The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-21
NO SHOULDERS.

From the dressmakers' convention
now in session in Chicago has been
sent forth the edict, mo Shoulders
To the woman accustomed to the de-
mands of those who rule in that mys-
terious region where fashions are de-
eided and fates determined it may be
that the edict will occasion no dismay
1t is possible that she already knows
some method by which she will be able
to stow away her shoulders and to ap-
pear before the world as fashion has
prescribed, shoulderless. But it oc-
ours to mere man that here. at least,
fashion has reached the climax of au-
dacity. Here she has demanded some
thing that will surely tax the in
genuity of her devotees. Many offer
ings have been laid before the god
dess' shrine. but never before have
shoulders been sacrificed.
And how will the transformation. or
rather the ACKNOWLEDGMENT, be brought
about? Will the new fashion be taken
up diffidently, first by one woman and
then another? VIII we see, for in
stance, one shoulderless woman on the
street today, another tomorrow? Or
will all women adopt the style stimuli
taneously? Fashion has stood many
tests. She has decreed tall girls in
and, presto, change! all the short girls
have disappeared as though by magic
She has frowned on the ethereal girl
and 10. athletic girls confront the Won
dering gaze of mankind. But surely
the mo shoulder edict represents the
supreme test. If shoulders are in evil
dence this coming winter, will fash
ions reign be over? And if they are
not in evidence, where will they be?
And this latter is, after all, the
burning question. Where will the
shoulders go? 1t is said that there is
a land for lost pins. Is there also a
land for abandoned shoulders? And
can they be obtained again when FASH
ION once more waves her wand and de-
crees them in? For it is the ms and
outs of fashion that must, OF course,
worry her devetees. Flesh that is in
favor today is scorned tomorrow. The
long lines destitute of curve which
VIII be in tomorrow, VIII be out the
day after. But never, never before
has fashion abandoned the shoulders.
For the benefit Of mere man. that
dressmakers' convention should have
added postscript to its edict,. telling
how the shoulders will be disposed of.
Considered merely as an aid to
speech, the loss of the shoulders seems
something of a pity. Shoulders are
rather expressive things, capable Of
expressing a variety Of emotions.
Has fashion considered the sfrug,
and what will become of it?
With shoulders out. where will the
shrug be? And just recently in this
country the shrug has been cultivated.
The French woman has taught her
American sister that the shoulders.
properly used, can be quite as talka-
tive as the eyes and they can saw
more. Men tailors are still in favor of
the shoulder, and this is where fashion
will place wemankind at a disadvan-
tage by depriving her of one means of
expression. For this very reason is it
not possible that womankind will re-
volt? "A volume may be expressed
by shrug." said famous Frenchman
who visited this country last winter.
And now, for season. women will be
prevented from uttering those VOL
umes. 1t all seems cruel and puzzling
enough to mere man. 1t is possible
that womankind. however, has already
seen way out of the difficulty and will
lose her shoulders and have them,
too.