New Britain herald., 1915-03-25
Serge Walking Suit Very Becoming,
 Its Red Trimmings Give Military Air
Hat Is of Turban Variety With Broad Brim and Flat Crown Sole Garnishng Being Three Looped
 Black Velvet Bow

Womankind may be for world wide 1 peace, but the serge walking suit of : the fashionab ble woman fairly calls for war. It calls in a most attractive way, too, for perfectly blended are the blues of the serge and the red of it's suede trimmings. i These, of course, are not of the
 pelt, but of kid-surfaced cloth akin to duvetyn. The real soldier would
 not call this fetching uniform ser wise suit, but a woman would regard
 it as the most serviceable in her ward robe, since serge and sueGe cloth wear
 Eetter than do many other popular fabrics.
 One might expect much of model l saw the other day. The skirt does not appear wide in contrast with a
 coat whose lower section, applied at tne Wa1Stllne. drops to far below the { knees. It is a species Of redingote, Cut in two parts. From the front the material, in tiny, outstanding flutes, crosses either side, ends under deep hip flaps and joins seams with per- fectly plain back. dropping faty to within a few inches of the skirts hem. That severely straight back, however. starts from a yoke, pointing deeply at centre, which is stitched on with ajours in heavy floss. This single fem irine touch would save the suit from the stigma of strong-m1ndedn
 \ Feminine Touch Is White Pearl
 Belt Buckle.
 But femininity betrays itself for second time in a white pearl buckle fastening patent leather strapped se,f-belt, drawn low at front at the joining of revers faced with red suede cloth and trimmed with rows of blue bone buttons at the ends of blue- bound buttonholes The revers expose i. a glimpse of red waistcoat, while the high-rolled collar and broadly turned deep warm hue
 Fancy trimmings do not oestroy the outlines of the crisp straw hats worn ; with the costume militaire. It is usually a turban with a broad brim running to sharp poinr at left back, i and dominating flat crown whose sole garnishing is three looped velvet ribbon bow. Wells are not added to 1 the chapeau which goes with such costume. 1
 When blue serge is not trimmed with suede cloth, it almost certainly carries Q quantity of black silk braid and braided ball buttons. Not the bullet sized spheres wh1cn last Sep- tember came into fashion merely to go out again because they would not stay fastened, but the larger sort which, in small numbers, are con- vincingly ornamental. A dozen of tEe on a jacket are as ornamental as three gross of the others, and they l make practical fastenings for military braided jacket fronts.
 The natty short coat of a blue serge model thus treated is fitted with darts from the shoulders to the chest and from the bust running at the waist line under a belt of blue patent leather to part way over the hips. So sm oothly does this basque fit that it might be the yoke for a skirt laid in narrow side pleats, but having at front a single broad box pleat swing l ing loosely, like atablier, almost to the hem of the garment. Running up ward from the foot of each side pleat ] is a band in narrow black braid.
 This trimming scheme is repeated across the hips on the jackets back ard, in lieu of cuffs, over the outer seam of the sleeves between wrist and elbow A white faille band trimmed black satin collar turned high about the back and sides of the neck, gives a delightful touch of femininity to this jacket, and one is not surprised to see a scrap of net lace exposed by the short V-opening of the throat
 Army wraps are the latest vogue While not so conspicuous as were the "Guard' coats of last autumn, they nevertheless are cheerful affairs in blue serge with facings of red suede cloth. ~.r