Today's Fashions June 1903

Womens Fashions Of Today - Circa June 1903

One of the most popular modes in shirt-waists, that will lend itself admirably to development in any of the mercerized or vesting fabrics, has two broad tucks in front and closes at the center of the back in lap or duchess style.

The sleeves may be of bishop or regular shirt shaping. Lace or embroidery will provide a pleasing finish.

Tucks are more used than ever, and a shirt-waist that will be attractive in soft materials may be made with tucks outlining a yoke or extending to the belt in front, while there are clusters of tucks at the center of the back and in the sleeves. Lace insertion alternating with the tucks is effective, and the collar, which is removable, has a tab in front.

A new flare skirt further accentuates the popularity of tucks; the five-gored outside skirt is tucked to graduated flounce depth all around or with a panel effect in front and may be fashioned with or without the hip yoke.

It is made over a foundation also in five gores, and each skirt has an inverted box-plait at the back.

A shirt-waist costume that will develop particularly well in wash fabrics consists of a shirt-waist with sailor or round collar and full-length or elbow sleeves, and a five-gored flare skirt with an inverted box-plait at the back and with or without the graduated circular flounce. Lace bands will prettily trim this dress, which is one of the most useful of the Summer designs.

There is a charming air in a new shirred costume that suggests development in sheer fabrics. The bodice is closed at the back and has a round yoke with high or low neck, and the sleeves may be in full-length or elbow bishop style.

Over the five-gored foundation is a five-gored skirt having the shirring extending all round or producing a panel effect by terminating in the sides of the front-gore. Faggoting and lace medallions would add distinctive ornamentation to the mode.

Among the season's accessories none is so popular as the bertha, and there is great variety in the styles. Pointed and round effects are equally stylish, and the decoration may be as elaborate as individual taste desires. When made of either the same or a contrasting material a bertha affords a pretty finish to the gown.

All-over lace waists are very, fashionable, and a design that is suited to their development may have a closing at the back or at the left shoulder and side. The sleeves have deep caps below which they fall in flowing style to the wrists, where they are secured by narrow bands. A regular or crush stock-collar may be used.

A modish seven-gored flare skirt may be made with a medium sweep or in dip or round length and with an inverted box-plait or gathers at the back. It may be trimmed or left plain.

The two-piece costume, indispensable to the well-appointed wardrobe, may be of cloth, suiting or heavy linen. A stylish design combines a blouse Eton jacket, with or without the cape, Louis XV skirt or short peplum, and a seven-gored flare skirt with or without a side-plait at the lower part of each seam. The back has an inverted box-plait.

Machine-stitching or braid and buttons will provide the most approved finish.

Much depends upon the adjustment of the petticoat in the perfect fitting of the outside skirt, and a mode that assures perfect results is of five-gored shaping in lily style.

It may have a belt or under-facing, and there is a slightly graduated circular flounce lengthened by a circular ruffle, with or without a similar but narrower ruffle, beneath which the skirt may be finished with a dust ruffle. A medium sweep, dip or round length may be used.

A June Wedding in Grace Church, New York, 1903

A June Wedding in Grace Church, New York, 1903

Many Summer gowns will be a mass of fluffy ruffles, and a five-gored flare skirt that will be charming in thin fabrics may have four or fewer gathered ruffles around the bottom, while the back may be gathered or arranged in an inverted box-plait.

Several wrappers, at least, must be included in the Summer outfit, and variety in design is eagerly sought. A comfortable one may be made in slight sweep or dip length, and with the neck high or in Dutch round outline, while the bishop sleeves may be in full or three-quarter-length. There is a short round yoke back and front from which the wrapper falls in soft folds.

Japanese styles are picturesque and especially well-suited to negligée garments. A dressing-sack of this type, when made of attractive material, is appropriate for wear as a breakfast jacket in one's home.

Contrasting materials that harmonize produce pleasing results. The sleeves in a new mode may be flowing or in bishop style, and the back is semi-fitting.

Nothing in fashion changes with such rapidity as sleeves, and new designs are constantly brought out. The shirred bishop sleeve is an effective mode for soft and sheer materials, and an attractive example may be in full or three-quarter-length, with six or fewer rows of shining. A new coat sleeve is in pagoda or flowing style.

The popularity of the walking skirt is greater than ever, and one or more of these convenient garments is essential to a smart outfit.

A new five-gored flare skirt that may be made in instep, round or dip length consist of a front-gore extended in a yoke with habit back, and sides tucked to flounce depth and having an inverted box-plait at the back.

"Fashions of To-day" in The Delineator: An Illustrated Magazine of Literature and Fashion, New York: The Butterick Publishing Co., Ltd., Vol. LXI, No. 6, June 1903, Page 955.

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