Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1914 — DECOLLETAGE IS LESS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DECOLLETAGE IS LESS

MORE COVERING GIVEN THE UPPER PART OF THE FIGURE. That Change, and the Style of the Skirt, Are the Principal Difference* In the Prevailing Fashion*—Blouse Style*. The skirt and the decolletage are the principal points of divergence from the styles of the last 15 years, and it will be interesting to watch the further development of this fashion. Everywhere one sees strong evidence that bodices are growing less transparent and the fashion for covering the upper part of the figure with opaque material is progressing. Probably by the springtime the use of tulle and chiffon will be greatly reduced. The Paris designers forestalled this when they showed in their wartime openings the bodices of cloth or velvet for day wear that extended from a line below the waist to the neck, leaving only a splash of white below th* ears. / This movement may be in keeping with the glorified Moyen-age which we adopted in a wholesale way in July; it may be the period of the long body line, the girdle at the hips, the wristlength' tight sleeves and the univer sal use of colored velvets in deep, rich tones, brightened by lavish handllngjrf colored jets to imitate jewels. Whatever, the reason, it is the strictly new note to watch develop. That employment of the fabric straight up to the collarbone without the inter vention of a , thin material is sure to win out. Already the separate blouse of colored chiffon to go with a skirt of cloth looks out of tune with the newest fashions. If one drears'a suit instead of a one-piece frock the blouse chosen for it must give the superficial

appearance of a continuation of the skirt. It is this fashion that has suggested to women to give the preference in their winter clothes to the street frock of cloth worn under a fur coat or dot tnan or long cloth cape. It has become more and more difficult to manage a separate blouse with a cloth

skirt that is cut off at the waist line proper. When the suit is for every-day usage and to serve the most informal pur-* poses then the wash blouse of whlte muslin with a collar that stands up, no matter how, is the appropriate addition; much more so than the ornamental waist of chiffon or silk or satin, although one may be compelled to also have a fanciful affair on hand in case of a luncheon or a tea to which one wears this coat and skirt. If one wants to simulate a frock by adding a self-toned blouse to a skirt when the coat is off, one might do well to consider the claims of that new style of cloth jumper that is slipped over a soft silk lining with long sleeves. This blouse is easily accomplished by utilizing a piece of the skirt material and binding it with braid or silk or velvet ribbon, its juncture with the separate skirt is hidden under a broad belt of braided cloth. Another type of blouse that deceives one into thinking in terms of one-piece frocks instead of coats and skirts is a wrinkled garment, purposely wrinkled, of soft grosgrain silk the color of the skirt. It fastens down the front with 'covered buttons and either turns up at the hem in imitation of a middy blouse, or loses itself in a sash which is finished at the back with a flat bow, to carry out the tailored Idea. 1

Turquoise blue silk frock with a silver lace petticoat, and with straps and frills of blue tulle over the shoulders.

Turquoise Blue and Sliver Gown.