Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1919 — New Weaves and Shades in Serge [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

New Weaves and Shades in Serge

Spring Coats Are of the Box Type —Skirts Are Plain and Narrow. NEW MATERIAL FROM LONDON Waistcoats Add the Needed Touched of Color, While Heavy Braiding of Varying Type Remains in Favor. For so long a time now women have come to accept the tailored coat suit as the very foundation of their wardrobes that it is the first consideration as the yeasons change. Especially is this tine of the average woman whose wishes are controlled by expediency and determined by absolute need. There is no doublt about the fact, writes a prominent fashion correspondent, that American manufacturers have developed the supreme art in the making of the coat suit. It is now possible to buy such suits, so well built, so perfectly designed, that few tailors can excel, for as great care is given to detail as the master makers themselves can show. Some fpreign critic has said that there Is such a monotony about the clothes of American women that It is as if everyone were trying to be as much like her neighbor as possible, and originality is an unknown sartorial art in this country. I am sure this critic must have referred to the blue serge suits, for it is undeniably the custom to clothe ourselves in dark blue, resting secure in the choice of color and its suitability for all occasions. Let none hesitate this spring, for our favored blues are delightful to behold and lovely to wear. The smart little box coat with Its vest of contrasting material* is the model most in evidence at the opening of the spring showing. A new material coming from London Is a dark blue basket weave, loosely enough woven to be almost transparent and resembling the summer crashes of some seasons back, except that it has a smoother surface. Plain and Narrow Skirt One suit of this jnaterial has the same narrow and very plain skirt seen in all of the other models. The coat is of the box type, shorter than most

and with a rounding jacket and tight bell sleeves. With this coat is seen a vest of gray surah silk shot through with a scroll of darker gray. The vestee Is loosely hung over the bust and at the hips is wrapped in a loose sash effect, very baggy, and well below the waist line. The sleeves are finished with a cuff placed inside the blue and made of the gray scrolled silk. Of course tricollete, tricoline and other knitted fabrics are newer than all others, and will be smart indeed. Gabardine and whipcord are extremely fashionable as well, and an old material, always a favorite and delightfully exploited this year, is silk poplin. This is particularly suited for real warm weather, and makes a pleasing suit with a silken sheen that is lovely, and it also drapes gracefully. I observe a tendency to much braiding, both in the flat, narrow silken braids, of which row after row is used and placed both on the skirt and coat, and also the heavy silken cords are much used. The latter appears in an unusual effect in a tan whipcord, three rows of a heavy silken cord of a darker shade being placed side by side to form a collar at the back and extending along the front side of the box coat. At the waist the cords pass through a small flap of the whipcord and end in an ornamental flat silken disk at the bottom. Gives the Pulled-In Effect The flat silk braid Is used to give the pulled-io effect at the bottom of thp skirt, where one row will h»e placed above the other nearly to the depth of the knees. Again wider braid appears In a multitude of small loops set in rows along the bottom of the skirt and coat. Of course we have all noted that the vest, waistcoat, gilet or blouse, whatever. one chooses to call the smart little things we will wear underneath our box coats, axe the distinguishing

feature of this year's model. These little colored accessories are a Joy to the eye and are exceedingly becoming to most figures. Some of the newest are of organdie with little bibs for the upper part and an apron effect at the bottom, which is worn outside in the front. Narrow strings hold it iu place in the back and these little strings, tied in a bow, crisp and fluffy, show out from under* neath the coat. Tricolette, which is so silky and made in such beautiful colors, is one of the best materials to use for the tailored vest. It is yery good when made up perfectly plain at the top and finished at the bottom in a series of very wide tucks placed one above the other and showing as the box coat falls away in the front. It is not possible to de-

scribe the beapty and richness of the new brocades which are used in this fashion. They are of almost barbaric splendor in a blending of superb colors with silver and gold threads. Of course the gilet now and then has a sash to give a draped line over the hips, such as shown in the London model I have mentioned above, but as yet the box coat .-for the greater number of models reaches so far below the waist line that the sash does not appear and is not necessary. We shall tire of these gorgeous bits of color as the weather grows warmer and demand the simpler things of batiste, organdie and washable fabrics so much a part of the summer and so crisp and fresh. Pique and linen have been cleverly blended In a smart waistcoat with the narrowest of black satin piping showing between the rows of the tiny pleats of linen, such as appear in men’s shirts. It is understood, I am sure, that few giiets show any collars, but fasten at the shoulders or button around the neck under the coat in the back just like the little dickeys in small boys’ sailor suits. A variation of the gilet is the linen smock, and by a curious fancy it is really unusual enough to be good looking. For instance, a sky blue linen smock is worn underneath a box coat of dark blue gabardine. The smock hangs perfectly plain, like a Chinaman’s coat in the front and shows through a slashing in the sides of the coat. No belt or sash confines the straight lines anywhere. Coat Dress in Favor Too. The coat dress is highly favored this year. It is developed in many pleasing ways, as, for instance, in a combination of blue taffetas and serge, showing a narrow and pulled-in petticoat of the serge, over which is worn the long blouse of blue silk thickly beaded in dull red and blue beads. At the waist there is a narrow belt of the beads falling in looped ends to the bottom of the x skirt. This is one of the best examples of the coat dress, as it has long sleeves of serge reaching to the \yrlst, and a collar of the taffetas thickly beaded and reaching nearly to the ears. By the way, this sort of design offers an excellent way to “make over," a thankless job and, as a rule, an unsuccessful one, but one most women undertake nevertheless. Though we shall see more of the short coats than the long, it does not mean that the long coat is not a la mode, for there are figures which cannot stand the thick, short look of the little hip length coat, and as our fashion makers are kind just now, there is no absolute decree as to length. Skirts are much longer, though we hear that Paris makers have them so much shorter. Why is it the English women never seem to be in a rage over the length of their skirts, but go along quietly year in and year but in a sensible length and fashion comfortable and sane? American wottten “dress up” as they live, never attaining comfort as they grow old, but always struggling to be stylish. Perhaps one reason for this Is that over here fortunes are made so quickly and many women denied the things they craved In their younger days are only able to attain them as they pass their youth and fling themselves into an Indulgence of style which never permits comfort and unfortunately too away with' dignity.

Fashionable Blue Serge Suit With Blue Linen Smock.

A Striking Frock of Serge and Beaded Taffeta.