The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-01

This will be a season of sorrow and
despair for short women. Tai. reedy
ones who have hitherto exhausted their
own and their dressmaker's devices 10
make them look well may rejoice for
their time has come. The present fash
ions are those calculated to destroy
every atom Of slenderness a woman
may have and make her look like mere
~ 4 mass Of lace and silks, unless she
shall be so fortunate as to be very tall
and thin. Then the present vogue is a
boon.
1t is the full shirt which Paris has
declared shall be worn that causes all
this trouble, and coming as it does di-
rectly after tight or sheath skirts.
which accentuated the lines Of the fig
ure, il is more than ever trying More
over, the new full skirt requires a spe-
cial education to manage properly. The
shirrs, pleats and tucks are distributed
so all around the waist that no longer
may a woman gracefully drop one hand,
pick up her long draperies and go Sc
renely on her way. Not at all. Now
she must grab CfoT that expresses IT.
however she may make the effort TO
seem nonchalant) with both hands, and
then il is more than likely that cross
ing a pavement 20 get into carriage
she may ruin a light skirt. For the full
ness is so excessive that however high
the skirt may be held at the sides.
chances are that the hem in the very
middle of the back dips when she walks.
and that is a thing that cannot be per-
mitted for a delicate fabric.
This new model might indeed be called
a two handed" fashion, for no human
- Oh aaHA
with one hand. Ii is going to take two.
and science at that. TO do II properly
and the utmost care. however uncOn-
sciOus one may seem about il. to man
age this mass of material that fashion
has put upon women's backs now.
To begin with, woman might quite as
well reconcile herself 10 the fact that
two hands always will be required when
the skirt requires any lifting. The rea-
son Of this will be seen Immediately that
she tries. for the fullness is so extreme
that a skirt is raised only over the
exact spot where Ii is caught up. From
that the gathers Will depend fanlike
and the skirt VIII touch just the same,
only at a point back. Mercifully. these
skirts are not excessively long Paris de-
clares that they shall only just touch all
the way around. and that makes their
management a little less difficult than If
they lay many inches on the floor.
Going upstairs IT will be necessary 10
raise the front of the skirts in both
hands, and unless one is careful this VIII
be most awkward I'm effect. At best Il
cannot be pretty but good thing 70
remember is that instead Of spreading
the fullness wide the arms should hang
straight. catch the skirt at a natural
line in front. and then instead Of sep
arating the hands bring them close to-
gether and raise them. This will lift
the skirt and at the same time will not
broaden the effect.
The two most difficult things will be
TO hold the skirt I'D IN back. when II
Ms required. without its touching any
comas;to, fEis last matter II is neeesss ~.
to recognize at first that no longer can
a woman sit so that her gown viii
hang I'm long and graceful folds. cling
Ing to the figure. No matter what she