Year: 1879

scarcely any two being made alike. The
only settled fact is that all basques are
shorter, except those that are cut in Eng
lish coat shape, to serve as II street gar
ment without an extra wrapping. The
front has two darts. but no cross basque
seam, and this sometimes compels the
use of an under-arm dart, which gives
the effect of two side forms in the back.
The first side body begins in the arm
hole, and in many cases the second also; ;
but the long side forms beginning in the
shoulder seams have proved so becom-
ing to most figures that the attempt to
rive them up has been failure, as many
ladies insist upon having them. There
are, however, fewer seams in the back
than when the long. corset like cuirass
was so popular. The middle seam is
usually retained, though not always.
Some of Worth's handsomest fitting
waists are made with mercy the two
short side form seams in the back.
There is less effort to make the figure
taper toward the waist line; hence all
the forms of The back are equally broad
at the narrowest part. The greatest
changes are made below the waist in the
back by the introduction Of the panier
fullness, which is not confined to the
skirts of the dress, but is seen on the
basque rs well. Sometimes the side
forms are cut quite long and broad, are
piqued on the front edges and at the bot
tom, while the back edges are laid in
three or four plaits, and are brought to-
gether quite high up, nearly to the waist
line, on the middle forms, where they
are further enlarged by having a shell
bow of satin placed upon them; this bow
conceals the joining of the plaits: The
ends of the middle forms are in this case
laid quite flat, and are shaped TO- form
two wide loops. Such basque as this
is quite bouffant of itself, and adds to
the general panier effect. This design is
excellent for black grenadines, with
satin bows for trimming. Another plan,
very effective in summer silks, is that of
widening each form of the back from the
waist line dow n, and drawing it up in
puffs ,by two or three rows of shirring
down each seam, or else laying plaits in
the seams, and covering them with a
chain of loops of narrow ribbon. When
the flat basques of last season are o be
renovated, full effect is sometimes
gwen them by putting on panier sashes
of wide ribbon, or of satin, or bias silk,
or China Grape; these are from two to
three-eighths of yard wide, are sewed
in the under-arm seam just below the
waist line, and when brought together
lower down in the middle of the back
they are tied in q large, round, loose
looking knot, from which the two ends
hang: tassel of fringe or jet, or a plait-
ing of lace finishes each end. When the
hips are very small, this panier-sash may
be begun further forward in the last
point and piped all around. Similar
drapery is sometimes put around the hips
of polonaises. Another quaint fashion
is that of having the sash begin in the
dart. In some basques it is almost con-
fined to the hips, rs it stops at the edge
of the7middle forms of the back, and IS
sewed:: in the seam there in .plaits: the
middle forms are then cut in sharp
under-arm seams and tied loosely quite
low down in the front, giving a negligee
look that is seen even on full-dress tol-
lettes.


When vests are used they are most
often of contrasting colors, and the
caprice now is to find some new shape
for the outlines. In many Partisan
dresses the vest is as sharply pointed be-
low the waist as is the pointed front ofa
low corsage. In others the vest presents
an oval outline. getting smallest at the
waist line, and stopping there. The most
popular forms ofthe vest, however, show
only at the top and bottom, being covered
in the middle by the basque, which is
double breasted and fastened by. from
three to six buttons. Embroidered satin
vests are imported for the richest silks
and grenadines and for satin dresses.
They are usually in contrast to the co lor
of the dress, even black dresses having
very gay vests. They cost, with some
additional embroidery for trimming, Sl5.
Another fanciful vest for black silks and
for grenadines is made of black lace laid
over white or colored silk, either cream,
gendarme blue. narcisse yellow, salmon,
or very pale Nile green. To make these
lace covered vests more dressy the ends
are separated from the basque front, and
are gathered together and finished with
tassel of plated lace or else of JET
fringe, which hangs low on the front of
the overskirt.-Ha7per's Bazar.