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Show ! American Styles in Summer ! .. i ; i fat ill ;f . ' ffraSWSW ilk 'A . . ' x y In certain lines of women's apparel .America has become independent of 'Other countries in the production of -styles and materials. In some things we are conceded to excel, as in the designing and making of tailored euits and shoes. We have been driven to depend upon ourselves in producing produc-ing the bulk of the readymade underwear under-wear worn by women whose deraauds are peculiarly American. The proportion of undergarments made of washable silks grows larger, and crepe de chine gains on fine cotton cot-ton materials every day. There are several very good reasons for this, but the main one Is the inborn love of luxurious clothes, especially In the matter of undergarments, which is rooted In the eternal feminine nature. Hand stitching Is the hall-mark of :. elegance on undermuslins, so that women who know how to sew for themselves them-selves hwve a great advantage over i- those who do not. But there is not ,r .much hand sewing or hand embroidery Dn manufactured underwear, which, nevertheless, contrives to be verj dainty. The manufacturer who turned out the two envelope chemises shown here will not dread a comparison between be-tween them and their hand-made counterparts. coun-terparts. They are just as effective and just as durable. It is in little details of finish that the hand-made garment gets beyond the limitations of machinery and cannot be exactly copied. The chemise at the left is of white silk with a crossbar of green. There Is a yoke of plain silk, also a border about the bottom and bands over the shoulders made of it. Bows of narrow ribbon with their hanging ends finished with soft silk balls make fascinating and original finishing touches. The lovely garment at the right is made of pale blue satin with heaTy silk embroidery and real fillet lace to enrich it. The empire waistline makes it graceful. This is gathered in with satin ribbon tied In a bow with long loops and ends. The same models are not less beautiful or less elegant when, made of fine cotton fabrics. |