HOME -DRESSMAKING FOR THE FAVORITE WINTER SPORT—By MAY MANTON EVIDENTLY SKATING is to be THE sport of the winter; at every turn, one is met with handsome and approj riate costumes and with accessories that are enough to fill even the most prosaic woman's mind with envy. Whether the supply has lollowed the demand or the demand has followed the supply, it could be a difficult question to answer, but the (act that interesting costumes and fascinating accessories are being lavishly displayed is true beyond dis pute. For outdoor skating, one must of course have genuine warmth, but there is so much skating done within doors these days that tile most attractive possible gowns are worn and suits of light and medium weight materials. Velvet, velveteen, corduroy, wool velours, broadcloth all are favorite materials, fur plushes are used for trimming and in combination and there are a great many suits and coats of the woven stockinette materials that are most attractive, while the rough clothi are woven with borders for the purpose, present a really wonderful color display. All Russian effects are extremely popular for the purpose and they cer tainly suit skating to perfection. The Russian blouse with skirt makes a very handsome costume and the Rus sian coat also is in demand, but among the coats, it may fairly be said that the sports model takes first place: it is easy to slip on and off, it is loose and comfortable and is of just about the correct length for the exercise. Skirts that accompany these coats also are made in sports style and in plain gored styles and there are a great many cos tumes shown with pantalettes to match, that arc in every way appro priate, smart and to be desired. They are certainly more modest than the petticoat and more comfortable and they provide Loth warmth and freedo n. A handsome costume and one that shows the use of pantalettes to great advantage, is maae of green velvet with trimming of brown fox fur. There is a one-piece gown with tiaring skirt and simple blouse that is edged around the bottom with u wide band of the fur and it is wwa wit h a ! oil. and beneath it, are panta lettes of the same material with bands of the fur which reach just to the top of the high skating shoes. The hat is a cap and scarf in one, made of the velvet and trimmed with the fur. The scarf portion passes over the crown to the shoulders to be wound around the throat, with the end that will droop or float in the wind as may be. It is an extremely beautiful costume, it is a typical skating costume and shows the features of the season at a glance. The one-piece gown of the velvet is quite warm enough for wear in the rink and it is a little less weighty than the Russian blouse with skirt or the coat-suit, although the others also are seen. A beautiful gown, for example, is of white broad cloth with trimming of beaver fur' and is made with a semi-circular skirt and a long Russian blouse, the edge of the blouse being banded with the fur and the collar and cuffs being made of the same. One of ;he pret tiest of the coat suits is of maroon colored velveteen, with a belted blouse cut with high collar, made with Rus sian closing and with it, a gored skirt, the belt being held at the waist line by a sash of soft glove silk. Bright colors and white are favorites for costumes of this sort and they will add immensely to the picturesqueness of the scenes. Green and rich, dark red, medium blues and tan color with bits of bright colors, are favorites. Fascinating coats are made in the tan color, of a rough blanket-like cloth with a border or Roman stripes, and with these coats, are -yorn scarfs to match, for the scarf is übiquituous this season. Primarily, it is a skating scarf and of course it. is perfect for such use, but we will see the scarf worn for all occasions. They are offered in wool materials, with woven borders, they are shown of heavy cloths with worsted embroidery and worsted fringe as finish, they are to be found in the glove silk and in smooth silk, in quiet colors and in gay colors, in plain colors and in stripes, but perhaps there are none of them more attractive than the ones that show the Roman coloring, for it seems especially well adapted to skating use and it makes a brilliant spot if the cos tume otherwise is of quiet tone. Women who like to make such acces sories, or, who are thinking of Christ mas fjifts, will do well to bear the scarf in mind, for they can be varied in a great many different ways and they can be made marvellously attractive. A very smart one, seen today, is made of white blanket-like cloth in an ivory tone and is finished at the ends with a fringe of yellow worsted that is knotted onto it; above the fringe on each end, is embroidered a big yellow rose with green leaves, all the work being done in heavy worsted threads. None of the making would represent any considerable amount of labor, yet the scarf is an extremely attractive one and as a matter of course, the color scheme can be varied indefinitely. Caps with scarf ends such as the one just mentioned, are much liked and much used and are made from a great many different materials, and inci dentally, they are the simplest things in the world to make, cut and to sew. Any woman who can use a pattern or make a garment, can make one of them. Very attractive ones show cloth with a band of fur finishing the cap; others, again, are of material to match the costume, as broadcloth or velours with bands of fur across the straight ends of the scarf. The An broidery, suggested above, can be put to a great many uses, and the ends of the scarf may be finished with fringe knotted onto them, with bands or may be drawn together and attached to tassels or balls or to any other finish of a similar sort. As a matter of course, the middy blouse is not overlooked in the offering of skating costumes, for the middy is admirably adapted to all exercise and to all sports. A new and interesting development of the garment, gives a suggestion of the Russian idea. It is higli at the throat with a wide straight collar and it is closed at the left shud der and the left under-ar.m seam. The lower edge is gathered and finished with a wide band. A smart gown, seen today, is made of what is known as uncut beaver plush in black and white stripes, to be worn over a skirt of black cordurov. made in sports style, with hemmed edges buttoned together at the front and with capacious patch pockets. There is a cap of the striped material too that is exceedingly chic. Now and again, there are gowns of dainty materials as crCpe de chine or tome similar materials, fur trimmed and offered for the skating suit; they are pretty, they are dainty and when they are worn with fur shoulder capes and fur trimmed caps, they are very fascinating but not exactly practical for the generality of womankind, and consequently the more sturdy ma terials will oe the preferred ones. A most fascinating gown that is not heavy, yet not so thin as the crSpe, is made of white chiffon broadcloth. It is very simple in cut, bodice and skirt being in one and smocked to form the girdle, but it is finished with a little shoulder cape and high flaring collar and both the cape and the collar are edged with skunk fur. The skirt is finished with a band of the fur and the long sleeves are smocked to form cuffs. It is an ideal gown, fascinating on the ice and charming wherever it may be worn. A hand some accompaniment for the skating costume is one of the pretty scarf caps made of the material ot the gown and trimmed with fur and also a little round muff that is delightfully suggestive of the old-time quaint costume and which belongs to this one by natural right. A second costume which also is of white broadcloth, is distinctly dif ferent from this last, but of equal interest. There is a plain, short skirt with a band of the beaver fur that comes to the top of the high skating shoes, and over it is a plaited tunic, pointed at front and back and at the sides and with the side edges buttoned together. The blouse shows an over portion at front and back, buttoned onto an under one. The sleeves are both novel, laid in plaits below the elbows, flaring a little over the wrists and they also are edged with the fur, and to complete the effect, there is a sash of orange cloth velvet, bordered with beaver and finished with heavy orange colored tassels. The neck-scarf of beaver is worn closely about the throat and the close fitting cap of the tame and the little round muff com plete the effect. IT IS doubtful if we ever have seen a season that provided a more generous and interesting oppor tunity for the Christmas buyer than docs this one. It has been well and wisely said that the ideal gift must always mean the beautiful; must be entirely separated from the prosaic; the merely useful and we surely are offered a perfect opportunity for wise selection. Just now the dealers are putting forth a multitude of such op portunities. Whether we start forth with the idea of buying big things or of dainty pretty triffles that carry a message of love without being expen sive we are sure to find something worth while, something that will carry this message in the best possible man ner if we are a little wary and on the alert. The realm of dress is always an interesting one and this seasons accessories dealers are replete with suggestions and it will be quite pos sible to make your list of friends and relatives happy without going outside that realm. What we should do, however, is to select carefully and not always too closely, along the line of every day occupations. There is a very clever story told of a well-to-do Aunt ot a large family who set forth to play the iairy godmother in an ideal way. She studied the occupa tions and tastes of each one on her long list. For the athletic girl who loved tramping and walks she pur chased a camping outfit and for the delicate semi-invaiid she selected an exclusive negligee and so on down the list. By an accident the labels were all shaken up and confused and the semi-invalid received the camping outfit; the athletic girl the dainty negligee. The letters of thanks were filled with enthusiasm. To the invalid the very suggestion of the outdoor life seemed to bring renewal ot strength and inspiration. She de manded an indoor picnic immediately and before the New Year opened was planning to use Her outfit under the trees. The athletic girl felt stirred within her the natural feminine long ing for something dainty, something lovely. She wrote "I have been tramping and living out of doors so long that I am supposed to have for gotten the dainty side of life, your pift is an inspiration." In that story 16 a lesson that we may all take to heart. The perfect gilt is something that takes one out of oneself, away from the ruts of life. In the output of the season furs and jewels naturally stand first upon the list. This is a fur season, one can never go amiss with a present of fur. Jewels have a perpetual opportunity. They are at the disposal of anyone whose purse will respond to the demand. It is in the smaller and less costly things that are to be found unusual opportunities. This is to be a skating season. The winter will see skating parties without number. What girl would fail to be made happy by the receipt of one of the new skating caps, or perhaps a skating coat and cap. Exceedingly snart and exclusive ones are made of Jersey Cheviot, loose and ample with great big hanging pockets that will carry the skates to destina tion and_ keep the hands warm while the fun is in progress. They are ac companied by skating caps with long peaks of very exclusive fur plusn combined with a trimming of cloth, that is to say, the coat of mixed shades of preen shows collar and cuffs of a vivid green broadcloth with trimming of dark brown fur plush. The cap has a band of the plush with a peak of vivid green broadcloth finished with a, tassel and edged with a bit of gold, a picturesque note. Caps with scarfs attached are made of velvet in vivid red with black fur bands and black tassels completing them. There are skating caps and skating scarfs with out number. Wool scarfs for girls who like outdoor pleasure, s' c scarfs for the rink ana indoor . :ating, and silk scarfs are truly marvels of beau tiful color. There are sweaters too of every possible kind. There are Angora sweaters with caps to match that will mean genuine warmth and comfort as well as perfect smartness for outdoor skating throughout the year. n < Every kind of fancy nerk piece is in 'ogue. "Chin Chin" collars of fur ar» exceedingly smart and handsome. They make ideal gifts either with or without muffs, but perhaps the collar ana deep cufts of velvet edged with fur that can be slipped over any coat or gown and always give a touch of smartness and picturesque color will find even the gieater welcome. If something plainer is wanted a neck piece and muff of velvet can be made most attractive with just a little fur as trimming to accentuate the season. They are very beautiful and are very much liked for the theatre, dinner and occasions of the sort. Clever women can make them at home for moderate cost. i Every wardrobe requires a dainty chemisette. They are very lovely when hand embroidered with a touch of fur and carry a suggestion of the perfect daintiness that is always the woman's greatest charm. Also there are chemisettes with high collars of satin that can be used to also trans form a simple gown and there are really wonderful opportunities in the realm of neck wear. The high turned over collar of lace edged with fur will give to the simplest costume a touch of distinction. It is a charming gift, a dainty gift and a gift that cannot fail to find its welcome. There never lived a woman who would not be made happy by a beauti ful negligee. This is a season of the loveliest possible garments of the sort. It is not always necessary that they should be very costly to possess an inherent charm. A lounging robe "of corduroy lined with dainty thin silk finished with a collar or white fur car ries with it such a sense of luxury and relaxation that it would become a boon to a busy woman who con stantly stands in need of the rest it is such an effort to take. A dressing jacket of brocaded crCpe de chine trimmed with marabout which is a very simple garment to make. If it is designed in the right color to suit the wearer and her surroundings it becomes an ideal gift. Suggestions of the sort may be continued all through »he list.
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