Fashion and Things Feminine.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3080, 26 May 1914, Page 7

Fashion and Things Feminine.

O By IDA MELLER - ft!

TWEED COSTUME FOR A GIRL. There is no style in tailoi-madei more becomiag and useful to girls than the Norfolk suit, tho looseness of the coat being particularly well suited to youthful figures, which do not requn* fitted lines. Our costume illustrated i» built on tho well-known Norfolk model, bat is original in that the coat has no straps.

Tho pattern is so simple that the suit can bo successfully made up by the home dressmaker without difficulty, as it is much easier to deal with a loose-fitting coat than with a very shapely one. Moreover, this costume is intended for tweed, which is easier for the amateur dressmaker to handle than smooth cloth or eve* serge. It is designed for a girl of

seventeen or eighteen. I would suggest a dark or goldenbrown tweed for autumn wear, and r he collar and cuffs should lie faced with different material, either cloth or silk in golden-brown; or, again, some girls might prefer white Manuel facings. The belt should be a leather one, or made of tweed, lined, and stitched near both edges. In any case, it is quite straight, so requires no pattern. The skirt is plain, and fastens rather towards the left, on a level with the aoat fastening.

DIRECTIONS ON CUTTING OUT. A few hints on cutting-out 'and mak-mg-up the costume will, no doubt. Do useful to the inexperienced young dressmaker, for whose benefit a diagram is given, showing the various pattern pieces in the flat. Tbi< paper pattern consists altogether of nine parts, which are. respectively; (1) Front and side gore of skirt in one. (2) back and side gore of skirt; (3; one front, of coat; (1) half the Ixack of coat; (*)) one upper sleeve; (») one under sleeve; (7) one pocket; (S) half the rollcollar ; (.!') "no curl'.

The diagram shows how to arrange

the seven chief parts ot the pattern on six yards of IS inch tweed the collai and cuff patterns (above) are cut from different material, but, of course, thev could lie of tweed, raken from the

"waste" of stuff, if preforn.nl; and. in any case, to economize I tosh material. they should lie lined with twe-ed. The buttons, «i which nine are required; should l»e brown horn or composition ones. Three are used on the coat, throe on the skirt front, and tliree on the hack of the skirt. The buttonholes on tha .skirt niav be real or simulated.

Tho skirt is a four-piec•■ one, ana each part of tho pattern, therefore, must. U cut in duplicate. The sleeve patterns and tho pocket are also duplicated, and all these parts are laid upon double ma torial. A* planned in the diagram, the fronts and the back of coat are laid on

single material, a space being marked out for the lacking trout and another for the lacking half ot the back. The

entire back of the coat is cut out in one

piece; there must be no centre-scam

MAKING IT THK SKIRT

When the costume is cut put. tack the parts together, and try on. The* waist of the skirt, is slightly raised, doing away for the need for a waistband, hut it> mufit be mounted to a petersham belt ing, inside. The back of the skirt nas a similar appearance to the froir. and is ftnisherf'in like manner with three buttons. Fold under the front edge of right front core, and back edge of left back gore; then lap the left front gore, under the right mo. and right back gore under the left one. leaving a placket opening at, the front gore or back, as preferred. After trying on. stitch the skirl together in 'tuck-seam style A two-inch or three-inch hem should be turned up.

but if the entire length of the stuff is needed, the skirt must be finished by a very neat hem. The skirt requires no turn up the hem and cover the raw edge at the top ,vith Prussian binding, ma-

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chine-stitching it twice. This makes a facing. The better way, however, is t© lining. For securing the placquet, use stud fasteners.

LINE THE COAT. The coat must be lined throughout, and polonaise, cut on the eoa* pattern but seamed apart, should be used. The hip pockets also require lining. The fronts of the coat should be inter'.ined, four or five inehea deep from the edge, with tailor canvas, as they will thus keep their shape very much better. Three buttons are sewn to the left front, and corresponding buttonholes are made in the right front. Care must- be UKen to put in the sleeves, when lined, correctly as regards yositfon.

ROLL-COLLAR AND CLEFS Three-quartern o" a yard of singlewidth material will suffice for the rollcollar and cuffs, and there would probably bo sufficient also for a belt, if desired this being cut along the selvedge. The collar, which is in two parts, is shaped and seamed at the centre-back to give a nice rolT-cver. If it were lined with tweed, a hem of this might be turneo over on to the front of the collar and form a border. The same with regard to the cuffs. The collar is sewn to the neck of the coat between tweed and lining.

The pockets must be machined securely to imitate a hem at the top. Numbers of girls will, no doubt, be delighted with this practical costume

A SIMPLE CONVALESCENT GOWN

Every woman feels the need at one time or another of a protty rest-gown or tea-gown, to slip into as a change from the regulation fashionable dress and especially does the convalescent want something of the kind when site in beginning to see her friends again and take an interest in her appearance A simple and charming idea for a con-valescent-gown, or tea-gown, as all damtv robes of the kind have now come tl) bo'called, is conveyed by the aceonipanving sketch. A perfectly plain nasyfittin* princess robe, for which may be suited soft cashmere or wool-erepon

in pink or saxe-blue, or a nlain skirt gathered to a short bodice, forms -'he actual gown, which is supplemented by ■a dainty fichu of net and lace that almost completely veils the bodice, ana from which fall a couple of shaped stole-ends, matching the border al the fichu. The sleeves are trimmed below the elbows with similar lace. AX ECONOMICAL PATTERN This is a particularly economical gown, for the bodice being short and decollete calls for only a small piece of material, and the fichu (note the grace of it) might bo made from oddments «f lace and net from the hoard box, from chiffon that had previously served the purpose of a tunic, perhaps, or from embroidery from a summer frock. The sketch simply supplies an idea that may bo worked out in various ways. The- great thing is to secure a good paper pattern of a princess robe, or plain, high-waistcd skirt and short, lowcut bodice, and then arrange on the gown a fichu of whatever suitable ma tcrial may be at hand, or of a new piecolace, finishing the fichu in front with a ribbon rosette. The style of the gown is as well-suited to black erepon or dark blue cashmere as to light colours.