THE RIDING HABIT. 53 



lady's position in the saddle, the movements of 

 her horse will soon make a long waist wrinkle 

 and look inelegant. To secure ease, together 

 with a perfect fit without crease or fold, will be 

 somewhat difficult, but not impossible. Some 

 tailors, particularly in New York, Philadelphia, 

 London, and Paris, make a specialty of ladies' 

 riding costumes, and can generally be relied on 

 to supply comfortable and elegant habits. 



The favorite and most appropriate style of 

 riding jacket is the "postilion basque; " this 

 should be cut short over the hips, and is then 

 especially becoming to a plump person, as it 

 diminishes the apparent width of the back be- 

 low the waist. The front should have two 

 small darts, and should extend about three 

 inches below the waist ; it should then slope 

 gradually up to the hips, where it must be 

 shortest, and then downward so as to form a 

 short, square coat-flap at the back, below the 

 waist. This flap must be made without gathers 

 or plaits, and lined with silk, between which 

 and the cloth some stiffening material should 

 be inserted. The middle searn of the coat-flap 

 should be left open as far as the waist, where 

 about one inch of it must be lapped over from 

 left to right ; the short side-form on each side 

 must be lapped a little toward the central un- 



