The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-07
THE FASHIONS.

seasons. For early spring days smart designs are developed in flannel, always of the unshrinkable quality. These are trim med either with bias or plain bands of self material with fancy braids, ruf1ings, and emplecements, or with tucks and shirts, fancy buttons, straps, and various more or less odd devices, fashioned out of contrasting cloths or silks.
 The same careful attention to deatail, the same perfect fit, and correct lines required in the most pretentious crea- tion are exacted of the separate waist, to be wholly in vogue for the coming season.
 The girdle, too, is an important fac tor. It is generally made of a soft, pliable silk, is about three inches wide in the back and five in front where it is brought into buckle or slide ot that depth, or else is kept in shape by two bones sea about an inch apart. This is an innovation from the abrupt point, to which we have held for so long a time, but which is not to be found in the newest models.
 One very modish design noticed among these flannel waists was of vfyella plaided in dull blue and green checked off with hair-lines of lighter blue and green. The material was gathered to a pointed yoke and front, and drawn taut down into crushed belt of satin of the exact shade of green shown in the plaid. Down the front is a double box plait, cut on the cross of the goods on which are two tiny folds of satin, stitched through the centre The yoke is outlined with folds, the fronts cut in rounded points over tapping each other and decorated with three tiny buttons. At the base of the collar is a tiny butterfly bow of satin. The sleeves show rather more fulness than those of the past season, this at both top and bottom, and have some what the straight up-and-down effect ascrbed to the originally designed waists. and also they have the typical shirt-waist cuffs,
 Tiny pockets in all manner Of odd de- signs are very much in evidence, all though they are in reality but tra- vesty on the name, never by any chance being other than mere patches and therefore entirely ornamental
 Another special feature in tailored waists is the frilled bosom plait, a style universally becoming and smart. A pretty design of this order is developed in pale blue flannel set in broad side plaits each edged with quilling of sa- tin ribbon of the cloth shade; the bosom plait, which is also given two narrow side plaits, and which conceals the fastening, is likewise frilled. The sleeves are short puffs with cuffs which reach only to the elbow, each given three plaits edged with frill of rib bon similar to those on the waist proper The girdle is of blue velvet and the lace stock is bordered at the top with fold of velvet.
 Another development of this same model shows the bosom plait finely tucked it's entire length, and the waist material laid in three folds at the shoulders, the folds graduating in depth and in length, with the longest toward the front, each frilled as in the preceding description.
 Even more attractive is this design carried out in handkerchief linen. It may be very plain, or the bosom plait may be embroidered with French hand embroidery or English eyelet, which latter is showing a return to popular ity.
 The new flannels are light weight, with smooth, even finish and alto gether very desirable but for all that the serges, albatross, nuns yelling and them, except for sporting costumes, when flannel is invariably the correct material. A very chic little suit for tennis, or boating, or in fact, for general morning wear, has an oddly de- signed blouse. There is a shallow yoke piece cut in one with long strap epaulettes pointed at the ends which conf1ne the box plait at either side of the front, which is slightly fulled un- derneath. The armholes are outlined with fitted pieces of the blue and white striped flannel, cut crosswise and long, pointed pieces are set In at either side of the wide front box plait. The sleeevs are of the regulation bishop order, with four-inch cuffs, the tops cut in elon- gated points, which overlap the under part underneath a pearl button. Pearl buttons also decorate the yoke piece, while three loops of blue louisine the blue stripe in the blouse material, in graduated lengths depend from the rounded points of the yoke, and a crush girdle of the same silk gives a charm ing finish to a charming blouse
 While these flannel waists will enjoy unusual popularity as separate blouses, they will also form accompanments to skirts of the same material So if it is desired to utilize the one blouse in the two ways, it is by all means advisable to select a color or combination of colors that will not fade
 Some of the braid-trimmed waists are wonderfully fetching, and give ample pesco for extravagant elaboration, with simple lines. For example is a stun ming model in an uptown shop which would directly come under that obser- vation. It is of deep, creamry white with the shoulders laid in six tiny tucks, each tuck some five inches long ] Through the center there runs three inch box-plait is slashed at intervals for the passage of a soft taffeta tie ItAt either side and extending slight ly over the shoulders are bretelles ot the waist fabric, back and front, which are shaped to the waist and are tucked smoothly in the girdle, Around the base of the collar, down the sides of the front plait and outlining the