Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1893 — GOWNS FOR THE HOUSE, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOWNS FOR THE HOUSE,

SOME VERY PFfETTY DRESSES FOR INDOOR WEAR. Simple and Becoming Jacket for an In-valid-Suggestions Concerning the Umpire Suit—The Cong Jacket a Relief iron, the Perpetual Corselet. Gotham Fashion Gossip. New York correspondence:

Ww Y initial illustra--11 tion shows a dress IWI of green cloth, ■ with corselet and , m ■ yoke of striped and full \J fronts and sleeves '/ draped with old rose surah. The skirt Is of the improved umbrella pattern. It is not trimmed In any way, but a balayeuse of the mate- \ r'al should be A placed inside to A keep the edge out. m The bodice is first cut out in lining from an ordinary pattern, and care•v fully fitted, ffhe basque is one and a half inches long

at the front and back, but only one inch deep on the hips, consequently the skirt must be made to fit around the waist, to prevent any gaps appearing. The yoke is of velvet, and reaches from the shoulders to the darts in front; while at the back it may be slightly longer. The seams of the back lining are first sewn, pressed and toned, and then the yoke is well stretched upon it. The fronts are sewn and boned,and fastened by hooks and eyes down the middle. Then the yoke is careiully pinned on to them. Great care must be taken that the stripes match at the shoulders, and are perfectly straight at the center of both front and back. When this is done the surah is taken, and arranged in three deep pleats from each shoulder at the back; It should be cut on the cross, and ought to be of good quality, as otherwise it will not drape well. When draping the front a point of about eight inches long is left on each side and tied by two little knots of silk; it is afterwards fastened into the armhole, appearing to form part of the drapery. The surah should be fastened into the side seams and the arm holes, but need not be brought much lower than the top of the corselet, as otherwise it will give the waist a clumsy appearance. The left side of the drapery

must be fastened over the yoke with hooks and eyes, as this latter passes under it and fastens on the shoulder. The corselet can be made on the bodice, or as a separate addition. In the latter case the bodice is worn under the skirt, to which it is attached by hooks and eyes. As it is very difficult for an amateur to make the bodice and corselet all in one, I shall describe the more simple plan of making the corselet separately. It is made of the same velvet as the yoke. A lining is first cut and fitted from the bodice pattern, then sewn and boned, with the exceptions or the seams at the middle of the back, the front, and the sides. The corselet Is now in four pieces, which should be covered with velvet, well stretched with pins and faced with thin Italian cloth. Both velvet and lining must be cut on the cross. The corselet fastens Invisibly, with hooks and eyes, at the left side. The sleeve is cut on a tight fitting lining and the lower part is covered with velvet, while the upper part consists of a large puff of surah, prettily draped, and to which the two points of the front drapery are attached. The military collar may be either of cloth or of velvet A very simple and pretty bed jacket is presented in the second sketch. It can be made cheaply, and to look very pretty, of cream flannel, lined with rose-colored erepon. Ot course, it will be more expensive and more handsome if very fine cashmere be used, and then it should be lace-trimmed. The material

required is one and three-quarter yards ot flannel, and it can be easily made up by the most inexperienced worker. Take a piece of material one and threequarter yards long and thirty-two inohes wide. Fold it in half and mark the center with a pin. Measure eight Inches on either side of the center pin and mark with two other pins. Then fold the material again and cut a slit eight inches long down the fold. Turn each of the pieces thus cut over as far as the pins, forming a turn-down collar for the neck. When this is finished measure six inches each way from the lower corners of the cape, mark with pins and turn the corners over, fastening with a stitch or two. Then put a button and loop on each, at the places maiked by the pins, thus forming a cuff. Nothing now remains but to make three pleats just under the opening of the collar to form

the shoulders, to put a false Mem down each front, and to trim the collars and cuffs with lace. This jacket may. i* preferred, be lined with thin washing silk, which, when turned over, forms a very pretty collar and cuffs; but when It is made of good flannel this lining is unnecessary, though the cuffs and collar look very pretty faced with lightcolored silk. The collar is fastened by ribbons to match the color of the silk. The long jacket seen at the left in the next engraving opens from the waist, and is a pheasant change from the perpetual corselet bodice, and Is besides, far more becoming to most people. The material of this costume is woolen goods in cream color with electric-blue stripes. Large mother-of-pearl or bone buttons fasten it and lend a chic appearance. The sleeves, although full, are only very slightly raised on the shoulder. The revers are of surah Bilk, in the same shade as the stripe, and the full vest is of coffee-colored surah. The same style would look equally well in any colored striped material, for instance, two shades of green, or darkblue and red, or* for a raven-haired beauty, amethyst and old gold. For half mourning, blaok and gray or black and red would both be effective. The other gown, although so simple, is very becoming and fashionable. The yoke needs a word or two of notice, for it is a novelty, and any novelty in the way of yokes is welcome. The ribbon

bow, placed at the side of the yoke, is very pretty, and also takes away from the upright bow which terminates the band the one-sided look this new fashion in sashes is inclined to give the wearer. A tea gown of red plush trimmed with cream lace and straw-colored surah is to be seen in the fourth picture. The front is formed by lace insertions divided by stripes of finely pleated surah. The collarette Is also of the surah. The little girl’s dress Is of cream castimere, the skirt being strewn with small pink and blue flowerets. The bodice and sleeves are of the plain cream. The bretelles and flat flounces around the edge of the skirt are of cornflower blue velvet. Either your gown must be draped in front and all outline of the figure about the waist line and between that line and the bust concealed, or you must particularly emphasize these lines. One way of doing so is to have the bodice fit absolutely without wrinkle or fastening. The high collar Is made of a band of embroidered or beaded stuff, as broad as the neck will permit. Across the chest passes a similar band and just over the bust line another. Right above the waist line a band entirely encircles the body, and Immediately below the waist line, marking the end of the bodice, there Is another band about the body. The bands across the chest and breast are curved to harmonize with the circles below, the whole effect being to give an abundance of pretty curves to a good figure. Let ue hope both fashions will prevail, for the loose style certainly sets off the other, and the other adds to the loose. But the woman in the loosefronted gown, if ehe has a figure, is •at onoe consumed with a desire to show the other woman that she, too, can wear that style, and if she hasn’t a figure she is likely to feel there is no compensation in wearing a lovely gown when she

feels its style reveals or, rather, confesses her lack. She would rather go Into tight-fitting things, anyhow, and thus reveal to the world the fact which kept hidden so worries her. It Is probably true that unless all women go into the Empire and loose style, many worm n will refuse to. The last garment shown Is a stylish and novel blouse. It is suitable for afternoon or evening wear, and Is decidedly dressy in appearance. It should be made in some soft, clinging material like bengaline, pongee, liberty silk, erepon, etc. It is shaped to the waist by an Infinite number of pleats. If for afternoon wear, passementerie can be substituted for the lace. The collar and the lower half of the sleeves are pleated to match the corselet. This useful and pretty blouse will be found a charming factor of a email trousseau, and also forms a convenient addition to the one or two dinner dresses taken to wear when on a few days’ visit to friends. Copyright, 1893.

FOR INVALIDS’ WEAR.

NEW BODICE AND NOVEL YOKE.

A RICH HOUSE GOWN.

PART OF A TROUSSEAU.