs. French peo-
PIE. although they love the seashore. are
as a rule. not very good swimmers, GER
tainly nothing like our American girls.
The EEsnch women take their morning
swim. cr ocean dip. at about II o'clock.
when shey issue forth from their bathing
houses arranged in what seems to us most
extraordinary costumes. They wear a
long bathrobe, reaching 10 the ground.
which by the way has no pretense of be-
ing pretty or attractive. and they keep
these elongated and ugly robes on until
they are just ready 10 plunge into the
water. when they throw them on the
beach. ready 10 be put on when they
emerge. In that way, the real bathing
suits are but a short time in the field OF
view. These suits viii not strike the
American eye as al all pretty The waist
and skirt are made in one piece. but the
skirt Is very short, way above the knee
IN fact, but the trousers are separate
from the waist and are very long. Stock
ings are not worn. as being suggestive OF
the chorus girl. or the ballet dancer. For
mere ease in swimming the French suits
are very good, but that after all is only
e part of the attraction of a fine beach
IN summer The French women seem to
make their bathing somewhat perfume
tory, and know nothing Of the genuine
love Of the beach that American girls
feel, nor do they understand it at all
What IS more common at the seaside
than 10 see our girls baking in the sun
IN the warm sand clad in their bathing
dresses? But in France this is consid-
cred very inmodest and they regard with
something like horror those bold Ameri-
can girls who enjoy lying about in the
Sun on the bach. Naturally enough un-
der such circumstances the bathing cos
tune becomes a thing 10 be considered
with z decided tendency each year to be
come prettier and more attractive The
illustration shows one that is exceeding
y pretty, though 1 regret very much that
the pretty colors DO not show in the pho
tograph. The picture is taken in q sit
ting position and perhaps by following my
description Of it its beauty can be real
ized. The suit is made Of ecru pongee
with q baby blue silk dot The neck is
cut square and framed in bands of baby
blue tsffeta, the sleeves, girdle and the
bottom Of the skirt being also finished
with a tIo-inch band OF blue taffeta The
cap 10 be worn with this suit should be
either OF ecru silk with blue dot or of
blue silk with white dot. Black stock
ings should almost always be worn, as
they are the most becoming and do not
look loud or vulgar.
An illustration of another very pretty
suit is given. 1t is also of ecru pongee,
with little diamond figure of the same
shade in il and trimmed in red taffeta Il
is cut high in the neck and has red
taffeta collar and vest that comes to
the belt The sleeves are piped in red. as
are also the yoke and the bottom of the
skirt Red stockings are appropriate
and look very well with this suit, al
though black are quite proper to be worn
Il preferred. The cap of plain red silk
finishes the costume, and the whole ef-
feet Of it is striking and pretty
The picture of the girl on the beach
shows a very simple bathing suit, but it
is so well fashioned and its lines are so
good that il is certainly a very good
style II is made of black alpaca. cut
quite low in the neck and buttoned at the
side. At each shoulder there is an en-
broidered white anchor, and the whole
suit is stitched in white. The sleeves are
quite short and open. giving entire free
dom to the arm in swimming. Black
stockings and white beach shoes make a
part Of this costume.
These shoes are made Of canvas. with
fat straw soles and are very desirable
and comfortable II the beach IS at all
rocky The hat-which is called a
-beach hat"-is made of white gossaner
silk with black polka dot, Ind is
splendid for protecting the face from
the sun on the beach either before or
after the swim The plated rufie is
also Of white gossamer silk, but the
pattern and the colors on 1T are Ter
sian. The "beach hat is quite a nov
city here and is a great convenience,
besides being very pretty. /. is par
ticulzrly convenient for those who do
not swim. the city girl who goes to the
seashore ostensibly for the bathing, but
in reality for dabbling in the shallow
water and then disporting on the beach.
In these cases a pretty bathing suit is
the essential thing, and a hat that is
becoming and at the same time protects
the complexion is very desirable. For
the real swimmer the hat is not
needed. though even for her 1t Is con-