Evening star., 1909-04-18
OUR CORSET
STORY
The Warp and the Wool

&C" HIck corsets for winter and
thin ones for summer" has
most plausible sound but Is
scant information on the
subject OF corset materials. "Coutil for
the stout woman and batiste for the
slender" is not any more comprehen-
sive.
The few general rules seem no longer
TO fill the bill. because women know
more than they once did. Departments
for the sale of this important garment
have contributed knowledge galore. The
would-be purchaser Is wise. and TO be
OF the least assistance to her. the 'One
VINO Knows" must know and keep on
finding out.
There ID no reason why anybody
should be ignorant of past or present
corset materials. History has madc
mention OF every sort OF weave from
the cloth girdle OF Egypts famous
queen down the years to the French
ladies OF the court of Francis /, with
silk camlets over their chemises," and
further on to the Elizabethan linens.
that were ''starched to a stiffness" be-
fore they were steeled and hinged under
the arm.
THICK AND THIN
That far-away stiffened article brings
us right down to "a cunning little cor
set just imported. made OF very coarse
linen and starched." 1t is In no sense
pliable, and Is very different from the
other modern wonders that aim at sup
pleness of figure. 1t is put upon the
market as summer corset and intended
to displace the kind that will not tub"
The summer corset has not entirely dis
appeared. Linen mesh is used in some
very Interesting models and is boned to
the point Of effective support.
The novelties in corsetdom are inter-
esting. and not alone to the few. for
We may all get from them stray bits OF
information. valuable enough to add TO
our corset lore, and which may help us
over some difficult places. A corset
with lining does not convey the i'm
preston Of abnormal coolness. but wait
until you have heard more OF It. The
one speak of is an alI-over pattern of
lace. strengthened with coarse net and
boned "to give it durability" We can't
condemn 1t. because all things are COM
not be secured. we cannot doubt its
comfort while it lasts.
Do you know that by intelligent bon
ing the corsetiere may use almost any
material and evolve a really truly cor
set? II net has been worked up into
corset shape, a little garment Of the
sort may be made OF swiss. doubled.
edged, banded and boned. I am willing
TO vouch for its delightful ease. but
please do not ask the zone Who Knows
to stand for its durability.
London put forth last year a cool cor
set Of eyelet embroidery. the bones OF
which. being shielded underneath. were
almost invisible. 1t proved so success
ful that 1t has reached over into the
present season, and is now made over
the newest models. This open embroid-
cred article is delightfully."- cool.
Open tricot is one OF the machine
knitted fabrics from which the corset
is made. and a newer and still more
open tricot is the crochet-web. 1t 10
rather clinging than cool.
ELASTIC AND JERSEY
The seamless corset is made OF .
nameless weave that has a jersey quail
ity and is silk in fabric: also of a more
recent material resembling the web Of
Turkish toweling without the loopy nap.
This web Is supposedly more plable
than all previous stuffs, and its sister
weave IS a heavier web, having plia-
bility plus strength, and used for the
form-fitting tights that are attached to
the corset.
An elastic corset may be had. about
which the health specialist has not said
his final negative. It is used most fire.
quently by the woman OF a compact
figure, who will not acquire fiat waist
by the wearing Of it.
Attractive models are made OF dotted
and striped satins and brocades. There
are broche and grenadine. which aqN
made OF silk thread. and are conse-
quently beautiful. -f
And then we go back to the starting
point. to the various lasting and ever
lasting weaves. as the corset man calls
them. Batiste and coutil come in silk.
and they come from France and they
are made in America. Plain, everyday
coutil is the beloved material of the
stout woman, and Il Is reliable to q
degree. 1t is for the woman who buys
sensibly. but who is too hard" upon
her corset to venture on batiste.- Ba-
tiste is the slender woman's corset and
the average material. 1t Is the best
seller at this time of the year, and has a
wonderful wearing propensity, consider
ing the light weight of both warp and
~r,ooP