Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-12

TO THE lover of dress the fashions
of the present moment are ire
sistibly attractive and yet at frs:
glance it is quite impossible to tell
where the attraction lies. There are
so many different colorings, so many
different designs, so many different
styles that border on the grotesque
rather than on the picturesque that II
is almost impossible for any one but
the we'll initiated to realize what
makes up the harmonious whole. But
ire connoisseur in dress, be it man or
woman, must needs be well educated
person in these days and he or she
can tell at the first glance what 1t is
that will make one woman look so
gives the fashions of the present day
their finished appearance.
1t is the detail or rather the details
Of dress that means such a lot-the
finish of every article that is worn and
the fact that every article is well made
and we'll fitted. While there is no ques-
tion that the fashionable dress of to-
day is expensive and in many instances
costly, it is possible for a woman to
get on with fewer clothes now than q
year or two ago, provided each and
every gown is up to the high standard
demanded and that everything that is
worn with that gown is in keeping.
To begin with, the color question is
carefully studied out. Either every
thing is in one tone or there Is some
contrast introduced so cleverly as not
to make any discordant note, but rath-
er to emphasize and bring out any good
point that may exist. Trimmings are
elaborate, but they, too. harmonic
with the gown and either make or mar
it. And in spite of the overelaboration
simple lines, and what might be called
steady lines as well, are greatly in de-
mand.
Undergarments Fit Perfectly
The clothes of the present day, how
ever, demand that not only shall the
gown itself be perfect in detail but
that the underclothing shall be also
of the best. This has not to do with
lingerie or the passing fads as to
trimmings, laces and embroideres, but
with the two most crucial questions
the corset and the petticoat-and the
woman who looks the best dressed is
as rule the one who pays the most
attention to having a corset that is
well cut and perfect fitting and a pet
snI, u
just as much care as on the skirt Of
the gown.
1t is evident that once again the high
er busted corset is coming into favor,
fortunately not a return to the old
time fashion that compressed the figure
and pushed it up out of shape, but a
happy medium between the high lines
and the low ones that have been so
hideously exaggerated the last few
months. The blousing is going out OF
all the waists. and consequently gowns
are made to f1t much closer, but always
with no possible compression of the
figure such as was the case in old
fashioned days.
Now that so many gowns are made
without lined skirts. it is absolutely
essential that good fitting pettlcoat
be worn, and although silk cannot be
guaranteed to wear for any length of
time, II is, after all, the most salts
factory material in which to carry out
the model that demands that the petit
coat shall ft closely over the hips and
yet be finished around the foot with de-
eided flare and with fiounces and ruff
fles galore, The much condemned taf-
feta is, after all. the best silk there is,
although great many women like
india silk or surah for summer wear,