Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-05-04
Fashions.

The most popular styles this season
are those that are very simple In effect.
However complicated they may be, the
result is always marked simplicity. This
is shown in many of the new silk and
lingerie Princess and modified Directoire
frocks, as we'll as In the tailor gowns.
There is no waist line In the coats OF
most of the new models-only hip
line-and the sleeves are long and close
fitting. The skirts are either cut With .
high waistline or mounted on . high
fitted belt. The two or two and half
inch belt il much more becoming to the
average figure thanIone of three orifour
inches.
The straight, loosely fitted lines pre-
vail in all the new suits, and in many
cases pearl buttons are lavishly used for
trimming purposes, as satin-covered but
tons were during the past season. A
coat of pale blue linen illustrates this
idea, and the rows of closely set small
white buttons on pockets, fronts and
skirt openings, together with an effective
use of narrow stitched bands of the
linen, lend an air of originality to q
coat otherwise most conservative. The
skirt of this costume is a plain gored
one.
A fashion item worth noting Is the in
creasing use of the trained skirt. In
the dressy three-piece costume the skirt
is almost without exception long, but
for the practical every day tailor suit,
skort skirts, just escaping the ground,
still remain the proper thing. The ma
terial par excellence for tailor suits this
spring is serge. The brilliant or satin
finish which is given to some OF the new
serges helps to popularize this line OF
materials. The prunella cloth and wool
satin, while used to some extent, do not
emphasize the tailor-made so we'll as does
serge. There are the plain serges of the
medium, twill; also chevron stripes in
the serge weaves and diagonals, both OF
novelty and staple character. This
makes quite variety to choose from.
Special interest is given to these serge
weaves because of the beautiful color
ings in which they appear. All the new,
dull and asben rose, green, gray, and
violet shades are shown. The khaki
brown is also quite prominent feature.
Many of these serge suits have touch
of black, others have gilt and metal
trimmings. This is particularly true of
buttons. One of the smart new effects
is cut jet button, and considerable use
is also being made of the metal button,
particularly in the ancient gold finish.
Linen suits abound, and plain linens
braided with cotton soutache are made
into the very smartest of jumper frocks.
Other linen suits practically duplicate
the styles shown in cloth. The linens
have an appearance of weight and finish
which makes them rank in beauty and
good style with the more expensive
cloths.
Silk coats are worn again, and very
beautiful models are made of moire,
faille and Ottoman silks, and there are
also some very dressy coats of light
weight broadcloth, braided deliberately
in soutache and trimmed with big col
lars. buttons, pocket flaps, etc., of Otto
man or MORE.
Pongee is a most popular material for
extra wraps or motor coats this season.
An entirely new idea in coat of this
sort is the full-length pongee coat which
fastens all the way down the front to the
skirt edge, forming complete cover for
the dress and resembling closely the
one-piece suit.
Wistaris shades, which include long
range of mauve and violet tones, are ex.
tremely popular. Grays of dark tone
have taken we'll. Gun metal, taupe,
smoke, stone, castor grays have been ap-
groved. In tan standings, the novelty is
the khaki and natural pongee color.
For boys from two to six years of age,
the Russian blouse suits are greatly
favored this spring.-McCall's.