Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1895 — WHAT WOMEN WEAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHAT WOMEN WEAR

STYLES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LOOK PRETTY. Fuhion Notions that First Seem Freakish Gradually’ Assert Their Reasonableness—Distinct Character in Dress Is Worth Attaining. Hot Weather Modes.

a ALF the new noations in dress sashI lions seem freakish the start, al- | | though most of V I them successfully w-J| assert their reasonbefore a great while. There jfe is one rule current ay now that seems at odds with sense at Wffl first thought It is "O' that the woman jIW who has a blue 'jti frock must have " for special wear

with it a green hat, and, likewise, the other way around. Why? Because exquisite dressers are doing so, and If that isn’t a good enough reason, go ahead and plan hat and dress to suit yourself. But if you happen to have a blue hat and a green dress, or the reverse, you can take advantage of this dictum, combine the same and In a superior manner pretend the effect was planned a-purpose. That Is the real value of fashion to, as It were, endow the private “fake” of the wise woman with the cachet of public approval. And, by the same token, the fashion of the many is always the multiplication of the same “fake” by a noted originator. Such decrees as to the colors to be worn are followed easily enough, but when the designer Indulges his fancy freely in the manner of cut, the rule is not Chilly followed. Thus, the dressmaker who planned the first pictured gown must have had in mind a fine pair of shoulders, for it is but ill-lined with anything else, and the style of sleeves starting low on the arm should be avoided by slender women. Given the proper figure, however, and such dresses will bear a distinct character that is well worth attaining. This one Is In figured silk, its bodice having

fitted lining and fastening with hooks at shoulder and sides. It has a deep yoke shirred at the neck and pleated sleeve caps, the trimming consisting ot a corselet of contrasting color and material embroidered with colored spangles. The sleeve caps finish w ith bands of the same and straps of it come over the shoulders. The collar, however, Is merely a plain band of the darker stuff. Plain collars are to be seen occasionally on new dresses, and a novel fashion is offered which indicates that the beswathed throat is to be relieved. It has the throat entirely bare, quite as if the dress had all been finished but the high choker collar. The style seems trying, but the big collars had been elaborated beyond real becomingness, and it is time for a change. Some models are finished with a ruffle of lace at the neck band, the ruffle falling back loosely. A face needs to be well shaped and the throat more than usually round to stand this without an effect of unbecoming bareness. Necks are also cut out slightly square, a still more trying mode, but one that encourages any touch of classic outline the wearer may possess. Such arrangements seem more sensible for the warm season than that presented in the second picture, though the latter outnumber the others ten to one, so must have more general liking. But the distinctive feature of this waist, and the one that dominates it, Is the deep collar of insertion-edged batiste, the same stuff being used for the full vest beneath which the lining hooks. A band of the Insertion shows, too, on each shoulder, while the draped collar is ornamented with small rosettes and points of batiste. Three buttons are on the inner seam of each sleeve, which.

with the rest of the blouse, are of figured white silk, the garment being worn as sketched with a plain skirt of dark crepon. Waists whose fronts are ornamented by box pleats are still In good style, but they have been seen in so many sorts and have been so generally worn, that the ear attuned to fashion’s changes may be excusably on the alert for the death knell of this cut But if the effect can be produced in a different way the result is a garment that is safe for a long time, so one Is placed here, in the third illustration, as a guide for

those who like this finish. Made oi cerise silk crepon, and fastening invisibly at the left side, it is trimmed with a deep yoke of embroidery, with tabs In front and standing collar to The back is not so baggy as the front and a plain belt of vloline velvet Is worn. The sleeves have very large puffs, but are fitted on the lower parts of the arms, and big rosettes of the velvet dot the edges of the yoke near the armhole. Between the tabs of embroidery the goods show, giving a finish that Is very like the box pleat fashion, but now preferable to the latter. Waists of the sort already mentioned as having their armholes set away below the shoulders and a big puff from the armhole to the elbow are often seen In princess dresses, where they are made still more quaint by trimming with wide lace. The lace is set at the armhole In a frill that extends out over the bust, leaving only a narrow panellike portion of the bodice bare. Where the lace lies on the sleeve it is spread to Increase the effect of the puff; where It hangs on the bodice It is drawn Into a semblance of a little jacket under the

arms and gathered Into a knot and bow of lace set at the back of each hip. When made of an old-fashioned taffeta with tiny black lines on a white ground and elaborated as directed with wide black lace, nothing could be more dearly old-time and pretty. The skirt portion of such a dress sets closely at the hips and is without notable flare. An accessory that meets the present mode is a collar of white satin so covered with spangles that the satin hardly shows. It is sailor square in the back, and slashed to free it from the widening Into square epaulettes on the shoulders. In front the collar suddenly prolongs Itself into a pair of wide tabs that hang below the waist, turning under with the required bag and disappearing In the wide white satin belt, also spangled and jfeweled. Just what to call this affair is a question, but there is no doubt that It adds to the beauty of the waist it is put upon. A garniture of spangled lace that Is of original design appears in the next sketch, and is worn over a bodice of sky blue silk crepon veiled with black chiffon. Bretelles of the lace extend to the waist In back and front, and there are revers of the same reaching to the shoulder seams. Ribbon bows are put at shoulders and belt. This sort of lace finish has added value from the fact that it can be readily changed from one gown to another. In the concluding picture bretelles and epaulettes of lace are used to trim an otherwise simple house dress. A belt Is worn with long sash ends, and a simple but high choker collar tops all. The latest development of this sort of collar is one that is cut into a series of

battlements by being slit from edge to collar band. Each battlement is edged with spangles and wired to stand in place. Betfeath it is worn a folded band of muslin that shotfs between the edges of the battlements. This is a good deal of swathing for comfort, but the woman who has the misfortune to have too slender a neck may be glad to avail herself of it. An elaborate accessory that transforms a simple bodice to something extremely dressy is accomplished by means of a pointed yoke of heavy lace that has great paste jewels set in the conspicuous circles of its design. This yoke is finished with a point under the chin and extending to the bust line, with a point out over each shoulder and with one in the small of the back. A pair of wide epaulettes are set under the shoulder points, extend well out over the sleeves and are so long from front to back that the points of the yoke set prettily between the edges of the epaulettes. Just from beneath this point of contact between the epaulette and yoke edges appear two straps of the heavily jeweled lace. These hang to the belt, over which they are well bloused and under which they disappear. The straps corresponding In the back are crossed and drawn tight The belt is of close drawn folds of velvet and the collar of the pointed yoke is made of folded velvet to correspond, the shade being of the deepest tone in the jewels. Nothing could be more swagger than the effect of this “harness," as elaborate accessories are being called, worn over a bodice with a bloused front, the loose folds appearing between the jeweled straps. Such an affair costs too much to think of at the Importer’s, but can be made effectively for vfcry little, and the moaey and time are well expended. Copyright, 1880.

A COLLAR EFFECT THAT DOMINATES.

A BOX PLEAT EFFECT IMITATED.

AN ADJUSTABLE COLLAR OF SPANGLED LACE.

LACE TRIMMING IN BRETELLES AND EPAULETTES.