Mannish Shirt

This shirt for women, constructed on the lines of a man's shirt, makes an attractive garment for school or outing wear. It is suitable for more occasions than the middy blouse. Made up in silk it makes an attractive waist to wear with a linen or cloth suit (Fig. 178).

Selection Of Materials

Any of the shirting materials are very suitable for the construction of this shirt.

Suitable Materials

Linen; Pongee; Habutai; Silk Broadcloth; Silk Duck; Madras; Percale; Flannel (unshrinkable).

Select a pattern which shows the most mannish effect. A shirt of very good style is one with a narrow yoke and a few gathers at each side of the center back. Buy the pattern according to the bust measure and the quantity of material which the pattern calls for of the kind and width you have chosen.

Cutting Shirt

Place the pattern on the material, following the directions carefully. Pin to place. Cut around the outside of the pattern. It is better to test pattern in cambric.

Marking Seams

Trace the seams and notches of cotton shirt In silk, do not trace the seams unless using chalk board for tracing. Mark notches with a colored thread. Place pins in the perforations of the commercial pattern, lift the pattern, slip the pins through and mark with colored thread on both sides of the material where the pins are placed; or trace along the edge of a drafted pattern. Mark all pieces in the same way.

Fig. 178. - Silk shirts; A, mannish type, with high neck closing and high collar; B, same with open neck and collar.

Basting Shirt

Baste box plait in front or hem if coat finish is desired (Fig. 182). If the back is plain, turn the bottom edge of the yoke in and baste it to place on the back. For a plain back, baste seam of front and back at shoulder, through yoke. If the back is to be gathered, the yoke will be in two pieces. Gather the back (two rows of gathers one-quarter inch apart), between the points indicated on the pattern. Turn the lower edge of the back yoke in, baste, and place on the upper row of gathers, distributing these in the spaces marked. Treat the under yoke in the same way, and baste to place. Turn under the front edges of both under and upper yokes, and baste to the front of waist at the seam line. Baste sleeve to place according to the directions for the middy blouse sleeve (p. 302). Baste the sleeve and underarm seam as one. Gather the sleeve at hand and baste one thickness of the cuff and collar band to place temporarily, for fitting. Place the waist band and baste.

Fitting Shirt

Put the shirt on; pin the fronts together so that the box plait and hem lap in proper position, or two hems, if hem opening is used. Look it over carefully. If the neck is too low, rip outside yoke and take up the seam at shoulder; if too loose, fold box plait and hem deeper to reduce size. If the shoulder seam is raised much, cut armhole down at underarm seam to make it the correct size for sleeve; the sleeve will also be too full at top, in which case take in on seam; if necessary, re-cut at top to make correct shape. See that the sleeve is the correct length; notice also the position of the waist band and the distribution of gathers.

When the fitting is completed, remove the shirt and make necessary alterations. Slip it on again to see that it is correct. Change pattern to coincide with the corrections in the shirt.