The Washington times., 1906-02-25

he top of the gown IS mace with a
stock and tucker Of lace. The tucker
/ is in a Y shape. and has a dainty lin
gerie collar on each side Of it Soft
drapery is drawn from the shoulders
toward the front and fastened under
black velvet bows on each side the
| termination Of the collar. PufTed sleeves
embroidered band fastened under a
| little bow at the back.
While princess and short-waisted en-
J pire effects will prevail in gowns for
afternoon parties, there are other smart
{ gowns designed to carry out these
STYLES with a skirt. high fitted sirdle,
and some sort Of little boiero Jacket
( or draped blouse of the material.
The idea Of draped empire blOuses is
"a very new one and has hardly found
adherents I'm this country as yet
Abroad, however, the practical uses OF
the empire blouse have been demon
strated add these are made to come
lust over the top of the COTSeiet skirt,
and may also be worn with the looseT
empire skirt. The blouse fastens over
the TOD of the skirt, around the middle
nizes with the gown plaid blouse
may be worn where the gown is trimmed
with plaid, and so on.
Corsets Must Fit the Figure.
This popularity of gowns that have
an unbroken line from the middle OF
the body down, whether fitted. as IN
the princess or semi-ftted, in the
empire neCe5states a careful selection
of underwear Since gowns of the cut
described must not wrinkle at the waist,
the corset must be of an exceptionally
good make and must fit to the figure,
since so much depends upon it. The
new corsets also fit well over the hips
to carry on in a graceful line the fitted
lengths of princess gown. Indeed,
these gowns have worked a good many
changes in cOTsets, such as a giving
way Of the straight front lines and n
Iengthening of the corset below the
waist and raising of it above. The
comfortable ribbon girdle. which so
many women wear in place Of eorsets,
cannot be worn with princess gown
since IT has no stin lines to support
those of the gown.
Most American women wear the same
sort of corset with empire as with prin-
cess gowns, since they have fitted lin
ings 10 most sheer Empire gowns and
have a fondness for almost fitted En-
piTe robes when made of cloth and
such materials BY way OF contrast to
JneSe are lne Empire mouse gowns,
made with flowing, easy lines. and some
times entirely loose from the shoulders
down, worn over an Empire corset
which is merely a little frame of lin
gerie or ribbon hung upon the should
ers and only reaching to the middle
of the body-hardly that far, in fact.
This pretty little article has nothing
of stiffness about il. but gives with
every motion OF the body. while serv-
Ing as sort of support
One has TO be as careful TO have
weil-f1tting underwear as weII-htting
corsets with princess gowns. Where
skirts are Delted the Wristbands are of
the thinnest material possible and the
skirt bands are not discernibIe beneath
the dress: Since most skirts are now
or soft SILK and batiSte, the thickness
OF Wristbands is infinitesimal
A good many underskirts will be
Joined 10 the skirts Of corset covers so
that there Will not be any Wristbands
at all.
Finely embroidered rather than lace
trimmed skirts will be correct to wear
and lingerie skirts that combine q rea-
S0nable amount of lace in the trim
mings are in good taste. Skirts very
much trimmed with lace are intended
to wear with gowns for state occasions
and evening wear.
Shoes for afternoon parties should BE-
made with tops to match the gowns
Gloves. too, must match In color but
trimmings often bring in a note of
contrast. and there is a decided ten
dency to use gilt braid and buttons
lace and gauze. or gilt threads IN trim
mings fother kinds,