Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1894 — GOWNS AND GOWNING. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOWNS AND GOWNING.

WOMEN GIVE MUCH ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY WEAR. **rtef Glances at Fancies Feminine, Frivolous, Mayhap, and Yet Offered In the Hope that the Heading May Frove Restful to Wearied Womankind. Gossip from Gay Gotham. New York correspondence

IGHT into autumn go many of tho fashion*' of summer; in fact, the downright new things so far developed in the fall fashions are very few. Such as are found are for the upper part of you. One garment which is now bidding 1 for acceptance is a decided novelty and is called the Polish blouse, it being so very odd that a far-away

name is chosen for it. It is really no more nor less than a sweater. It is made of heavy wool with a little silk thread here and there. It slips over the head as did the long ago jersey, which it resembles except in bulkiness. The collar is high and double like the sweater of the athlete; it rolls up about the hips in a careless fashion, and dcos not fit at all about the waist line, where a heavy wrinkle marks each hip. It seems to have no darts, bagging under the bust line, which it fits as closely and exactly as did the old-time jersey. Over the shoulders and down the arms it tits like the paper on the wall. Most of them, however, are without sleeves. This garment takes on a sensational aspect as worn by some of its early adopters, who permit it to follow the contour of the figure, and to merely indicate the waist line. Enthusiasts declare that never has a fashion given to a magnificently molded woman such a chance for display. For wear over this garment comes the Polish cape, the like of which never saw Poland. It, too, is an odd affair, that reaches to the hip line in the back and hangs in fan-like fashion from the high collar from behind. From the shoulder-seams in front hang

fan-pleated pieces which join the back “fan” under the arms and which do not cover the front, thus not interfering with the display of the blouse beneath. The cape is lined with 9ilk to exactly match itself, and contrasts stronglv with the color of the blouse. The latter is usually a dark red, or a strong myrtle green, in some cases being a dull yellow. With the red is worn dull gray, brown or black; with the green, a brilliant emerald green, but black, stone color or brown will be more popular with the yellow. Brown is the best, though black looks well. It is said by the very advanced designers who are launching the garment that it will be much subject to elaboration if it “takes. ” One of white silk was overlaid with silver, for use with a white satin trained skirt having drapery from the shoulders of silver and silver gauze, and hanging in the back in Greek fashion. It seems hardly possible that the Polish blouse will adapt itself to evening use, though it undoubtedly has attractive points for street wear. Less like innovations are the garments which the artist sketches herewith, though each possesses points of novelty, as new styles must to gain general favor. The pictured models vviil be more likely to become established fashions than will garments like those first descrit ed, for the former’s new features are but part of the whole, and in the remainder can easily be recognized fashions which already prevail. The item of unusualness in the first illustration's bodice is that, in place of the ordinary round basque, there are a number of tabs, each showing an ornamental button. In materials the who!© costume is simple enough, being made of navy-blue serge and garnished with white cloth. Its gored skirt i-; entirely plain, is lined with alpaca, and is stiffened around the bottom. The bodice has a fitted vest which buttons down the center, and is finished by a rolling collar faced with white. The jacket fronts are lined with white cloth, which also furnishes the large revers-collar. Far more dainty is the second costume shown. Like the first, its skirt

is plain l and slightly stiffened, and its material, as sketched, is a dove-colored cashmere, _ trinimed with the same shade of ribbon and white guipure, though there is no end of stuffs and garniture which are available. The bodice comes inside the skirt and is laid in a deep box pleat in the center of the front and ba.-k. The guipure trimming forms draped epaulettes and revers, and a band of it extends down the outer seam of tho puffs. Standing

collar and cuffs show lace garniture and a dove-colored ribbon with big loops ana ends coming about the waist* A trick of d raping gives a touch of novelty in the next dress shown. Herein, mess-green watered silk dotted with white is trimmed with white guipure and moss-green velvet The skirt is quite plain, and the bodice s oddly draped fronts a: e plain in the waist, where they are laid in pleats. The standing collar, bretelles and belt aro of green velvet garnished with lace, and the ample sleeves are draped at the top; but are otherwise plain. The very newest sleeve is, of course, an effort to lead the styles away from the adorable puffs that now take more material than the old-fasbioned skirt used to. This sleeve fits over the shoulder with no fullne-s, the arm-hole sets lows, and the sleeve follows the outline of the arm to a little above the elbow, where it suddenly widens according to the plan of a bell skirt and is very large. An under s eeve of muslin is a regular shower of frills, and is either made to show the bare arm, or

is like the gayety dancer's skirt—a mass of frills with nothing else disclosed. Wear an old-fashioned muslin bertha that comes weil down over the shoulders and is finished with frills of its own at the edge to break the severity of the new sleeve at the shoulder, and the effect will be very pretty. There is no need to point out the features of newness in the bodice next shown, for it is of quaint shape throughout, with the exception of the plain sleeves. The maker of this one was determined that its uncommon cut should be apparent, for she chose scarlet cashmere for it and trimmed with black lace. The garment fastens invisibly in the center and has a plain yoke finisnod with bretelles headed and edged with lace. A double row of lace extends down the front, trims the standing collar and continues around the basque. A big two-looped bow of scarlet ribbon is placed in the junction ot the bretelles in front. The back is plain, but shows the yoke and bretelles. Frilled epaulettes are to be added to the many accessories of the modern gown, and they go charmingly with gowns made on the yoke plan. ’ They are slightly half-moon in shape and stiffened prettily, the foundation being covered with little frills of taffeta, net or lace. The ‘ horns” of the moon rest back and front on the edge of the bodice where it meets the yoke. Here a great rosette, sometimes with a stole-like scarf pendant, finishes the effect. In black net, each ruffle edged with a tiny thread of gold, they are very effective with any kind of dress. A woman may, with a clear conscience, cut up her old black net dress and use the good parts to concoct a pair of these epaulettes. Such devices of fluffery are excellent for the slender figure, whose angularity they disguise, and, if skillfully managed, entirely conceal. With that end in view, the blouse waist of tho final sketch is constructed. Its material is maize colored foulard, which is trimmed withwhite satinand white lace.

The lining of the blouse fastens in the center, but the blouse proper closes at ; the side. It has a shirred yoke finI ished with a belt of wide white satin | ribbon tying in full loops cd the left side. A similar bow is placed in the I center of the yoke in front, and the | sleeves are draped into a series of I puffs tacked to the lining. I Women who feel kindly disposed toI ward dress elaborations which act as | concealment for defects in the physical | make-up need not avoid them because j of the approach of winter, with its I fashions turning largely to garments I which are e sentialiy protective. It j is almost always the rule as summer : closes—and the one just past is no exj ception—to have a genuine outburst of i frivolity in styles. If there have been ! frills before, there suddenly come frills j before and behind. Besides, the sea- | son is longer now than it used to be, and ruffles may be indulged in for some [ weeks yet. j One of the fanciful' notions of the changing season is the demand for gowns of richer materials inside than out. Thus, gingham dresses are seen which are actually lined with silk. The plaid gingham so much in vogue is lined with heavy wash silk of the most brilliant shade in the plaid. Dressmakers declare that the “hang” of the gown is much improved, and that every dress should have the rustle of silk about it to be entirely feminine. On the other hand, there are many who insist that the rustib of cotton is the right sort of rustle for cotton to have. Luckily, the patient s metimes gets well when the doctors disagree. Copyright, 1894. I\ the ndrthern parts of Siberia, the cold is so interne that the earth never thaws to a greater depth than five or six feet. Bodies of the dead buried below this x-emain perpetually frozen. At a depth of 400 feet below the surface. the earth is still ata tempei'ature of 10 degrees below freezing. The first city built was, according to Hebrew tradition, in B. C. 3760, by Cain.

A DAINTY MAID AND GOWN.

ODDLY DRAPED

ENTIRELY NOVEL.

WELL SUITED TO SLENDER ONES.