Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 207, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1919 — Two of the Newest Blouses [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Two of the Newest Blouses

Women, having taken a violent fancy to smocks for summer wear, have replaced a few' blouses with these new'er garments. The siffock has not arrived at the place where it rivals the blouse in popularity, but its advance toward that stage has caused blousemakers to consider it and to adapt ‘their designs to its lines. A great many of the new blQUses have a peplum and a very loose girdle at the waist so that they are very close kin to the smocks that have no waistline other than that made by a loose cord or narrow girdle placed in the most casual manner possible. Among the blouses that extend below the waistline and some inches over the skirt there are many that have this extension only at the back and front, like those shown in the picture above. They carry a strong suggestion of the smock, and stout women like them because they make the flgu-e look more slender- than tljpse blouses that have a peplum or the smock. The blouse at the left is made of dark blue georgette with a very narrow binding of satin to match, about the neck. Other edges are finished with a plcot and seams are hemstitched. Slashes in the front and back are finished with picot edges and a narrow girdle of the georgette is slipped through them. This Is a novel and very pretty management of

the waistline. Another distinguishing new touch appears in the wide band about the flaring sleeve. An embroidery pattern in dhain stitching in the same color as the blouse makes an Interesting ending to this chapter in the story of new styles in blouses. At the right of the picture whim crepe de chine proves once more its adaptability to practical blouses. The panels at the back and front of this blouse are finished with hems and hemstitching. and a crushed girdle of crepe de' chine lies easily about the waist. The flaring sleeves are cut into an odd shape and faced back with a band of the crepe de chine. Two little silk crochet balls call attention to the originality of the sleeve and help to make it hang well. Clusters of grapes with leaves and tendrils outlined are embroidered on the front of the blouse in three groups. As in the dark blouse, this embroidery is machine made, but i> this instance it is just as effective as handwork. As harbingers of the new styles for fall these blouses do not foretell any very radical changes. A few new models have round necks higher than those in the picture, and a greater proportion of blouses in dark colors indicate that skirts will probably ■match the waist worn with them, But it Is a little too early to do more than draw conclusions which may not prove conclusive.