Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1918 — Concerning Spring Blouses [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Concerning Spring Blouses

The finest spring blouses look simple enough, but examination shows them to be smart, because there is considerable hand-sewing on them —the more the smarter, and also the more expensive. Their main point of Interest, so far as novelty is concerned, lies in the collars, or in the management of occasional collarless neck openings. White French voile, fine white batiste, w’lth organdie collars, cuffs or frills, and georgette continue the means to the end of utmost elegance and daintiness in blouses.

Collars and cuffs, or frills of organdie are added to blouses of fine voile to give them crispness. Occasionally light colors in collars of organdie are used />n white blouses; a Saxe blue appears to be the favorite choice of designers, and it is generally becom-

ing to either blonde or brunette. Fine, hand-run tucks, narrow filet edgings and hand-drawn work are tire hallmarks of elegance in washable blouses. It is comforting to know that they are the things which women can do for themselves, since they are the main item of expense in readymade waists. A collarless blouse of georgette is shown in the picture, with the round neck finished with a soft fold of the material. It is plaited in at the shoulder seams and has long sleeves finished with a turned-back fold. Embroidery in two colors on the front and along the back of the sleeve redeems it from being entirely plain. The embroidery silk chosen in the color of the blouse and in a darker contrasting color is characteristic of the season.