Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1917 — When in Doubt Choose Taffeta [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

When in Doubt Choose Taffeta

“When In doubt, choose taffeta,” for yvery iti" ■* ideal silk for afternoon suits and frocks and for the simpler evening dresses. By virtue of the fabric a simple suit of taffeta is more formal and dressy than a plain cloth suit and all the chances are that it will cost less in time and money, to make it. In addition to these advantages there is the matter of color to be considered. Colors that verge on the insipid in materials that lack luster, are wonderfully attractive in taffeta. There never was a material that the home dressmaker can handle more easily or one that lends itself better to the making of trimmings. The pretty suit of taffeta shown in the picture illustrates all these advantages which account for the perennial popularity of this long and well-loved silk. It is a simple model with several distinguishing touches that* rescue it from the commonplace in designing. The skirt is straight, hanging from a plain, broad girdle of the silk which fastens at the side. It is finished at

the bottom with a niching of the taffeta having a picnt niching., tends to make the skirt flare, but its ambition in that direction is held in check by a narrow grosgrain ribbon that is threaded through slashes in the silk, just above the ruching. This apparently helps the skirt from departing from the straight and narrow way of new skirt fashions. The ribbon matches the silk in color. The bottom of the blouse, or coat, whichever you choose to call it, is encouraged to stand off from the figure by the ruching. - It attains by this means the wide hip effect wjiich fashion permits to those who find it becoming. The coat is finished with a deep cape collar, trimmed with ruching, and a baggy pocket at each side. It is confined at the waist with a girdle of taffeta with looped-over ends at the front. ' A white collar of some kind appears to be always in the mind of those who create styles in taffeta suits or dresses. The collar may be of white crepe or organdie or even of heavier fabrics.—