New Britain Herald Newspaper, December 7, 1918, Page 5

* GLAD DAYS OF PEACE ON EARTH CALL FOR GLAD CLOTHES | Velvet, always a charmingly dignified and good- taste fabric, is made more beautiful in this smart suit by an appropriate amount of fur trimming By Edith M. Burtis ECEMBER 1 and preparations for Christmas are becoming more urgent every day. Of course we have been doing our Christmas ti.opping early, have been buying useful gifts, but I have the feeling that many bave delayed the necessary personal shopping for the clothcs or the mew accessories needed for the festivi for the holiday season. Reunions, family reunions, are a special feature of holiday entertain- ment, and this year will be no excep. tion to the rule, although there will unfortunately be many vacant places around the festive board. But hearts should be glad, even in the grief of individual loss, that the nations, purified and chastened by conflict, by a valiant fight for right over might, will soon settle down to work for the happiness and progress of those who are to come after us. Though the Christmas reunion be tinged with sadness or only tempered by feelings of compassion and sym- pathy for others, there is need for women to be well dressed, to lend to these about them the picture of calm, well-poised womanhood clothed in dig- nity and beauty. Two charming dresses are illustrat- ed today, both suitable for the holiday social season. The first is a lovely aft- ernoon or restaurant frock of velvet and metal lace. This frock shows a very unusual draped bodice having a long or Moven Age waistline that eliminates the need of a girdle or sash. The sleeves, too, are unusual, not only in their draped form, but in the line by which they are attached to or father made part of the bodice. 'And the length of the sleeves illustrate: & lively trend of fashion in sleeves for early spring. The skirt of this frock is instep length and very narrow, though it does coquettishly reveal the ankles in the seated position of the medel. Worn with this smart froc wide-brimmed hat, the crown of wh % of the frock velvet; the brim, or rather brims, for there are two, are transparent, made of net, and the trimming is tiny bunches of ostrich tips, Truly an effective hat, though on the simplest of lines The other gown is a much more extreme example of the new silhou- ette, showing the instep-length skirt extremely close-fitting, but lapped and Jeft open from the hem to the knee at the back, which, while conceals the figure, permits of graceful walking. An exquisite combination of satin and metal brocade was used for this un- usual gown and ro other trimming is used, or, in fact, is necessary, save the Photographs by Joel Feder. A charming aficrnoon or re frock of velvet and metal lace, bodice a draped one, with long waistline and unucual sleeves tiny tassels on the sleeves that are substituted for buttons. Velvet is always a charmingly digni- fled and good taste fabric, but is made even more beautiful in the smart sui I have chosen for your inspection to- day by the addition of an appropriate amount of fur trimming. In this model the fur is natural squirrel, which sets off charmingly the deep rich blue of the velvet. Here you will . 1918, by lic Ledger Co This extreme example of the new silhouette is most effectively developed in satin and metal brocade note that the skirt is long and slim, not quite so long as t* 't length of the dresses already described, but then, you know, this i treet cos- tume, a smart suit. Modes in blouses increase with the hours, and yet lack nothing in charm or beauty because of the bewilderi number of new models one constantly sees, Georgette continues to be the most popular fabric for dressy blouses to be worn with midwinter suits. For spring there will probably be a different story to tell, for indica- tions are that the lingerie blouse of linen, organdie, batiste and similar Not only should you be interesteq in new blouses for personal of you should see Jjust the right Christmas gift for some feminine member of your in a pretty At the left, bead embroidery in two colors serves as a splendid good- taste trimming for this charmingly simple blouse of georgetts, which is designed with a sash girdle of self-material. Fringe in matching color und of silk effectively trims the delightfully youthful blouse at the right, with hemstitched hems and unusual sleeves tamily or some close friend. Surely no one could determine upon a more acceptable gift, providing, of course, that you know their taste in blouses, know the kind of clothes that suit and please them. The first blouse is effectively trimmed with bead em- broidery in two colors, a splendid good taste trimming and a decidedly modish one for blouses of simple de- sign like this one. The model closes in the hack, as do many of the new blouses, and which feature is looked upon as a decided note in spring fashions. The sleeves are loose and wrist-length, and this, too, glves evi- dence of being a decided fashion for spring. Fringe matching in color and of sllk effectively trimmed the delightfully youthful blouse that i3 the second choice for your inspection today. This blouse has the new round neck that is decidedly a young woman's fashien, for only those whose necks are up- marked by time should dare to wear a blouse or dress with this neck outline. For more mature women the neck outline on the blousy already de- scribed is much better, and there is always the popular V-neck, and very smart and effective are the blouses with high choker collars, Note, please, that this blouse, like its mate, is closed in the back, that outside of the silk fringe trimming there is no decoration save that ob- tained by the hemstitched hems that form a sort of bolero line. The sleeves are decidedly interesting and new, graceful and practical to wear under the winter suit. Tabloid Fashion News Blouses SMART new yvle is the slip-on blouse with apron front, adorned with darling little pockets and wrist- Jength bishop sleeves set into large armholes. A narrow s 1 girdle holds the blouse in about the waist. There is much debating as to whether or not the tunic blouse will be a favorite this spring. Some of the smartest blouses are made with tunics, so it would seem a matter to be set- tled by the demand of well-dressed women. In lingerie blouses the sailor type of collar has given way to narrow shawl and surplice collars, very slightly Old-Fashioned “Standbys’’—Good “Yesterday, Today and Forever” By Virginia Earle N ALL probability not one-quarter of the homemakers in the land will ever appreciate what havoc the war has played with the production of fur- niture, but those who have tried this fall to furnish a new apartment have learned something of the activities of the war industries board as they aifect the interior decorating of the home. Jor must we suppose that peace will bring an immediate change in the far-reaching results of those Gov- ernment orders recently put into effect which limited the furniture manufac- turérs’ production to “50 per cent on active patterns” and forbade the car- rying out of any new designs or spe- cial orders at all. For some time to come we must choose our tables and chairs and other necessities from a far more limited fleld than heretofore. So it may be well to call attention again to some of the good old pieces that not even war and a reduced bank account have forced us to do without. For example, the tables #nd chairs photographed herewith; here are four old-fashioned “standbys,” pieces that have proved themselves good ' vester- day, teday and forever,” and if this or that manufacturer has cut out the reproduction of these ancient and honorable patterns from his regular line you have only to look outside the zular retail shops to find such pieces we illustrate today. First, as to the question of desira- bility, what have these familiar styles to recommend them? The fact, dear madam, bride-to-be, that each in it ‘ticular way has never been im- proved upon for comfort or conven- jence or general utility in the home, d also the fact for some reason hese simple, old-fashioned pieces in- riably look well, whether humble or elaborate the surroundings in which they are placed. Take, for instance the quaint little rocker, with its serpentine back that fits so delighttully the curves of the human back; put it in your bedroom, your living room, where you please, and it will be at home; cover it in haircloth or in a rich black and gold damask, it matters not; use it for a slipper chair, a sewing chair or just a cozy conversation chair—long and far will you look to find any modern piece that will answer so many pur- poses as gracefully and as well as this little rocker from the days of our great-greabgrandmothers. And as for the old reliable Windsor chair in its dozen or more variations of style, we might almost say that no home, large or small, simple or grand, is complete without at least one of this early family of chairs. Some are sturdy and crude, with their heav- jly_turned legs, and others are slender of line; some have the h mb back” and other backs are low; but this much they all have in common: good style, dignity and a surprising amount of comfort to offer those who sit down in their wooden seats, espe- cially if the latter are of the deep and “saddle” shaped . Often the Windsor chair, because of this fact that it can be so comfortable if well chosen for the purpose, solves the problem of the “extra chair” for the fireside or by the living room table 1 those instances where there is either not the floor space for two large upholstered models or ecomomy for- bids the necessary expenditure, or the matter of introdyicing another uphol- sterv gpateria) XVt desirgble op oo ¢ tie number of things already in the room respect to tables, do you know of any modern:piece that can and “tip-top” specics when it comes to general utility for a score and more everyday uses in the home? Large and medium size and s of mahogany, walnut or oa varying in detail to satisfy most fastidlous, there are almost as many individual varieties of gate-leg and tip-top tables as there are of greenhouse roses, and, as in the case of the Windsor chair, there is no home in the land which is not the better furnished if it possess one or more models of either kind. So, war or no war regulations and restrictions as regards the manufac- turer’s output of styles and new de- signs, let us not in lamenting the handicap of present-day conditlons, overlook the cardinal virtues of such cld-time tables and chairs and chests of drawers as may be found in the byways if not on the highways of furniture shops, and which are still to be “picked up” for more or less oOf the proverbial “song” at the second- pand dealer's or the auction sale. rolled at the back. Other collars are narrow at the back and over the shoul- ders but widen into flat jabot effects at the front. Nattier blue crepe de chine, embroid- ered in white Angora wool, is the . effective combination of a charming apron tunic blouse recently brought over from Paris, Russian blouses with high collars and apron fronts that give a vest effect when worn with tailored suits are a recent importation for early spring wear. These blouses are in rich and colorful brocades and similar fabrics and are most effective with strictly tailored suits of dark ma terials. Filet in white and ecru, baby Trish crochet and valenciennes in narrow widths are all used extensively on lin- gerie blouses for spring, and in most models are combined with hand em- broidery. Dresses There is a strong feeling among those who should know that lingerie dresses and dresses on the lingerie or- der will be much smarter the coming season than frocks on the sport order. For midseason wear under the fur coat dresses of velvet and georgette combinations are in splendid taste and are decidedly the vogue. The all-lace frock is a prediction for spring—made over a silk or georgette slip. Voiles and organdies and handker- chief linens have been used extem- sively for southern wear frocks, both in colors and in white, Very dainty and youthful are din. ner or informal dance frocks made of tulle and ribbon. Figured ribbons are used for girdles and sashes. Accessories A French glove recently seen is of the gauntlet order with wrist strap, the gauntlet section edged with an e!- fective silk embroidery. For wear with smart afternoon resses there Is a new pump on long, graceful lines with a high French hee| and finished at the front by a cut steel buckle. These pumps come in black, bronze, suede, and in velvet ana satin, Organdle ruffling in white, ecru and delicate colorings is a practical neck- wear fad—and very effective is this ruffling when edged with another color, or with a delicate flower motif fabiric in several colors. Silklined silk’gloves are - oxoallent for midwinter wear—especially to the woman who carries a muff. These aye Jess expensive than kid gloves, but equally as good-lookihg ard come i all colors and in black and whits and with plain or embroidered backa,