The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-24
TOUCH OF HANDW0RK
MARKS SUMMER DRESS
ny MARGERY WELLS

ny uA<AA0E"k WNA40
American girls are becoming hand
work specialists. If the look Of their
summer dresses proves anything. II
they can't take all the myriad
stitches themselves. or do not wish
to. then they absolutely demand
them for the frocks they buy from
the stores.
One girl, who makes all Of her
own clothes, told me that she did
them in between times, Gust in odd
minutes" she said. I couldn't see
how it was possible when I saw the
intricate work which had gone into
them. but I watched her. and she
showed mo how proficient she was.
The fact was that she craved the
loneliness of those clothes so badly
that she Just had to pitch in and do
the work herself. since her pocket
book wouldn't stand the strain OF
buying them.
This girl showed me one such dress
which Is so simple in design tha1
there Is almost nothing to 1t. and 1t
requires, of course. the minimum
| amount Of material. but 1t holds
within its slender area all OF the
charm that we are ordinarily ac-
customed to expect from q frock that
is much more trimmed and fused up.
You can wear it in the morning. 1t
is Just az good style and expression
for the afternoon. And. when eve
ming comes. II you are going to do
something that 10 informal. and II
you still wish to remain oGol and
sweet looking. then you can wear the
same sort Of dress and appear well
dressed for that occasion.
The secret lies. then. In the hand
work, for while 1t does not thrust
itself at you as violently aggressive
trimming. 1t nevertheless carries AL
that subtle influence Of decoration
we'll done and artistically applied.
These dresses are mostly made of
| lipen-finely woven. delicate strips
Of white or natural or brilliantly
colored linens. The colored ones are.
perhaps. the most charming after all.
| for they seem to take the shades
with SO much grace that they make
| themselves becoming to any COM
plexion. In pinks and blues and
green's and grays they are most
satisfactory. Then the threads are
pulled in squares or stripes ana the
! handwork commences.
| Rounded collars are the best things
that the young girl can have on these
simple little summer things. She can
have two or three collars Tor the
same dress, making them in different
designs OF handwork. and one way
for her to have 4 handmade looking
dress Without the application OF too
much handwork II to have her dress
made perfectly plain and to concen-
trate all her attention on the en-
broidered and hsmstitehed collar and
cuffs.
The Mts1s sleeves aes sAsst and
in fact. very good style. ~ have
white cuffs lying over the edges Of
those sleeves to match the COLLAR and
| to give the sleeves . fresh and sum
merry finish. There 10 nothing cooler
looking than . sleeve OF this general
! character. 1t gives to the arm free
dom Of space and allows II to swing
thers 10 the economy Of the Idea.
Little sleeves take 20 much less
material than do long ones. which
must necessarily be full and flowing
to be in accordance with thu modern
style.
| II. however. you ass ~ busy to
fuss with much haA6WosA. then ~
| frill of net Or lace looks hsautt3ul a.
a substitutA, ana this can be used in
| a rounded line under the chin and
again for cuff edges II " insxpen-
sive enough and By IT, transparency
and frailness 1t stves tha4 same sum
merry effect that tn Aamst1tched
linen pieces supply.
For silk blouses the hemstitohed
finish Is seen over and over again.
There will be wide hens Tor finish
ing the edges and they viii be sp.
piled by means Of hsmstitohsd In.
terstices. They are nice on c<1orsd
blousts Of heavy crepe Dc chine. but
they are best Of all en- the white
ones, which look 70 cool and COM
Portable for these svsrheated days.
Then the white ones can be washed.
which II something else In their
| favor.