House Gowns by L.E. Crittendon – November 1895

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Women who do more or less of their own housework should have a neat and becoming gown, however simple, for the purpose. Calico is so cheap that one can afford plenty of it to make a waist and skirt of tidy fulness, yet one almost invariably economizes on material when purchasing prints, and gets but ten or twelve yards, when if one is above the medium size and height, fourteen or sixteen, should be the smallest number of yards purchased.

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.

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