The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], August 06, 1904, Image 8

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
5wiarF
Mid-summer
pde^
i By Our Special Correspondent.
MIRIAM SPIER.
Jay by day now, ns the season ad
vances, oomo new styles, now materials,
until It seems as though the clothes
question wore of paramount Importance,
for the consultations on the subject
of dress are endless, and the attention
of womankind in general 1b centered on
tlie one absorbing topic. There aro
many reasons why tills should be.
Clothes are much more involved and
Intricate than ever before, and there
are so many new fads and fancies that
it really requires serious thought to
plan out a satlslaotory wardrobe.
Skirts are most puzzling; the shape,
design, trimmings and, above all, the
length, must bo most carefully con
sidered. One rule is that all walking
skirts shall be short; the next ultima
tum—for all Fashion's rules aro in the
nature of an ultimatum—Is to the ef
fect that skirts must be long, as the
short Bklrt is so extremely unbecom
ing. At this season of the your, when
so many different stylos of gowns must
bo made up, there must he a frock to
wear for a day's shopping, l’or travel
ing, for yachting, etc. In veiling, a
short gown Is not effective, und yet
veiling gowns aro necessary. And so it
goes, until the prublem seems almost
unso’lvable. But. after all, a safe rule
is to have skirts or gowns Intended for
walking, traveling or shopping made
short, and for afternoon gowns long
demltraln or with long, sweeping train.
Flounced skirts are Immensely fash
ionable and bid fair to be more popular,
und it Is extraordinary how many dif
ferent Btylos of flounces there aro—so
narrow they are more In the nature of
ruffles put on In gathered or pleated
elfeot or quite scant, so arranged that
one flounce falls over the other or that
thero Is a wide space between, and so
on indefinitely. Trimmed skirts are es
sential, according to the latest dictates.
One of the newest models has bias
bands of the material put on full at
one side and In loops and bands; be
tween these bands are narrow fringed
ruchings of the same shade us the ma
terial, while the skirt itself is gath
ered into the walBtband at the sides
and hack.
Fringed ruchings of taffeta and chif
fon trim lightweight cloths and veil
ing gowns, put on. as Just described,
between the flat band of other trim
mings or on the edge of the flounces
and of the color of the material or
black. In the flew colored and figured
veilings this Is h most effective trim
ming and bids fair to become a fad,
as It is comparatively Inexpensive and
bo possible for the great majority. Box
pleatings are also one of the new fash
’ Ions, and even the stiff old-fashioned
pleatings In satin ribbon are attempted;
it is too early to say they aro accepted
as a new style.
Coats and skirts costumes are said not
lo to so fashionable as waists and skirts
with separate coat or wrap, and yet no
well-gowned woman would for a mo
ment think she could go through the
Beason without a cloth coat and skirt
Boatume. More and more fashionable is
It becoming to have all cloth gowns
made up elaborately with embroidered
flounces, with silk velvet, satin or fancy
braid trimming, so the original idea of
the tailor-made gown seems to have
been entirely lost sight of.
It seems passing strange In view of
the fact that country life is supremely
fashionable at the moment and when,
in order to enjoy country life, simple
and appropriate clothes are a necessity
that there should be this craze for such
elaborate styles.
Conservative tailors have a different
story to tell, of orders received for the
j plainest tailor gowns made on the regu- I
j la lion plan of years, with coats and !
skirts to match and with little or no j
trimming, the smartest of the gowns 1
secured by the perfection of cut and lit
and by the material chosen. This sum
mer there arc all statements to the con
trary, any number of smart gowns being
made of cheviots, serges. Oxfords, mix
tures and materials that will stand the
hardest kind of wear, the skirt in side
pleats or seven gored, with decided flare
on with attached flounce and a medium
length half-fltting coat. No trimming
except tlie turndown collar and cuffs.
Fahey waists worn with these gowns
are most attractive and are made in
silk, crepe de chine and chiffon. The
white batiste or fine India linon waists
look exceedingly smart with llie solid
colors, but with the mixed cheviots a
more effective contrast is obtained with
the brighter colors. Elaborate lace, silk
and line Persian lawn are extremely
pretty. The heavily embroidered and
richly trimmed muslins and linens do
not look bad.
The cloth costumes are so varied In i
styles and color that It would apein nec- j
essary to provide three or four in "order ;
to have always the appropriate one to
wear for each occasion. Smooth cloths
are more fashionable than usual for this J
time of the year, and uro made in elabo
rate designs or after exceedingly plain !
ones. The long coat is rarely seen with !
light colors, and instead Is a blouse coat !
with belt and the fronts made to hang |
over the bolt In front, if a long-walsted
effect is desired. Broad pleats in the '
skirts are arranged novel fashion for |
those women who have not taken kindly
to the flounce skirts, and the gathered,
shirred and even puffed skirts have
yielded to common sense and can now
be made In the height of fashion with
out so many countless yards materials.
The soft cloth loolta well made up in
such designs as gives lengths to the fig
ure and at the same time show the
beauty of the material. They also look
well in more elaborate styles, such as
the gathered and shirred effects at the
side and back. Bands of velvet ribbon
edging the flounces, or In graduated
widths around the foot of the skirts, lil a
favorite style of trimming, but cannot
be said to be only suitable with cloth;
In fact, it is used on taffeta or veiling
even oftener. Braiding and braid are
both fashionable this season, and are
used on all materials, when used on
cloth the best are gained, when the pat
tern Is unobtrusive and the braiding
must be well done the fancy braids are
all effective, but as with the braiding
the rule should be that there Is ’not!
much used, the style of Jacket permit!
■ THE-NEW-Fl C? U RE.
the use of fancy braid in straight bands
down the front, around the neck and as
a finish to the sleeves, and often there
will not be any more used on the entire
gowns, the skirt being left plain.
Women who had hoped for the arrival
of a simpler and _ less extravagant
fashion in feminine dress as a natural
reversion from the ornate and elaborate
modes of the last few years will find
their hopes turned to ashes by the intro
duction of the directolre Btyles. They
will have to wait, at least, for the fickle
goddess who presides over apparel to
tire of this last whim before their hopes
find fruition. The directolre modes are
more dignified and less frivolous than
are those of the 1830 period, which are
just settling back into history, but they
are far from economical.
Rich materials, tine laces, exquisite
needlework, and, above all, the handling
of an artist in cut and finish, are re
quired to carry them out. Take Louis
XV. coat for example. At Its best it is
a thing suited only to the most elaborate
wear, being of sumptuous materials rich
ly embroidered and bedight with real
lace and jeweled buttons. Only in this
guise is the long bjtsqued affair, with its
distinctive waistcoast, big lapels, pocket
flaps and cuffs, jabots and sleeve ruffs
reminiscent of the uge which gave it its
title.
Such a garment, accompanied by a
skirt of the same material beautifully
trimmed to complete the skirt. Is the
acme of elegance at this moment and
Is being seen daily at fashionable gath
erings. It will be left to th‘e fall and
winter to produce this first character
istic of the accepted mode in trans
formation suited to commercial produc
tion. Toilets like the one suggested
are, as a rule, kept. In one tone, the
hat and its plumes matching the self
trimmed skirt and the coat.
Colors this year are taking very pro
saic names. Among the most fashion
able are tobacco and dead leaf brown,
onion, gooseberry green,. raspberry and
strawberry pink, mustard yellow, etc.
\ ellow in various shades Is very much
used as an accessory hue, and so, too,
are bright dark greens and blues, cham
pagne tints and a medley of rose hue.
Hhaded materials and trimmings are
very much used.
Very gradually the fashionable sil
houette has changed, until the clinging,
drooping modes of a year ago, milady's
sleeves and skirts, stand out as If
gently inflated. Over and again it Is
said that shoulders are long, but they
no longer droop as they did. Breadth '
has been taken on. This Is accom
plished in many ways. Sleeves now are
fullest Just above the elbow, and at
tho point Is found the greatest width.
But the upper part of the sleeve is
undergoing a transformation. It is bo
coming full from low shoulder to el
bow. There is one exception to tills
rule, the dlrectolre costume. Here the
sleeve is more or less close-fitting its
entire length, ending in t, deep, wide
cuff, from which droops a frill of lace.
The shoulder and skirt are the cen
ters about w-hlch all the new modes are
revolving. As lo the shoulder, nothing
must interfere with Its outline, and this
mandate extends also to the neck. The
summary extinction of the . elerine anti
cape collars continues to be heralded,
but they are conspicuous on tome of the
smartest creations from the nest-known
designers. The pelerine, to bo sure, has
assumed a shawl-like air and the cape
!fo |o'"~^
merged Into deep stitched yokes or
sleeve capes. The Incoming dlrectolre
modes, whose arrival no one is dis
puting, are bringing with them lapels,
waist coats, deep girdles and shoulders
not a whit less sloping than in 1830
models, but with an added breadth and
bouffantry.
The majority of the smartest Imported
tailor-mades have full skirts full clear
to the girdle. A large number of such
toilets are without the sign of a gore,
the volume being plaited or shirred ac
cording to the whim of its maker. Take
such a skirt, cut It with two inches on
the floor in front and at the sides, and
you have this summer's masterpiece of
the Parisian couturiere, a garment made
without a thought of the exigencies of
pedal movements.
As to shapes in hats, there arc as
many as there are milliners to urn lie
them. It is one of those seacv;ns when
the demarcation between the fashionable
and the unfashionable is very vague,
and when anything that is becoming,
picturesque or suitable "goes.” Smart
tailor hats are trimmed with straw
buckles, straw buttons, straw cabu
chous. straw bows and often have their
up *>f many-hued straws braided to
gether. There are even the straw flow
ers, and something Jhat Is supposed to
look like a straw feather.
The chio turban continues to hold Its
popularity. A stylish hat In the tur
ban shape. Intended for dressy tailored
costumes, was made of champagne
straw of a very coarse weave, with
golden brown satin taffeta ribbon and
a shaded breast, in which the tan or
beige tones were carried out, forming
the trimming. The edge of the rolled
brim was finished with a fold of the
satin ribbon, and the ribbcm was brought
over the belt side of the brim in soft
folds, against which the shaded breast
was disposed; a square buckle of the
straw braid concealed the end of the
breast. This idea could be carried out
effectively with green satin ribbin In a
bright emerald shade, and a shaded
green breast instead of the brown.
Green, by the way. is one of the sea
son’s features in the millinery world;
green plums and paradise .aigrettes be
ing much favored, especially as trim-'
ming for a champagne colored straw, or
a golden brown or black.
Swell Fads and Fab=
rics.
For swell functions the double-width
shot taffetas and the messaltne silks
are the most popular fabrics, and as the
season grows older these cloths will
steadily Increase in favor, and dresses
made entirely of these materials will be
very fashionable. The latest sleevo is
very much wider;, the newest shape
clings to the arm flntll lust below the.
elbow, when It swells out sharply, be
ing caught In again at the wrist with
a wide, tight cuff. Tucked yoke blouses
are in great demand ht both London and
Paris, but this style is omly suitable for
the softer fabrics, such as India linon
and muslin, crepe de chine Cr the thin
ner foulard silks. The tucker Is usually
made of gathered chiffon or figured
mousseline do Bole, the body part being
cut all In one and fastens at the back.
The blouses which are Intended for
afternoon or evening functions of some
pretention are properly made with a
tlght-flttlng foundation. The latest
mode blouse where muslins or the grass
lawns are used has a decided tendency
toward fulness 111 front; with a ruching
up the center seam, and should be
tacked on to the tight-fitting yoked
foundation. The full sleeve also calls
for a ruched appoarance on the upper
seam and Is mounted on a tight-fitting
lining. The skirt for a double-width silk
Is now made In five pieces, with the en
tire fulness caught at the waistband.
In the back the widths should be cut
extra wide, so as to cause the back
skirt to fall In rich, broad folds, emlcb
should be accentuated at the back clos
ing plait.
The Wide Sleeve.
The Increasing size of Bleeves from the
elbows downward has not only grown
Into a perplexity for the dressmakers,
but has even troubled the manufac
turers who have now produced the more
fashionable fabrics for summer wear In
wide widths so as to permit these
I voluminous sleeves to bo cut all In one
; piece. This Is especially true In muslins
and the summer silks. The most fash
‘ lonable fabrics now’ as shown by the
demands In the swell Parisian and Lon
don shops are the fine quality soft
goods, such an llnon de sole, collennes
aiH^crepe de chine. These goods when
made up require only a lace trimming,
as they are made with so many frills
and ruchlngs of the materials them
selves that othpr trimmings are dis
couraged.
The Eton Jacket and Bolero.
Eton-shaped Jackets and short-walsted
boleros left open In front are very fash
ionable just now. and as all the newest
blouses are made of the thinnest possi
ble material an out of door Jacket Is
really necessary. In these Jackets the
collar is always separate, and the sleeve
Is made all In one piece. The latest fad
of cutting a side piece nil In oue with
the front Is a great advantage, as It
makes the Jacket more suitable, and
If a double-width soft fabric Is used, as
eolienne or chiffon velvet, the Jacket can
even be made without shoulder seams.
Liberty silks or wide, soft taffetas are
Ideal fabrics for such Jackets and have
been adopted by the most exclusive cos
tumers of both London and Paris.
I ■■ I I. — ■
FOF(-TOWN.
Description of Above
Models,
A Parisian Tailor Made.
There Is hardly a shade of red white!!
cannot be said to be more or less popu
lar In Paris at present, and In the new
chiffon cloths with their exquisite finish
these colorings take on an added luster.
Somewhat on the shade of the jacque
minot red Is the semi-tailored gown of
the picture. In which a little velvet,
some oriental embroidery, lace and braid
are all called^upon for decorative de
sign. The short coat sagi all around
over the boned girdle of velvet and
braid. The sleeve is plain in the upper
portion, puffy about the elbow, dropping
into a deep flaring cuff, edged with em
broidery and having a lace wrist ruf
fle. The skirt is cleverly built in three
sections, mounted upon a money bank
taffeta foundation, the upper portion,
which extends to below the knee, clev
erly draped In tablier fashion across the
front. The finishing flounces are each
machine stitched and piped with vel
vet, and a shallow band of princes*
haircloth is inserted in the hem of the
drop skirt to afford the new contour j
to the skirt. /
Defining the New Figure. J
There Is quite a change in the fashion*,
able silhouette when the newer models
are employed. The round waist of tlje
1830 period and of the later Dlrectoire
styles give a very different outline vo
the figure. This Is charmingly shown im
the gown Illustrated. The fashionable
bolero Is arranged over a fitted waist
coat of oriental embroideries in soft,
faded colorings, which tone In well with •
the delicate almond green tint of the
cloth. A broad tressed novelty braid In
a deeper tone with a glint of gold show
ing/’tlirough it outlines the bolero, and
serves to define the fancy panels upon
the skirt. The hip yoke Is cut with long
rounded tabs, a second series of panels
appearing beneath, with kilted portions
deftly Inserted. The length clears the
ground, just barely touching in the back.
The torpedo turban repeats the tender
almond green tints of the gown, and
little knots of velvet Jacqueminot rosea
in the faded tints reposed at either side.
A Pleated Design,
An extremely graceful design Is th*
one pictured and one which will lend It
self to almost any figure with equally
good effect. Inserted fan pleats are
the leading motif, and these are used
liberally. The short coat is fitted in the
back, the pleats forming a postilion,
while the fronts, with the pleuts In
serted below the bust line are left to
bans free. The skirt Is gored with
slot seams, the pleats Inserted under an
inset of gold gauze with little velvet
buttons. The sleeve Is large, and a lit
tle cape effect is gained in the deep cap
which heuds the full puff.
For Country Wear.
Tweeds have ever been the choice ol
the clever dresser for country and out
door wear, and the mannish mixtures in
these while not exactly Inexpensive, In
evitably prove the'best In the long run.
They look and wear well, hold their
Shane under even the roughest wear,
and best of all. are decidedly fashion
able The loose or semi-fitting coat is
the newest fashion, und those of Nor
folk cut are very flattering to slender
figures. A very dark brown tweed is
thickly flecked with white In the illus
tration. The coat Is loose, with Norfolk
straps, cut bias, passing over the shoul
der. The sleeve Is of the plain tailor
pattern, nnd the velvet collar softens
the severity of the design. The skirt is
gored, with a single box pleat overlaid
on each gore nnd stitched down to the
knee. The skirt is unlined and finished
with a brown velveteen binding, which
effectually protects the smart black
shiny shoe from rubbing.
The Town Tailor-Made.
Rather a novel effect Is shown lo this
severely plain tailor-made in a dark
hunter's green. Both cut aBd
are somewhat out of the'ordinary, .mu
a very piquant touch Is glven_ln the cm
lar of black velvet. The coat comes to
Just over the curve of the hips, has m.
ted back, with quite a mt |® ,?P£^ The
each seam below the ”e’,iingle
fronts are seml-tUtmg. with a stogie
dart, and fasten after the faaklon of a
four-button cutaway. The skirt is >n
13 goreB, witli inverted P'eats in each
gore, anil is built to clear the ground all
around, a tailored binding -tofshh^ the
hem. Patch pockets appear on the coat
and give a very Jaunty effect Indeed.
The Tailor-Made Turban.
The closely fitting turbans are, ifany
thin* even more popular than in tne
early' spring. They fit in so well wtth
the shirtwaist suit and *h_e df|™
less formal style of sumnier dresa ^hat
their success is not art all to be won
dered at. The smart llttte m°de‘ J ‘=
tured Is in fancy straw of a medium
green tint, the brim composedot the
straw arranged in upstandlnglopps. The
shape fits closely to the head m tne
back and projects slightly In tne front,
a shallow bandeau in the ke-id piece af
fording the necessary lift. A punch.
Shaded velvet roses are posed at the left
side, the long stems looped, and velvet
foliage is carried all around the brim,
with strands of the stems fallir*: In the
hanki