THE RIDING HABIT. 53 



lady's position in the saddle, the movements of 

 her horse will soon make a lono; 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 approjoriate 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 stiflenins^ material should 

 be inserted. The middle seam 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- 



