Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1915 — Style Features in Remodeling Gowns [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Style Features in Remodeling Gowns

SOME features In the present styles prove very useful to the woman inclined to practice economy in dressing. The liking for long tunics of chiffon (or other diaphanous materials) over underskirts of silk, and the vogue of long sleeves of chiffon over undersleeves of net or lace, make it easy to remodel an out-of-date gown of silk or satin. The overdrapery is of the same color, but not always of exactly the same shade, as the silk underdyess. Tunica are so long that little of the underskirt Is visible below them. They are cut to flare and ripple at the bottom, and In nine out of ten gowns are finished with a border of some kind, usually, a narrow band of fur. Last year’s velvet and cloth dresses are brought up to date by shortening the skirts to tunic length. By cutting off a quarter of a yard or more around the bottom the skirt becomes a tunic to be worn over an underskirt, faced up w-ith satin to match the tunic in color. A straight skirt of cambric or percaline is cut the required length, and the facing applied to It is of ample width to be lost under the tunic. With the material cut away from the skirt to form the tunic a wide girdle may be managed. Long wrin-

kled sleeves of satin, like that used for facing the underskirt, or chiffon sleeves matching the dress in color, change the appearance of the bodice. The introduction of many buttons, along with other military modes, will help out the economically inclined in making over or freshening up last year’s gowns. A little party gown, somewhat like that shown in the picture, is made by covering a plain silk underskirt with chiffon or net ruffles. The bodice is covered with a drapery of the thin material, shirred at the shoulders, and the sleeves are long and shirred along the seams. There is a soft, crushed girdle about the waist, fastened under a spray of the new and lovely sweetpea blossoms, made of ribbon. These are in several light colors and make an exquisite corsage bouquet. They are the last word in ribbon flowers. There is much pleasure to be derived from a frock which has been successfully remodeled. It happens that the present fashion of combining two or more materials in the composition of a gown plays into the hands of the clever woman who intends to extend the service of those of her dresses that are a little worn or somewhat passe in style. <