The Washington herald., 1914-03-29
SPRING BLOUSES

Two features mark the smart
biouses for the spring, one the loose
fall sleeves, the other the prevalence
of the front fastening, with its open
throat effect. No matter how high
the lace frills or the medici collar
may extend under the hair at the
back, the throat 10 left open, aud,
in fact, on some of the new biouses,
q simulated negligee effect is achiev-
ed by the introduction Of buttons
and buttonholes on little lapels fold
ing away from the throat, as If the
blouse had been carelessiy left un-
buttoned to show the soft lines of
the chin and neck.
OF sleeves, there is an infinite va
riety, but they all have much the
same characteristics insomuch that
all are set into wide armholes and
are closely brought in about the wrist
sometimes with rufies and some-
times with plain turnback cuffs.
On many Of the blouses for the
spring the sleeves are cut In with
the yoke, on others the sleeves and
side cores running to the waistiine
are cut in one piece; in some, the
long shoulder and seton sleeve may
be noted, but very few have the ordi-
nary simple shoulder and plain
sleeve worn during the winter.
In colors.
The vogue of the all-white waists
is also going out, for the new blous-
es are In pale tints, yellow predomi-
mating, while crepe de chine and the
soft cotton crepe are first in favor
as materials.
Another notable feature of these
early bIouses for spring Is the out
!. side" finish, most of the blouses be-
ing made so as to come down out
side the skirt, sometimes forming 4
little buttoned vest, and sometimes
merely ending in sash-like loops or
fastening snugiy with a single
buckle covered with the material.
They are all far more elaborate
than in former seasons, but the frin
both single and double has been
set aside. Its death knell was sound
ed by the introduction OF the winter
suits buttoning close up about the
throat and now with spring at hand
the little waistcoat Is so popular that
frill has been definitely set aside.
With il has gone the deep sailor
collar, the new blouses all showing
either high haring collar or a fat,
narrow one of soft material and in
some instances the neck is finished
simply with a band of the material
with frill of net inside to lend soft
finish close to the skin.
All Are Sheer.
OF course, all the blouses are very
sheer and delicate, and most of them
require dainty canisoles to match
underneath, but they are very lovely
and only few trimly-tailored shirt
waists are now seen for the woman
who insists upon that kind. Even the
mannish tailored shirt of silk with its
collar to match has been relegated to
the bargain counters and the new
blouses elaborately buttoned with
their novel, slightly-full sleeves
and quaint effects reign supreme in
the feminine world.
Some of the new smart blouses
are made of crepe woven in the new
lacquer embroidery effect in combi-
nation with a ladder pattern These.
blouses are often finished with pend
ant bead and braid ornaments in an
tique Chinese colors, which are
matched by the long strings of Chi
nese beads which fashionable women
are wearing so much this season.
Some of the new blouses lend
quaint appearance of milady's being
in her shirt sleeves, since the vest
like body of the garment is of COL
ors usually one of the new sweet pea
tints, while the loose full sleeves and