The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-03
SUSPENDERs RoUT WOMEN.
Dressmaker- Gasp Mt tho Thought
of ApinG Mems Toilets.

from the OnlCdSO I nToHlGlS.
Suspenders came near causing a re-
beIlion last night at. the dressmakers'
convention. When Nine. Eloise HUI
bert who is the arbiter of feminine
fashions in Boston, announced that the
fashionable woman this winter must
wear suspenders like a man every wom-
an in the room gasped. Then the dis
cussion came in a torrent:
"Horrible!"
Absurd"
Never! Never"
Nevertheless "suspenders" was the
question of the hour and after the
evenings programme had been finish
ed knots of women gathered in the
corridors Of the Lexington Hotel and
in the parlors and asked each other
the question, will you?" Every other
topic paled and the attention of every
woman was riveted on the new re-
form The majority agreed that they
would frown on the innovation, but
if ii becomes "swagger" and the cor
rect thing to do those who frowned
hardest may be the first to adopt the
suspenders.
The leading modistes agree that
strong possibility exists that these
same startling acquisitions to a wom-
ans toilet may become this winter
one OF the mainstays of the gowns,
whether street. house or those design
ed for evening functions, that the Chi
cago society woman will wear. At the
recent exhibition of the newest things
in gowns, both imported and of do
nestle design, recently held at the New
York fashion show, the idea of adding
suspenders to women's wear as an aid
in supporting the heavy skirts which
the prevailing fashions demand was
advocated by a number of the fash
ionable modistes of the East.
Nine. Hubert has designed and man
ufactured an article or a pair of arti-
Giles closely resembling the suspenders
worn by men, and these she exhibited
at the convention last night. The idea
In wearing this invention is to use the
shoulders in supporting the heavy
skirts, thus relieving the waist and
hips of all strain. While the idea is
not new one among reformerS, the
design by Nine. Hubert is thought to
be the most convenient and the most
practicable of any thus far introduced.
When working model of the Hubert
pattern was sprung on the members of
the association and the visitors last
arose and swelled as the purpose of the
display was explained. This lessened,
however, as the speaker adjusted the
new article to a lay figure. 1t worked
well enough and in about the time it
takes automatically to harness a horse
in a fire engine house when a general
alarm has been sent in the skirt used
in the demonstration was hitched to the
lay figure
Here the murmur of disapproval dis
appeared entirely and was replaced by
looks of ineredulty The good points
of the model were presented to the au-
dience and its beneficial results when
worn were dilated on. Finally it was
announced that any question asked
would be answered. A storm of queries
followed.
What shall we do when we want to
wear decollete gowns?" one woman
asked.
When that is the case" the demon
strator replied, you can so modify the
gowns as TO meet the requirements of
the supporters "a
Wear that thing over our shoulders
when in evening dress? Never in the
world" concluded the questioner,
struggling her own beautifully modelled
shoulders by way of emphasis.
Are the-the suspenders in vogue
among Eastern women" ventured one
OF the lllnlu ones present vi CouIbe,
If it is the correct thing to wear and
is awfully swagger and bygenic and
all of that sort of thing, you know.
why, why. to be the right sort we'll
simply have to adopt and wear the-the
garment you know"
Adopt nothing of the kind and GER
tainly not wear such a thing at all if
we are in our right minds said an
other. You can't successfully combine
the real styles and hygenic views and
we are here for styles and not to dis
cuss hygiene or to take up with any
frumpy ideas"
Il should think that If one should
wear that sort of garment one some
times would be greatly embarrassed. "
another remarked What if the straps
should slip over the shoulders. l know
my husband has the most distressing
times to keep his" In an instant every
eye in the room was turned on the lit
tie woman. She blushed furiously and
did not complete her sentence.
But at this point the demonstration
moved the lay figure from the platform
and mingled with the crowd. Another
topic was announced for a talk and
informal discussion and the weighty
question of radical dress reform was
left with the women present.