The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 6, 1904, Page 10

T on the Rue Saint ! American gir i a full stop, turned and rged, fully an E e wore the expressior had been dazzied 1 < had purchased a { linen, so fine that you uld 1e finest of openwork s mn h flower. The price was—w nd the ice erican shirt waists are the fad The French, wt it up with idity shirt waist ein rong the most delightful A f wearing apparel. The ar k and shoulders, for ‘ al as the Ameri- ® n this respect, and set neatly around the beit t these sterling qu s the e added the exquisite detai which they are famous. The French waists show the wonderful em- y of the convents and they ex- hibit the peculiar artistic qualities for which the French are so well known A waist made of softest lawn had the entire yoke peppered with French s. The lower edge of the yoke was dered with fringe, deep, soft, white, creamy fringe, warranted, by the way, to wash like a pocket handkerchief. Set into this waist at frequent intervals were oblong figures of Irich lace, each figure surrounded by violet hued stitch- wigh French knots each figure. Another shirt waist, this one built of spinach green linen, was inset with circular tan colored figures, each figure outlined with narrow white wash braid and the whole waist dotted with tan and white embroidered circles, caught into each other. The Philosophy of Shirt Waists. The shirt waist fever, which was thought to have abated somewhat, has broken out afresh and in a form which threatens destruction, not only to the pocketbook, but to the sight. Where shirt waists were made by machine before they are now all bhand stitched, and the tucking, the shirring, the stitched bands, the strap- pings and the pipings are all laid in by hand, where once they were all, or partly, done by machine. The introduction of the shirt waist and its universal adoption by women means a great deal, not only in the line of expenditure, but in the line of saving as well. For, while a woman can waste a great deal of money upon shirt waists, she can also save a great deal. Where she once was compelled to spend a goodly sum of money to obtain a new suit, she can now get one at a very reasonable figure by taking advantage of the opportunities offered her in the shirt waist line. A woman who dresses very well in- deed is prepa-ing her Easter gown. It will consist of a pansy-hued cloth skirt, which was once an old white =kirt, colored a pretty purple and shaped into a trotting skirt. And with this she will' wear a pansy ecolored louisine shirt waist, ‘piped with white taffeta, and trimmed with a deep white lacc yoke collar, upon which a bunch ‘of violets are fastened. Her hat will be an English toque, pointed in front, a la boat shape, and trim- med with viole‘s, Another woman, who has more taste than money, and who will dress well in spite of financial obstacles, is the owner of a black lace shirt waist, one of those heavy lace affairs whica ery, surrounding ey £5] NANS T —ACE are called Irish rochet, whether of ave or the imitation, will convert into an skirt she will glace taffeta, str cut wear a black »ed with cloth and nto a short train, and with this will weur the heavy Irish crochet lace waist Along the vest line of the ist she will apply small violets, made out of satin ribbon, in such a manner that they will outline a vest in two parallel rows, running down each side of the front. In between the rows of violets she will set white accordion plaited chiffon. A Shirt Waist Trousseau. While the entire tendency is toward complete suits, there is no dsubt that the shirt waist plays a prominent part in these suits, and by a little clever work the woman who wants a variety can secure it by sfudying the shirt walist market and taking advantage of her opportunities. A Washington girl who is marrying 2 diplomat will take to London with her in her spring trousseau no less than thirty-eight shirt waists. They are cut as shirts, as blouses, as Etons and as the American shirt waist proper, which is a little different from any of these, The stiff, heavy London cheviots and the coarse Irish linens and the mixed cotton suitings of Scottish goods are made up in rather uncompromising fashion into shjrts for day wear. They are for use on the golf links, for wear mornings and for comfort. Then there come the soft and rather ceremonious blouses, made of louisine, surah, crepe de chine, peau de sofe, taf- feta and mixed silks. These are for wear with any skirts they may happen to. match. And the bride is clever enough to provide half a dozen modish skirts of different colors. The Eton shirt walsts are cut in ele- gant fashion, with little lace boleros and little lace-trimmed Etons ifalling WRVTE LAty PEPFERED TR ERENCE HKNGT S, ANO TRIMMED SwiTH WWseETS over vests ‘that match. These have very wide and very elegant little sleeves trimmed with lace, and the necks are provided with great square lace-trimmed collars, which are as deep as the shoulders. The Eton shirt waists are usually made of soft veiling, of delicate cream- colored canvas, of open mesh goods and of very glossy white silk weaves and of the very pretty chiffon mate- rials—chiffon velevets, chiffon silks and chiffon cloths. With thirty light shirt K waists any woman, even a bride, could make a very creditable appearance, and with care in the selection of her waists she could get through a season very nicely. But while considering the shirt waist matter the one of the skirt must not be forgotten. 8kirts, you must know, play a very important part in the sea- son’s dress and no woman can hope to be well gowned without at least two nice skirts. The nice skirts—that is, the dressy skirts—are made to trail all the way around. They lie two inches on the ground in the front and upon the sides, as well as two inches in the back and even more. So, in getting up your spring ward- robe, look well to the skirt question. Be sure te provide one very nice and very long light colored skirt. And, with these in your wardrobe, you will be able to meet any emergency in dress, no matter what it may be. A New York woman who is among the well dressed of the ‘earth is making a black skirt, fashioned of black net and trimmed with hanging drops of black jet. It is a lovely skirt, all glit- tering and beautiful. Tt falls very long all around and, while it is full upon the bl THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. & ETHEL \{- ROOSEVEL < \RcLL AR .,l‘ CoOLLAR \ hips and very full upon the ground, it does not make her seem larger. On the contrary, it preserves the long lines of her figure admirably. To make the skirt just right the wo- man stood upon a low footstool while it was being fitted and the skirt was turned up just at the ground. This gives precigely the right length for a1 dressy skirt, two inches too long at the front and sides. You remember how, in the picture of the Empress Eugenie, that beautiful womsan in her prime was always rep- resented in very long and very dainty skirt, held up coquettishly right in the middle of the front. . Well, this fashion is being revived and by midsummer ,your eyes will be greeted with visions of ladies fair promenading the veran- das in .kirts that are held daintily up right in_the center of the front breadth. Of course the most exquisite of lingerie will bq visible underneath these skirts. Petticoats that are not merely a frou frou of lace and deep ruffle of trim- ming will be worn, but petticoats that are dreams of chiffon and fine lingerie and whose cost will rival if not excel that Of the skirts’ underseath which they are worn. It is a fact that the all white walst and tRe all black waist, and the waist flo 5 nd-lad: Pm of all one color, no matter what that ‘color may be, is sinking a little into the background, while the waist with color combinations is coming a little to the fore. Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett, who is one of the most fashionable literary women, loves the combination of lettuce green and tomato red, and one of her finest shirt waist suits is built in these hues; its materials are taffeta and panne. Mrs. Clarence Mackay wears a com- bination of gray and black and *white, cunningly’ put, together in white lace, gray louisine and black molre. Mrs. Chauncey M. Depew is partial to putty color and coral and an ex- quisite waist is built of putty colored lace, with smart little butterfly bows of coral colored panne velvet with pipings and folds of the same brilliant color upon the putty colored lace. Another one of Mrs. Depew’'s waists is in gray and tomato, a very good combination and one admitting of the use of the new gray laces. Oyster gray, shell gray, pearl gray and Irish gray are all to be worn a great deal, and these can be found both in silks and laces. One of the prettiest waists seen was' In oyster gray and blue and white, the three colors put 3 OO WHhTe (@) o together with gray predomin the blue and th i Don't try to make your for dressy wear all out of for Dame Fashion says th two or three and that the be two or three colors as well as ma- terfals. It is more econo bine the materials as we fashionable, and so the maker can perform the feat killing two birds with one stone. One of the handsomest waists made in sharp contrast. There is a wonderful waist of white lace whick trimmed with very beautiful pipings of crange. ' These are in the fat little folds which are I the lace of the sleeve midway ¢ arm and along the yoke. The stock is outlined with them and there is a crushed orange velvet belt. - White Waists Made Dressy. White waists are made very elegant by the woman who will take a little trouble to fix them up. One white walst, after it came home from the laundry, for it was a wash shirt waist, was trimmed with buttons covered with gray suede. They were very large and were set in rows of two down the front of the walist, down the sleeve and ar- ranged upon the yoke. Then there was a wide suede belt and a suede stock. Very large buttons, covered with Japanese silk, are used to trim waists and some of the handsomest lace walst effects are accomplished by placing these buttons upon the waist in dou- ble-breasted fashion or in a single ro running down the right of the waist and trimming the cuffs and stock. Qrnate buttons of all kinds are em- ployed upon shirt walists to the great benefit of the waists, for there is some- thing that is almost jewel-like in the new buttons. Squares of turquoise, with a shank underneath, are used in button fashion and squares of red stone, of green, of topaz pink and of every color and kind which one assoclates with the real gems are also used. Mother of vearl has come out very strong and there are mother of pearl buttons with tiny jewels in the center which go very well with shirt waists of gray and of blue. Don't, if you are an amateur dressmaker, attempt to make up a handsome shirt waist with- out due regard for the button fad which has swept across the land and invaded the strongholds of fashion. The covering of button molds is something .for the fingers of the in- dustrious girl of spring. Many of them are covered with canvas which is worked in cross stitch in bright col- ors, Covering button molds with can- vas and afterward working them is plenty of fun for the girl with artis- tic tastes. They can be worked in Armenian designs, or in the old fash- foned cross stitch which made the samplers of a generation ago so very pretty. If the designs are intricate the can- vas is worked before the button molds are covered, but in the painted but- tons and those that are done in a great cross stitchery right in the mid- dle of the button, it is better to cover the molds and do the fancy work later. ‘Wheel Rosettes and Other Trimmings. A trimming which Is specially good for the wash waist, since It can be LAMNMEN SAvALSTT OF PALE sSeinacH L ED LI AT EMEBEROCIDER> s the wheel of lace. Whee inexpensive la waists with T wheels ca a to >wn with gr hes of silk sat star sha which can 1ecl is to be removed. wash be cut shirt waist e most des yot mi . ts. Wash wailsts that b are numerous, and really washable requir 1 of ripping before and a f sewing afterward. st made of piece lace of buttoned down. tha 1id not prevent the er-of-pearl buttons down of the front. The wear: brunette, wore mother- arl combs In her hair, and she wore a belt of silver fastened with a large mother-of-pearl clasp. A band of vered braid encircled her throat. Small trimmings make up the sum and substance of the spring fashions, and that is the excuse for a waist of china silk, whose chief and only orna- ment was a great embroidered butter- fly inserted in the middle of the front ne, re are ver was The material was cut out under- neath, and the great butterfly was spread out over the bust. It was worked in white silk, with a few col- ored stitches to trim the wings and to decorate the eyes and the body. This butterfly was very much larger than for it extended, with its out- stretched wings, almost from shoulder to shoulder, hile its antennae, tipped with - gl green stitches, formed a Jovely decoration for the yoke. Wonderful Handwork. In a convent th® patient sisters sat stitching upon a waist of delicate blus linen. The pattern upon which they were working was one designed by an artistic sister. It showed a great spi- derweb of blue silk, in which a large gray spider was struggling. The spider was round and fat and was made en- tirely of embroidery threads. The web was repeated in smaller size upon the cuffs and upon the stock. To wear with this there was a very pretty Eton made of lace with a deep collar bound in silk, the whole falling open in front to display the delicately woven web. The stocks are as interesting as the waists themselves this season, for they, too, display many new modes. A stock of white silk had a big silver buckle in front. And through this buckle there was drawn wide ends of scarlet taffeta, three Inches wide, hemmed upon each edge and the whole abundantly stitched in red silk. These ends were pulled through the buckle in such a way as to look like a great bow at the throat. ‘Another stock was in white taffeta stitched in green with the stitchery tub proof. And still another was in white, with two stitched tabs of white wash silk in front. with coral red stitchery and coral red knots dotting the tabs. The making of the stock alone con- stitutes a v nice summer fancy work and creates a bit of hand indus- try which will be as useless as it is ornamental. From the appearance of the shop windows it is time to put in a supply of shirt waigts and the woman who does so early will secure the newest de- signs. ery