Mirror Of Fashion

HIS PRETTI f rock, with the fashionable yoke blouse effect, is one of the newest styles for girls. Pretty figured challis in old-pink and paleblue on a creamcolored ground Í3 here shown, daintily decorated with old-pink satin bon and creamy lace insertion. me blouse portions of waist are stylishly adjusted over a comfortably ntted body-linlng, the upper portions of which are covered with the material and exposed to square yoke depth. The yoke Is outlined above the fullness and over the shoulders by a decoration of insertion laid over the satin ribbon. The standing collar is covered with ribbon and insertion to match. Full puffs are becomingly arranged over fltted sleeves that are trimmed at cuff depth with ribbon under insertion. The full skirt is gathered at the top and sewed to the lower edge of the body, the blouse almost entirely hiding the seam. The stylish waist decoration here shown consists of a crushed ribbon belt, with rosettes placed on each side of front, single ends falling over the skirt. The waist closes in center back invisibly or with buttons and buttonholes, as preferred. The design is well adapted to silk or woolen materials, as to the pretty cotton fabrics now being prepared for the coming season, and can be handsomely decorated with ribbon and lace, or completed as plainly as desired. The yoke and fitted lower portions of sleeves can be omitted, if desired, to be worn with a gimp. Mislead the Purchaser. There are on the counters of sorae of the stores crinkled materials that absolutely mislead the unwary purchaser. There are altérnate puffs and plain strlpes, deep-crinkled waves, and apparently close and firm shirrings that are made entirely by pressure between hot dies. The light touch that one Is supposed to bestow upon such goods fails to warn the buyer of the utter worthlessness of It In the tem of durability. Every one who desires to investígate crinkled things should take the material between the thumb and flnger of each hand and gently and flrmly pull it. If it straightens out into perfectly smooth-surfaced material, lts possibilities of wear are clearly apparent. Of course, if one merely wants a fabric for ornament this is immaterial, but it is almost always the case that the buyer wants to get what she pays for, and when she buys crinkled goods, it is scarcely comforting to discover that a few hours' use will entirely destroy its beauty. The fancy waist and plain, flaring skirt are the established models for the season. A few skirts have trimming, and a number of them have front or side sections of different material; Dut these are the exception, and usually indulged in by women who have many dresses and want variety. There need be no relation whatever, even the remotest, between the fabric of the skirt and the waist; indeed, the less relation the better, unless the eolors absolutely quarrel. - New York Ledger. Kmpire Fan Empire fans of the most delicate and elegant design are now made and vie with the old-time ones in beauty. Indeed, if the truth be told, many of the old-time fans have only age and small size to recommend them, while the newer ones are exquisite in painting, decoration and design. Fans, spangled closely all over, are accepted as very dressy, and they can be had spangled svith real gold or silver, but the fun of it is that such spangles are not a bit brighter than the ordinary ones. To brigiiten up a slightly soiled silk with spangles be careful not to put on too many, and be exact about intervals. It may seem that to just "scatter them here and there" ■will be all right, but it won't. Lay barred netting over the material to be spangled, sew on the spangles according to the bars, and then cut away the net. That is the best way to accomplish "scattering." While spangles mtght add to the beauty of the fan presented herewith there is no need of them on the dress, which is plain but for a white satin ribbon belt wlth long flowing ends and but for the rlch white guipure over the shoulders. The dress goods is scarlet surah, made in plain godet skirt lined with white moire. The walst has draped fronts and is worn inside the skirt, the sleeves being very full puffs that do not extend below the elbow. White suede mousquetaires are worn. Used for Walst. Plaids and very hlgh-colored fancy goods are used for waists, with crlnkled and crape surfaced skirts of any stylish color. One costume has a skirt of dovecolored, crinkle-surfaced wool material. The waist is of dove color and rose pink changeabïe slik, with strlpes of very palé yellow- a sort of daffodil sliade. The body is fulUn front, the sleeves are enormously large and the Eton jacket is of ruby velvet. with cordings of dovecolored satin. The collar and yoke are of lace, and the bonnet, is of ruby velvet, with pink-and-yellow aigrets and ruby and dove-colored ostrich tips. The general effect of this was exquisité beyond descrlption. The Correct Swing. The greatest charm about the fashionable skirt Is its definiteness. It is possible for every woman to know exactly how her skirt should look and il it has not the correct swing it is because the wearer is too careless or too economical to make It so. There is no use trying to make a fashionable skirt out of last year's old one. Better economize some other way than attempt it. People who live in the city find it very profitable to buy separate skirts ready made. The only difïïculty la to get the right length and this is sometimes solved for a short person by going to the misses' department. A very nice black serge can be purchased for $5 and moire silk sometimes sells for as low as $12. This is because moire silk is going out of fashion for skirts. Satln is more fashionable and another material which is something on the crepon order, moire poplin. Very few skirts are trimmed around the bottom and when they are it is with a narrow tand of velvet or satin or ; terie. The above gown Is a crepon in an odd green shade, with a band of black satin around the bottom of the skirt and a strip across the front of the bodice. It is a pretty recelving costume. Fabrica Increase. The number and variety of crihkled, waved and puckered-surfaced fabrics Increase like the flowers of spring. When they are not woven they are machine-crimped In such a bewildering, bewitching way that they capture the fancy at once, regardless of the fact that they are not worth a rap for durability, and will scarcely bear the process of making up without becoming limp, bedraggled and actually good for nothing. It is one of the unfortunate features of the high novelty trade that immediately an elegant fabric is put on the market, some imitation is thrown out to catch and deceive the public eye. Narrow Trimmings Aeain. Among the new ideas in the making of skirts are trimmings of narrow sideplaiting, such as were in demand ten or twelve years ago. The fabric is hemmed and closely pressed, and a single row of plaiting, with a narrow gimp or a ribbon plaiting, will be a popular fashion for dresses for all occasions. Cloe Fitting Waistg. There is a decided fancy for closefitting waists alraost covered with lace of various sorts. An attractive design Is a fltted waist of pale blue, with a very deep yoke and shoulder ruffles of Venetian point. Another waist is of polka-spotted silk, edged with ribbon about two inches wide, set on flat. Fasliïon Xotes. Skirts cut on the bias, that is, so that the stripe will run in diagonal fashion, are among the novelties. In the purchase of beaded trimmings a great deal of discretion is necessary If ene would take any pleasure in this acquisition. The ordinary cheap jet made by machine has no durability. The beads will cut the thread, then lt ravels and the garniture is absolutely worthless. Good hand-made fine jet la more expensive, but is always the best to have, and is susceptible of so many changes and makings over that a érate investment is aiways prontaoie. Embroidery done on the fabric is a possession that every woman cannot hope for, unless she is herself skilled with her needie. Thls work, however, in view of the recent interest in embrollen . an interest that Is shared alike by all classes of women, is likely to develop into some Home-made confections that will be not only original in themselves but of great beauty and value in the line of art needlework. The use of ribbons is universal, and the variety to choose from is endless. Striped or brocaded gauze edged velvet ribbons, velvet-edged gauze ribbons, brocaded in velvet, and taffeta with brocaded stripes are among the novelties. The Dresden ribbons are grrowing more popular, and summer dresses of silk and wool will be prof usely trlmmed with them. Ribbon ruchings are made by plaiting two or two-and-a-half inch ribbon in box-plaits at one edge. This is set upon wl3e, turned-over collars of velvet. Some of these collars have revers exr tending to the waist-line, and the ribbon plaiting is graduated to about half lts width as lt extends down the front. Gauze ribbon ruchings are very much liked for trimmings, especially in black or dark materials. There is nothing softer and prettier than a gauze ruching of black for the collar of a cape or a wrap. Collars of ribbon and lace are ln general use. The one object in making up these collars Is to evolve some original I idea either in shape, trimming or combina tion.