The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-09
n, ELEANOR HoyT BRArNERD.

-UB frocks and the little things
that GO with them in the
: achievement of a successful
summer toilette loom large on
fashions horizon this month.
It IS quite within the possibilities
that one may not need to wear such
,rocks before June or July. but the
sensible woman wants to be ready for
hot weather when it does come, be tho
aaie early or ate. and 20 the high
lido OF summer frock making and buy
,...s conAs in May.
Each year the buying elbows the
making more strenuously. The manu-
;scturers turn out tub frocks much
moro satisfactory than the ready to
wear summer garments OF even a
season or two ago. and competent
seamstresses who will work at mod
crate prices are now distressingly few.
The survivors are usually monopolized
by little groups OF customers and the
outsider who hugs to her heart the
tradition OF the spring and fall home
,eans,ress session usually experiments
dIscouragingly with incompetent sew
ing women and ends by turning to the
ready to wear departments OF the
shops.
The old objections to the ready
made tub frocks still hold good. One
can, wash samples to see whether
they will fade. The materials are not
slr ~
seoupntly the frocks will need altera-
tons after the first Tubing. The
finishing may not be go good as that
done by a careful seamstress and in
consequence the garments may not
wear so well as the home made frocks,
IL the latter are well made; but, on the
other hand, the home seamstress OF
to-day isn't at all sure to finish things
carefully. and almost any tub frock
vii, outlive a season. and there's no
denying that the ready made frocks.
even when cheap, have more style and
originality than the average home
made frock. Why shouldn't they have
these characteristics? They are de-
signed by high priced designers. even
though they are turned out by the
thousands.
II one is willing to pay high prices
i Is even possible to secure tub frocks
against which none of the stock OBJ
jections can be hurled-frocks not only
artistically designed but exquisitely
made and finished. and this spring
there Is rather more than the usual
attraction in these dainty models. The
he, f,.1l
to summer materials and the materials
lend themselves as gracefully to the
modes.
One sees fewer deliberately embroii-
cred hand made lingerie models than
Of old. Some of these there are. but
more often heavy trimming effects are
obtained by clever use of embroidery
trimmings and laces and very often q
high priced hand made frock will dis
play no heavy trimming at all. the
hand work showing rather in narrow
open stitchery. tiny tucks and delicate
touches of embroidery about collars
cuffs, buttons. &c.
This tendency has been apparent fol-
many seasons past. French girls dc
rot learn to sew and embroider now
as they once did. A very large per-
centage OF them go into the factories
and the shops. The Partisan houses
famous for their elegant lingerie
frocks have complained of increasing
scarcity of capable wrkwomen anc
the disorganizing effect OF the wal
seems TO have interfered still further
with the output Of hand work, though
one would imagine conditions nigh
make more workwomen than usua
available for such work and eager Il
secure it.
An then, last but by no means least
the modes OF the moment tend towarc
daintiness rather than elaboration
line rather than detail.
Some beautiful and modish lingerie
frocks there are that depend upor
heavy embroidery for part of their eff
feet and maintain a certain conserva
,sm in line. OF this class the two
models illustrated in our central grouI
are fairly typical. Their skirts are
full but not eccentric or aggressive
Their bodices have the narrow shout
ders, the set in sleeves, the accepted
collar lines. They are frocks that any
gentlewoman could wear II she coulS
afford to pay the prices. and luckily
much the same effects might be Sc
cured at an expense that would HI
only fraction of the prices asked II
an exclusive Fifth avenue shop TO
these two models.
The arrangement of the embroider,
N each frock is good. and by careful
choice, fine embroidery bands and mo
Ills or one Of the popular and effec
tive filet laces might be made to TAX
the place of embroidery upon tn
frock material.
This material, by the way. 10 yer.
fine batiste, but sheer linon or yer.
hne cotton wolfe or organdy could b
substituted.
The little cotton danglers that horde
the three narrow frills OF the unde
pelt!coat in one OF the models hav
found favor with several OF the hes
French designers, and one sees then