Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-04-04
Eastern train on time.
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NEW YORK FASHION LETTER

NEW YORk-For some years II
has been the ambition of American
dressmakers and modlstes to emanci-
pate themselves from the rule of Par
isian fashions and TO create their own
styles. but it does not seem that they
come much nearer to the aim of their
ambition than they were at first, Par
is fashions stlll rule supreme and all
the fashion artists Of this country
have gained so far is certain in
ventive liberty of elaboration. The
The types are imported from Paris as
they were before, but the Ideas are
elaborated and, to some extent modi-
fed to suit different conditions, in our
home fashion studies. There is some
thing mortifying in that arrangement,
but It seems hopeless TO expect com
plete emancipation from Paris supre-
macy. At time. when travelling
across the ocean at all times of the
year was not so common a thing as
it Is now. It did not involve any great
hardship to wait with patience until
the spring models We're brought over
from Paris TO be copied for the bene-
1T of the fashionable classes in this
country. Now, however, the situa-
tion is different. Hundreds, perhaps
thousands of American women OF
wealth and station spend the winter
or part of the winter on the Riviera
or at some of the fashionable resorts
IN southern Europe. to escape the
rigors of our northern climate Many
of them hasten home at the end OF
the spring season in those places,
which. for all practical purposes coin
cides with our winter season. These
women of fashion, who have an oppor-
tunity to see the new spring and ear
ly summer styles, long before they
reach the American shores. have a
great advantage over those. who spent
the winter in Florida or California
| and are in the fortunate position to
| lead their less fortunate sisters in
| fashionable styles by one to two
months. The poor fashion artists in
| this country are, of course, severely
| criticised by their customers for being
so slow in introducing the latest
styles. but it Is really not their fault
They know that they must wait for
the dictates from Paris and and try to
| make the best of the situation. MOI
until the new models have arrived
does their real mission begin. The.
deserve great credit for the ingenuity
and the excellent taste which they dis
play in celebrating and modifying the
imported models. thus Introducing al
element of charming variety. without
leviating from the main features o
The approved Paris styles.
After considerable experimenting {
| really new style of corsets has beer
evolved and the new corset forms one
If the most important and interesting
novelties brought over from Paris this
| year. II is woven of silk, is thin anC
elastic and does not contain stays ol
any material II is an excellent thing
from a hygienic point of view, but II
is more than doubtful whether 1t ever
| will become popular. Women with
good forms and well developed busts
will undoubtedly adopt that new style
| Win enInusldSis Dul lne oNeTW nsi
ming majority of women, less prodi
gally gifted by nature will scarcely
take to corset. which not only does
not hide the defects, but rather EN-
phasizes them, The Maillot corsets
rs they are called, are just the thina
for the coming spring styles. which
demand closest fitting to the figure.
White linens will be extensively
used during the coming summer sea
son and there is every indication thai
they will be even more popular thar
last year. OF course white, in this
| case. Is merely a generic term as
there are many different shades OF
| white, from cream to delicate ecru
| from pearl to oyster gray. Linen
walking suits with killed and plain
skirts, boleros or long jackets, reach
ing down below the knees, will be
worn great deal. The skirts of these
suits will he worn quite short, short.
er. in fact, than those Of walking suits
made of cloth.