Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1892 — FOR GIRLS WHO SKATE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FOR GIRLS WHO SKATE.

CHARMING HABITB FOR AN EXHILARATING SPORT. A Hudwme Coatom* *a Important aa Graceful Skating—Astrakhan Extremely Modish—Dress Benetton In Favor of the Little On**—Calling Gowns. Fashion’s Fancies.

N old proverb says: “when the days begin to lengthen then the oold begins to strengthen," and that means Ice, and ice means skating, and skating means a skating costume quite as important to those who only go to look on as to those who Intend to risk their precious selves on the treacherous steel blades. Nothing can be more graceful than a girl skater when she skates well, but watohlng the tyro on skates is like

listening to tho first efforts of a future violinist. A skating costume lias brilliant possibilities, but the designer often fails when he attempts to originate one. In my Initial illustration, says our New York fashion writer, you will find set forth a charming habit for this most exhilarating of sports, provided always that you know how to skate. This particular costume is in nickel gray cloth, the vest being of the same color, only of a lighter shade. The collar, cuffs, and bottom of the skirt are trimmed with otter and there Is a muff to match. The skirt is made up over gray silk. You will need two breadths of the material and thero are a few folds at the back, between which hang the long coat-tail basques reaching quite to the bottom of the skirt. There are gores on the hips. These must be machine-sewed and well pressed so aa to be invisible. It is better to cut the skirt bias and finish it at the bottom with a band cut straight. The fronts of tho corsage are double, the outer roaching only to the waist, the inner of lighter cloth, forming the waistcoats with a straight collar and with two points extending below tho waist. Tho fur collar is so made that it may be raised if desired. The left side of the corsage crosses and buttons, as represented. The pocket flaps and basques are sewed *on, the latter being made of a bread!h of the material, taken straight, lined with silk and caught to the skirt here and there. You may, if you don’t want to use a skirt foundation, insert flannel between tho silk lining and the material. Leg o’ mutton sleeves with flaring cuffs. ??he cap should be of the same stuff as he waistcoat, with patent leather visor. If your costume be of velvet, the cap must be of the same material, but toque form with fur trimming. With some dainty skuting costumes you see n tiny spray of flowers ornamenting tho hair.

Of course they can not be natural, for Jack Frost would speedily nip them in the bud, and bloom, too. A more striking skating costume may be made up in black velvet, with red cloth and astrakhan at the bottom of the skirt, the velvet corsage opening on a red waistcoat and held in place by two little silver chains; rod cloth toque with astrakhan trimming. Tho English girls this season wear a little leather band, hung with ihe tiniest silver bells imaginable, strapped around each ankle, and so they have music wherever they go. To complete your skating costume you will need a long cloak, with fur collar, to throw when you halt for a rest. It may be either In velvet, cloth or silk. Some >re made with hoods, which are very comfortable if a nor’wester happens to be blowing. Astrakhan is extremely modish this season. In my second illustration I set before you two stylish astrakhan garments, with high, flaring collars and flowing sleeves. But some may prefer to use this popular fur rather as garniture. In that case you might choose a Louis XVI. jacket in gray cloth, embroidered in black, with a pointed vest of the astrakhan, and astrakhan cuffs and flaring collar of the fur rolling over the straight cloth collar, and muff to match. Another jacket in green velvet has an astrakhan plastron, and the velvet fronts are caught across by brandenburgs, and there is a flaring collar,

the ends of 'which continue down the front edges of the garment with Tory fine effect. Just at present there seems to be a reaction in favor of the little ones who naturally rather dropped out of notice at the end of the Christmas and New Year holidays. The last two weeks have witnessed some charming dancing parties for children. 80 far as lam concerned, I prefer to watch children dance rather than grown folks. It seems so much more natural for the lambkins to gambol. I never can quite persuade myself that a waitsing pair of grown up people is not more or less a bit of comic business. These big dancers often have a sheepish air about them, as if they were not quite certain In their own

that they weren't s bit rldlentaw. Hot 90 the little fairy tots of eight, ton and twelve. Their every motion Is airy, elastlo and feathery; their tiny feet seem scarcely to touch the polished floor. They glide "without effort and seem to be doing what is natural to them. I have caught a number of these dainty creatures, so to speak, on the fly, and present them for your edifloatloa and profit. Here, in my third illustration, sits th< belle of the ball-room. She is an apt pupil, and learns her steps more easily than she masters latitude and longitude or conquers the mystery of vulgar fractions. Her gown is modeled somewhat after the prevailing Russian style, being composed of chestnut brown velvet, with white cashmere chemisette, trimmed with broad embroidered band, the whole costume being garnitured with %ray fur in the pleasing and original manner indieaied. To t urn to children of larger growth, I desire to call your attention to the fuct that the pelerine is still the rage, and that noW it has become a sort of ornamental addition to the street and visitring gown. In one instance I saw a costume intended for a young lady finished with a pelerine in Venetian guipure, pleated around the neck, after the fashion of a Louis XIII. collarette, on a satin ribbon tied at the back or on one side. The guipure used for these pelerines should bo of the coarse thread in old lace color or white, and the contrast with velvet costumes is altogether charming. Draperies are held in place by ornamental pins set with real or mock gems. A charming calling dreßs may be made up ire silk, princess style, with a velvet pelerine, the bottom of the skirt having four rows of black velvet ribbon. There are also three rows on the pelerine, und six, lengthwise on the front of the corsage, all running to a point at the waist. The top row of velvet on the skirt makes an inverted V at the left, .reaching more than half way up, and being open ut the bottom; the

sleeves bouffant to the elbow, with long, tight cuffs also finished with the velvet. Illustration No. 4 portrays another ball dress for a young miss, a simple but very tasteful combination of pale blue cashmere and black satin. There is a quaintness about tho stylo of this little gown that is very pleasing and which would bo sure to make it very becoming to some demure little lady who has her own ideus concerning mattirs and things. On account of the extraordinary friendship which has sprung up between France and Russia, many of the picturesque costumes of the latter country haye made their way to Paris, and so across the water to us, for we are such a busy nation that we don’t always have time to originate combination dresses or even plain ones. It Is so easy to imitate and so hard to originate, but it doesn’t follow that the imitator has no work to do, for his task is often of tho hardest, if he does it well—that is, adapts a new Idea intelligently, accepts it with modifications.

My last illustration plotures two dancing tots, who are also clad in the Russian style of oostume now so much in vogue. The figure on the left wears u gray cashmere blouse trimmed with black and yellow silk galloon, with white skirts also so trimmed, blaok stookings, gray gloves, and white shoes, while the figure on the right is clad in a lovely combination of white satin, darkgreen velvet and gold galloon, gray silk stockings, and gray shoes. The Watteau pleat grows more and more popular. You see it everywhere, from elegant deshabille to ball dress; in the latter ease it often consists of a

light gauze drapery, either embroidered or spangled, and falling from the shoulders with lovely effect. If you don’t care for the Watteau pleat, then there is still left for your choice the Pompadour drapery or the embroidered Russian Bkirt. Japanese effects are likewise greatly i* vogue for tea gowns and interior dresses. Still another charming effect may be attained by the use of the satin bow with ends reaching almost to your feet, the bow being artistically set upon the left shoulder exactly in the spot where your left wing will spring forth when your sweetness and goodness become sufficiently developed to transform you into an angel. Calling dresses remain long, and are either in silk or velvet, always with the narrow bands of fur winding and twisting in graceful serpentines through labyrinths of embroidery.

ASTRAKHAN JACKETS.

VELVET AND CASHMERE, FUR TRIMMED.

BLUE CASHMERE AND BLACK SATIN.

CHILDREN DRESSED IN RUSSIAN STYLE.