Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-22
TIRE STORY OF THE SKIRT
WomankInd's Accepted Badge
In All Centuries.
CELEBRATED IN SONG AND STORY
Dignity and Fascination Epito-
mixed in It,,
The Correct Way Of Handling Its Foids--
AIwaysLifted Gracefully, without Special
Effort, by n Woman OF Aristacrstic Line
age-Bioomers Not Popular.

centuries u has been the exclusive
Rarb of womankind in civilized coun-
tries,
In spite of these FIN de steele days,
the new woman and the vaudeville |
stage, nothing has been found 10 take |
its place; for what garment is so grace.
full Even bloomers are not popular. |
the short skirt receiving the verdict of |
approval. Woman's skirts have been |
celebrated in song and story. Night |
10 described by Longfellow as having |
ssable skirts.''
All the dignity of womankind it's
epitomized in the skirt and half the
fascination. A woman in bloomers
cannot sweep" through a room-she
must stride. like man.
The graceful and correct handling OF
the skirts is second in Importance only
TO the skirts themselves. says the ST.
Louis Republic. Woman betrays her
breeding; when she crosses the street.
That heredity will here show itself is
fact borne out by history, for II a
woman's ancestors were OF noble birth
they were accustomed to the in
tricacies of long, trains, while peasant
women working in the fields with skirts
above their ankles gave no thought TO
skirt management.
IU6 IubblHu pbdbdDL WOudu WtdTb
boots, and but for her headgear is not
distinguishable from the men. while the
Dutch peasant girl wears petticoats
coming only few inches below the
knee.
The handling of the skirt has gone
through many changes from decade to
decade and century to century. 1t has
been carried over the aim, drawn
through the belt or caught up by but
tons.
Even the Greciau maidens, whose
garments seem 10 the pictures to be
always floating about, were accustomed
to tuck them between their knees when
about their housekeeping work.
The Greek maiden grasped her gar
ment lightly at the side and lifted it
up; this method would be impossible
with latter-day dress goods and hair
cloth, but with the light floating
draperies of the Greeks and Romans it
was very artistic.
The long folds of a train increased
the height and softened the movements
ofthe figure and were always IN high ia
x yor in the courts of England and France,
so that their management became an
art. For lady to trip on her skirt
was as diHgraceful as for a gentleman
to get mixed up with his sword.
In the thirteenth and fourteenth cen.
turtles ladies' of rank tucked severa
folds of the overskirt under the left
arm or drew it up directly in from
under the crossed hands. disclosing
colored underskirt. As these ladiel
never crossed muddy streets, hardl,
ever venturing far from home, they hat
no occasion to clear the skirt from tn
ground altogether, and their raisin
them was more matter OF affectatio
OF to keep from being impeded in walk
ing.
The sitter and more voluminous th
skirt the more difficult its handlin
and in Queen Elizsbeth's time the
were simply grasped at one side
These garments must have been {
enormous weight and 1t is probabl
that they were often held up simpl
to eass the waist and hips.
Skirts become more aud mure volum
nous; the ancient simplicity and tn
long graceful folds of the early Gel
turtles we're replaced by hoops and 'par
niers.' These cleared the ground an
often displayed small portion of Il
ankle. In dancing they were graspe
by both hands and much skill was di
played in their management. Hool
subsidized and were finally replaced
an imitation Greek costume, whic
displayed every curve of the figure.
The Teutonic nations never took
kindly to the long skirt and trail
The Dutch wives, particularly, did n
care to be impeded by unnecessary d
goods, while the peasant girl of q
sixteenth century wore skirts reachil
only to her knees.
It was in the eighteenth century th
women began to pick up their ski
from behind-the latest of all msthoc
just when they got into the habit
crossing the street on their heels it
not known but any street corr
lounger can verify the statement tbi
while men step on their toes, t
women, if it be very muddy, tot
across on their heels
In the middle of this century loc
broke out with renewed virulen,
They were, perhaps. the most awkwa
things TO handle that we're ever VOL
II pulled up on one side the other 81
went down correspondence, causing
one.sided, wabbling appearance
tremely ridiculous. Then came
long tight "tied back" arrangsme
which was, without doubt, the ugi
garment ever donned by woman. Th
skirts were very difficult to bold
and, fortunately, did not last a gr
while.
In our own time the problem
skirts is simpler; for without be
unnecessarily voluminous, they al
much freedom of movement. Yet tn
does not seem to be entire unanin
of opinion as to the correct method
disposing Of them when crossing
street ii being understood that
skirts should not be touched when
the sidewalk. A well -known lad
tailor thus expressed himself:
handful of the skirt should be gras
precisely in the middle of the back
rather far up toward the waist;
skirt should then be raised straight
and not drawn to one side, as
would make the skirt tight Cd the
posire SIDE and impede the walk. ;"
On the other hand. promiI
society woman said: Il always
my skirt slightly TO one side, a
think it is more graceful and it
not tire the arm SO much.'
But an actress corroborated
tailor's testimony: II always grasn
skirts in the back and hold t
straight up" said she, suiting
action to the word. '.If one pull
up at the side or draws it to one sic
says on the other side and what il
complished? Moreover, don't bel
in pulling the oyerskirt way up