Ladies’ Column.

Lake County Press, Issue 2429, 30 May 1912, Page 2

Ladies’ Column.

FASHION AND THINGS FEMININE. By Miss Ida Melier (Copyright ) THE PERFECT TUNIC DRESS. The choice of an evening dress for theatres, dinners and other social festivities is a matter that concerns a large number of women just now, and it is interesting to many to look round and sec what is being worn for such occasions. Without doubt the tunic holds pride of place mong evening fashions, and it is good news that this simple, pretty mode is to be a leading feature of coming season dresses. It is developed in silk voile and ninon for the most part, and is almost as popular in black and in dark blue for dinner wear as in light colors. One of the most useful and economical styles is the tunic of dark blue ninon spangled' with moonlight blue paillettes, or the black tunic with moonlight beads showered all over it. These tunics, worn over slips of dark blue satin, are most effectvc at night time and are an excellent choice for the woman who is obliged to study economy in frocks. Happily for her, the dark 'evening dress is now an established thing, very lovely being some of the new burgundy red tunics and satin slips. With not a few women the question of evening dress is a troublesome one to settle satisfactorily, for the reason that they take but a small part in

' evening ?./fairs, and consequently their evening gowns are in danger of growing old-fashioned before they have been worn half a dozen times. : To meet the case the tunic of thin, but dark-coloured, material may be suggested as an excellent resource, for which with an added yoke and undcrsleeves it can be worn as an afternoon dress. The pretty tunic dress illustrated is just the thing that would suit the majority of women for evening wear, and the home dressmaker should certainly avail herself of the tunic pattern, for it is absolutely simple, while reaching the top note of fashion, and lending itself to any kind of material. It is advisable to run a few lines of gauging at the waist, which will keep the tunic shapely thereabouts, and a pretty finish is given by a girdle of dull gold or silver, or of coloured silk cord. This tunic could be copied in ninon or Aepc de chine, of any colour, embroidered with beads or trimmed with passementerie, and worn over a satin slip, the small yoke, and underscores being of lace. For the un-der-slip five yards of 48-inch satin will lie required; and for the tunic three yards and a half of 48-inch ninon. AN INFANT’S LAYETTE. In making ahildren’s frocks it should be borne in mind that, as a rule, young folks under six years of j age outgrow their clothing long be- j fore the material is worn out. It is

wise, therefore, to make little girls’ frocks with pleats that can be let out s the child grows, and to provide the bodice with a yoke that can be replaced by a larger one as occasion rectuires. With these precautions taken, an overall frock, or a long-waisled all-in-one frock of good material will be wearable for many years, and fit the child as she grows. The frock should be cither gathered or pleated to a yoke, and two or three tucks, in addition to a deep hem, should be arranged on the Airt. The tucks running round the figure, while the pleats on the bodice should be lengthwise, of course, so that when let out they widen the front and the back. In regard to infants’ long clothes, no precautions against growing need be taken, except where it is intended to use the monthly robe afterwards for short-coaling or cut it up for use when the child is much older. In any case, however, the long frock worn bv an infant is full, and provided with fine tucks or gathers, and as it is a common thing for the robe to be cut up for after-wear, independent tucked yokes, of various sizes, arc sold by babies’ out-fitters, so that it is easily possible to manoeuvre a monthly robe into fitting its little owner for years afterwards. s The yoke, of whatever . size retjuired. can, of course, easily be made in the home work-room by the aid of a paper pattern, the material being tucked to the flat pattern. In our group sketch are illustrated various articles for an infant’s layette. The pelisse would be pretty made of cream cashmere, the cape trimmed

with woollen lace and insertion; while washing silk, gauged all over, and bordered with satin ribbon, may be suggested for baby’s bonnet. The robe sketched should be carried out in nainsook, tucked and trimmed with lace and insertion, the little sleeves having ribbon runners at the end. The tinv shirt, which, for the colder season, might with advantage be of fine flannel rather than of linen—the material, however, is optional—is also trimmed with lace and insertion. The long flannel, sketched above the robe, is bordered with ribbon looped on the shoulders to form armholes. In the top left-hand corner of the group is a little cape, cut in all one piece of material—preferably fine flannel —with feather-stitched hems. The cape, however, might be made into a jacket by catching together the material under the arms. Next to the cape is a simple little nightgown, which might be linen material or flannel —pink or white. It is cut with the sleeves and body in one. It mav be made with seams over the shoulders and under the arms, or, if the material selected will warrant it. the nightgown may be cut without shoulder seams. It is run with riblions at the end of the sleeves, and trimmed with a band of lace insertion or embroidery at the neck. If preferred. feather-stitching might be used there, and repeated on the sleevs. The nightgown fastens at the back with flat buttons and buttonholes.