Little Boy’s Dress (left)- an exceedingly pretty coat dress for little boys; the pattern is cut in sizes to suit children from two to six years of age. For a boy of three it requires 1 7/8 yards of goods 36 inches wide.

This is a pretty model in which to make up a variety of goods in wool and in cotton. It will make a pretty dress in fine gingham, say in blue, with the ruffles, belt, cuffs and large ruffled collar in white linen. It is, in fact, very well suited for washable fabrics.

Little Girl’s Cloak (right)- for little girls from one to six years of age. For a girl of two years it takes 2 yards of 44 inch material. This little cloak will be pretty for spring wear made up in some light, fancy woolen, and should have its collar and cuffs in a harmonizing shade of plush or velvet.

Little Girl’s Dress (left) - suitable for a child of from two to six years of age. For a girl of six it requires 2 3/4 yards of material 44 inches wide. This model is suitable for making up in any of the thin woolens in vogue; it is also very pretty in gingham or chambray.

Misses Princess Dress (right)- suitable for girls from ten to sixteen years of age. It takes 4 3/4 yards of 44 inch material for a girl of thirteen years. This model is pretty made up in two materials, one serving for the sleeves and upper waist portion as well as for the skirt trimming of narrow flounces. Feather stitching decorates the suspender straps, the cuffs, the upper edge of the waist and the neck-band.

Washable fabrics are the most suitable for children’s garments, and for winter and spring they should nearly all be made of wool. Wool has several advantages over cotton and linen; it is warmer, more wholesome and protects the wearer from sudden weather changes. It has for children the inestimable advantage of being less inflammable than any other dress material, a great advantage, as children are so fond of playing with inflammable articles. In the writer’s childhood, her father insisted that all her garments with the exception of her pinafores should be of woolen material in winter, because he was a man who thought, and was given to foreseeing and preventing evils. He knew that fire has a fascination for young children and that they will play with it at every opportunity.

The average woman has one street costume for the winter season, which must do duty for many occasions, and November is the month that is usually selected for making it, as the new styles by that time are sufficiently settled to present something definite in regard to those parts of the costume where fashion is apt to show decided changes.

This season the sleeve is the disputed point. The balloon puffs that have for many months held their own against the ridicule which assailed them are not so easily discarded for the close snug effects that have been heralded since mid-summer. Women have grown accustomed to them, and though they murmured at the extravagance in material, felt that a certain style was imparted to a gown by the extra number of yards which was fashioned into sleeves.

For this reason a modified arrangement in this part of the gown will be preferred by many to the extreme close style. This medium sleeve, which is shown by the sketch and for which a cut paper pattern is furnished, is the one which has been especially selected from French designers to meet the needs of those who have a new gown in mind, or the remodeling of an old one.

It has but one seam which is under the arm. The upper part is disposed in folds that droop from the shoulder, and the lower part below the elbow follows closely the outline of the arm. The shape and style of the sleeve will be found equally effective for velvet, silk or woollen materials.

A side view of the latest design for a dress skirt is shown by the sketch on this page. It gives the plain effect at the waist, both in front and at the sides, with the requisite fulness at the back; which gradually sweeps into flaring folds at the foot of the skirt. It should be faced here to a depth of ten inches with French haircloth, or one of the soft American finish which has been previously shrunk.

If over this haircloth facing a taffeta silk facing of the same depth is placed, it will give the silken rustle to the skirt which is so desirable, even if the main part of the skirt is lined with percaline.

The bodice coat that is shown by the sketch is of fashionable tailor cut, combining the vest, which provides for a variety in material and color, without detracting from the simplicity of the style.

The wide straps of the dress material decorated with rich fancy buckles, and the handsome buttons on the vest, provide sufficient decoration to give relief to the severity of the cut, while the flare at the sides and back of the bodice skirt gives that touch of style to the costume which a closer effect would lack.

The combination of this latest French design in bodice, sleeve and skirt is shown on the finished green street dress at the top of this page. The gown is a special design from one of the leading costumers in Paris, with whom arrangements have been made to furnish a series of designs in color for costumes and gowns, with cut paper patterns of the same.

Shown at Left – Top: Child’s Winter Dress and Misses Street Dress.

Bottom row: Misses House Dress and Child’s Street Dress

Do not seek too diligently for the color that “does not show the dirt,” because if the dirt is there it is untidy. If you are replenishing your stock of prints this fall, get a foulard finished calico of red, with polka dots of white. This will always look bright and pretty, and needs no starch when laundered.

It should be made in one piece, or sewed together at the waist. Some women button the skirt on to the waist with four buttons and buttonholes, and this does very well, but there is a feeling of satisfaction in knowing that the waist and skirt are sewed together beyond all possibility of separation.

The skirt may be brought around past the middle of the front and fastened at the side, or, it may be fastened front with the front placket hole hooked together, and as one usually wears an apron with this dress, it does not much matter where it is closed.

Corsets, in these days of physical culture, should be laid aside for the morning tasks, so that the muscles of the waist can have full play. So a loose waist is better than a fitted one, as the latter loses shape so decidedly after it is laundered. Gathered into a fitted yoke with a very full ruffle over the shoulders, a turn-down collar and a white silk necktie under it, the skirt gored to the knees and ruffled from there to the feet, it makes altogether a pretty little gown, and an attractive bit of color behind the coffee-pot at the breakfast table.

A blue gown with big white dots is quite effective, or a blue and white striped print or penang, with solid blue collar and cuffs. This last is prettily developed in a Norfolk waist, belted with blue. If the waist comes down over the skirt, fasten with buttons and button-holes to the inside belt.

Wrappers, with the exception of bed and bath gowns, should be abolished as slovenly in the extreme. There is just as much comfort in a tea jacket and much more beauty.

A rich dark red one is made of Henrietta cloth with large soft sleeves and loose body. Its yoke, collar, sleeve bottom, below the puff, and skirt, are all trimmed with narrow black satin ribbon, and an old black chantilly flounce is ruffled full around the bottom of the yoke and over the shoulders. In moments of relaxation, the belt can be taken off, but kept near at hand, to be donned again at a minute’s notice.

Another jacket is half fitting, and made of black Henrietta, trimmed with gold-colored ribbon. The bag front is made of black net, from an old gown, draped over a half yard of gold colored silk. The sleeves are in double puffs and separated with bands of ribbon.

For warmer days, they are made of figured challie, china silk, and from skirts of lightweight summer material, that may be frayed or worn around the bottom. With dainty furnishings of lace and ribbon, they are charming.