THE OMAHA SUNDAY I J EE: MAY 1. 11)10.
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I ARTS. Special Correspondence. During
this last week there has been a grand re
adjusting of fashions, something that al
ways happens Immediately after the show
ing of the models both in the spring and
fall, and before the season has fully set
lu. There are Invariably certain of these
that do not fail to catch the public fancy,
and so, of course, they are made up vnd worn and be
come an established fact almost as soon as they have
been seen. There are others, however, that for some
reason or other meet with only lukewarm success, ami
these are carefully gone over, their defects remedied,
and their good points further worked up until frequently
they are among the best of the season's offerings.
Lastly there are Bome that are total failures and are
blacklisted In every direction, and these disappear quick
ly Into some mysterious region, no one seems to know
where, and are seen no more, at least not under their
original guise. It would surprise the uninitiated to
know how many of these there are, for It Is a secret the
couturleres guard well, but as they keep equally well
the secret of their disappearance, It does not so much
matter.
i One fact has so far been proven and that is that there
is to be a mad erase for checks, particularly those of
black and white, for they are being turned out by the
score, and in all sorts of materials and many styles.
Those for the street, such as seme and twill, are strictly
tailored, with sklrU that are plain and coats that are
cut on the mofct severe lines.
Occasionally a touch of color will appear In a waist
coat or the facing of a collar, but as a rule the only
concession that is made to these costumes is in the but
tons, which may be, and frequently are, of gold, silver,
or some fancy effect, and the larger and mor stunning
the better. Without doubt they make smart suits for
morning wear and for traveling, automoblling, and the
like, nothing could be better, for they are almost im
pervious to dust and dirt and somehow always look
neat and trim.
French women wear with these costumes blouses made
of a new sort of cotton crPpe, which Is little crinkled
and shows a weave more like a crepe de chine. They
are simply made, sometimes with a cluster of broad
plaits down the front, with feather stitching between
and the fastening in the back, or again buttoning over
from left to right with large pearl buttons, trimmed
In scarlet or blue.
If the low collar Is worn, the best models of these
' are made in smull tabs of tucked batiste edged with
narrow lace, nttlng closely about the neck and falling
over the blouse, and If the high one is preferred then
, they are as stiff and high as possible, finished with a
'frilled Jabot or smart little tie of some bright colored
satin.
The hats that generally accompany these costumes
are small and close, quite covering the hair all but a
oft wave that comes over the ears. There are two or
three good shapes, but the favorite seems to be a folded
affair made precisely ltko the turban of an Indian prince,
iAhe nlaterlal bolnS mohair or coarse open braid, which Is
pliable enough to bo bent in any manner.
A great deal of color appears In these little hats and
In some wonderful combinations, red and Mack, brilliant
blue and dark green, but they are trimmed as sparsely
as possible and their cachet all depends upon their
shape and the way in which they are worn. A button
hole bouquet of some flower the color of the hat, and
boots with checked tops to match the gown complete an
ensemble that makes the Parisian woman a gratifying
sight.
It is not alone for morning and traveling costumes
that checks are to be worn, fur a great many soft ma
terials are being shown for afternoon frocks which later
will be seen at the seashore or other resorts. Bilks and
chiffons both are liked and both make wearable dresses
for half dressy occasions. Bechoff-Davis, who this year
is excelling In gowns that are simple and youthful, has
several models that are smart. One shows a skirt of
silk cashmere, all black, with a bodice of chiffon, at
tached to the skirt with heavy cordtngs. On the
upper part there were large revers of checked silk,
which fell over others of chiffon. These revers were
soft, being unllned. and In the back they were cut
square like deep tabs.
The sleeves, kimono shaped, were of chiffon, with
broad turned-back cuffs of the silk. The real style
of the gown was In the coat, which was of silk, of
course the checked, made like a Russian blouse, but
entirely veiled with chiffon and having deep cuffs and
a small shaped piece about the neck of plain black
silk. The fastening was at the left, and the belt
was of patent leather with white stitching.
Another gown of the same variety was of chiffon,
the oversklrt being finely plaited and falling over an
underskirt of liberty satin. This costume was bright
ened with a bit of vivid embroidery which began In
k point at the bust and extended up to the neck, which
Wi round and collaiiess. Here it was met with a
double frill gf cream lace, and there were frilled cuffs
edging the rather wide sleeves. This fashion of a
plain skirt with a checked oversklrt. or coat. Is a
distinct change from that of several seasons ago,
when It was Just reversed, the coat Invariably being
black and the skirt of the plaid.
Besides checks there are all sorts of dotted and
spotted stuffs being used, the only exception being
In frocks for the street, which are mostly plain. Even
the tussores are being brought out now In bordered
designs, sometimes a plain band of contrasting color
on which appears spots of the natural shade, while
on others there are big and little dots put on irregu
larly, sometimes to tbe depth of eighteen or mora
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OpWTa o' Chpeen Crau-zefTaAe Over a.
L,inirx? of Cha.11pe3.ble llxbeYty Sxtin
Fevtha. of Crveen Hizples IVirh Edge
of Gold ,a.nci Tncri.3 cation f CroLri
L,3.ce xttl PjJtznt hodcl rnon lafcrricrb.
inches. TlicMO borders seldom appear directly at tbe
bottom of the skirts; rutlicr they form oversklrts or
are Inserted like plain bunds into the skirt. This Is
a popular model for making many seml-sklrts, the
band, no matter how broad it is, holding in the upper
part of the dress.
Tho bodices for entire gowns are ns simple as they
ran be made, so much ho that one often wonders why
it is necessary that some world famous dressmaker
should bo expected to construct them. They ire
trimmed ulmost not at all, a tiny bit of lace, occa
sionally a touch of embroidery, a little puffing cr
cording, and tbe thing: Is done
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The sleeves all follow tho same general lines, ex
cept for 'tailored suits, and that Is the kimono, the
only difference being that some are large and basgy,
while others are quito small and moderately clone.
As the season advances, however, they are growing
shorter and sh . ter. and one frequently sees gowns
now Intended for di.ytlme use with sleeves that by no
menus reach the elbow. This U even true lu the iae
of ordinary blouses, the sleeves of which never mote
tiiun Just cover the elbow, and the cuff or frill. If
there Is one, is usually turned bark onto the material
Skirts are narrower and narrower, and when full
ness Is let Into them It U always held a by some
sort of a band or trimming. These are frequently
bordering the gown, giving the moat curious appear
ance to any but the slightest of figures, anj another
skirt which looks equally odd when first seen la tl.e
one that is held In by pufts and cords, sometimes sev
eral tiers of them arranged at r