Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1895 — WHAT WOMEN WEAR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHAT WOMEN WEAR.

STYLES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LOOK PRETTY. hU Bodice Front* Are of Many Kind* —Designs that Are Applicable to Made-Over Dreaaes—Saving Devices Suggested by Adjustable Fronts. Gotham Fashion Gossip. New York Correspondence:

AGGY bodice \ fronts are now of many kinds and of many degrees |AI of bagginess, and from the long list of acc e p t a b 1 e ones, ft Is a coming? paratively simple matter to select U one that can be YV applied to last .'On, season’s dress, to render It entirely I f Vi\ stylish. It is, in- |! L l\ deed, rare that a W] ii\ hew fashion that tjffi prevails so gener- ]!, yA ally Is as easily //£•• adapted to processes of, home manufacture, or

to making over by the amateur designer. The following descriptions of several of the more distinct types of full fronts are complete and accurate, and show. In .each, case, excellent opportunities if or carrying them out on dresses that have passed from stylishness. First, many of these dressy full, fronts are made with a yoke top attached to the usual collar; ■ The yoke fastens smoothly along the shoulder seams and tits about the armholes. FrOm under it the bag front falls, either covering the entire front of the bodice, or being brought down to a curving loose point in front. This sort of front is also made without the yoke, the loose portion hanging from a band of passementerie or spangle work, the same trimming outlining the armholes and finishing the edges of the bagj The bodice over which > the front Is worn shows above the front in yoke fashion. Another method suggests that a simple tailor-fitted bodice buttoned down the lYont has been subjected to the scissors.

The front portion bearing the buttons appears to have been cut out panel-like and in the space thus left is set an elaborate bag of material contrasting In color with the rest. Perhaps brilliant satin covered with baggy chiffon is used. Then the removed panel appears to be loosely replaced. Of course the effcet is not secured in this way in new dresses because the middle panel bearing the buttons is a flat pleat or strip. The fronts of other bodices are reduced to three or four straps of the chief material of the dress, loosely hanging over an under bagginess of contrasting stuff. Then a great many effects are obtained by the arrangement of two side bags, between which the closely fitting line of the under bodice shows. Now and then a slit appears to have been made horizontally across the buttons at the bust line, reaching about half way across the figure. From this slit a bag wells forth in an irrelevant and startling manner; indeed, when the bag is bright red, as it often is, and Vn strong contrast to the remainder, the wearer seems to be spouting forth what the dime novel calls “a steam of vital fluid." But what of that! The dress thus has its bag and its wearer need not stay in bed. The looping of several strips of ribbon to hang from the collar and turn under loosely at the belt will serve as a simplification of the mode, and a single strip of wide ribbon elaborated with spangles or lace edged is also accepted. Even when a woman has prepared her summer wardrobe with all the aid she can win from such saving devices as these adjustable fronts suggest, she is more than likely to,have nothing to

expend on a gown to “get there in”— that is, a travelling dress. For though many of the loose fronts can be turned into a means of money saving, there are few other wrinkles of current styles that can be put to the same good end. So it is a common thing to have “any «ld dress” serve for the day or days of journeying. This is to be regretted for a neatly dressed traveler is a comfort to all who see her, besides being far more comfortable herself, and the trick can be done Inexpensively. The initial picture presents a servica-

able model Made of dark-blue mol hair, the moderately wide skirt shows at one side of the front three tabs fastened with buttons. Tbe bodice Is made ,to match, first hooking in the center and then the part with the buttontrimmed tabs laps over and is fastened with a few hooks and eyes. Especially handsome 1830 sleeves are added, and the standing collar is left severely plain. A leather belt confines the waist. The original of this sketch was prepared for a June bride, and made a remarkably neat costume. Devisers in economy need hide their heads at the approach of costumes like the one next pictured, for such are unattainable by even the most Ingenious of serimpers. Here the fabric is Illuminated taffeta, the godet skirt demanding the best quality of hair cloth, besides silk lining and an inside frill of lace. The bodice comes outside tbe skirt and has a deep yoke of white guipure and a pleated piece of silk that fills up the space between yoke and waist Its standing collar is made to match and spangled net tabs come over

the shoulders. Epaulettes consisting of five circular ruffles top the full sleeves, and white gloves and hat are the completing accessories. In the third picture it will be seen that the design for the full front is one of those that were mentioned In the beginning of this depiction as being applicable to made-over dresses, but here It appears in a new dress made of dark-green cloth and Rob Roy silk plaid. This dress is princess in effect, the skirt’s front panel extending into the bodice, while the remainder forms deep godets. Fitted at the back, the green fronts of the bodice are rather baggy and are held at the waist by gold buckles. The sleeves are very full at the top, but fitted at the lower arm, and the green collar is garnished with plaid rosettes. Greens and greenish blues are much worn and are seen on the daintiest of summer dresses. Take a gown of muslin striped narrowly with pale green and white, worn with a white sailor set on either side with a bunch of Ivy leaves; what could be cooler? Really, philanthropists should provide girls in such a uniform to walk up and down the streets on hot days, just to make folks feel cooler. Extremely wide and swirly skirts are rarely seen, for when a woman in an attempt to be stylish makes herself look like a pen-wiper, she misses her aim. Underskirts are all made in balloon pattern and present a swirling symphony of lace and muslin to view when the gown is tipped up, and also to the wash woman when the skirt goes to the laundry. For those who have in the past delighted in the freedom that the eton jacket affords, there has been a drawback in the slit-like exposure of the skirt waist at the back. To meet this a wide belt of the material of the

skirt is worn, or a sash belt of color to harmonize clasps about the waist, the folds being laid prettily in front The fastening is at the back under a bow whose ends fall to the edge of the skirt or are cut jauntily short. This gives a pretty and graceful finish, and relieves the mind of all dread of parting placket or sagging skirt Another combination of plaided and plain stuffs appears in the artist’s fourth offering, brown sack cloth and Scotch plaid being the materials, and besides this attractive partnership the costume presents a very dressy loose front that is confined by a plaid belt ending in a bow. The plastron Is also of the plaid and the yoke is perforated, the edges being embroidered with brown silk and underlaid with plain scarlet silk, which also gives the collar. Collar and basque-girdle match in the left hand costume of the concluding illustration, and are ingenious enough to be recorded in the Patent Office. Before considering their construction it is well to know that glace silk with dahlia reflections is the skirt fabric, and that pink silk gives the bodice, the latter being entirely covered with Florence lace. Then the box-pleated collar is from the changeable silk, and the black girdle of the same, fastening with a pair of fancy buttons. Biscuit colored crepon is trimmed with figured bluet silk In the other dress of this picture. A wide fold of the latter borders the foot of the skirt, and is slashed at the top, buttons being set in the open spaces to look as if crepon tabs were fastened over the silk. The bodice is of bias cloth, fastens at the side and is trimmed with fitted basque and girdle |of the bluet silk, cut in one, - for which the silk is taken bias. The collar and straps along the shoulders afe silk, and the sleeves of the skirt’s stuff. Copyright. 1595. i / The princess gown Is coming into style again, but in such a modified form as to be scarcely recognizable.

NOT PLANNED FOR ECONOMY.

IN STYLISH GREEN AND PLAID.

A NEW AND NEAT LOOSE FRONT.

TWO MATCHED IN STYLISHNESS.