The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-02

"HE new short skirt is a marvel
when il comes to comfort, but
have you ever tried to hold it
4 up? Ye gods! What a hopeless
muddle it does make or itself. Yes.
and incidentally of you. for the one is
not complete without the other.
When the skirt that just cleared the
ground came in with a gust of wind
and z downpour Of rain il was con-
sidered something pretty fine, but an
innovation that was to be treated
charity. SO much so. in fact, that I'M
less the rain was coming down in
bucketfuls it was more or less risque
to venture out and boldly display
third Of an inch Of ankle. And the
funny part of it all was that these
selfsane lassies would sail serenely
down public avenue swathed about
with yards of frills and furbelows, but
held at an alarming angle. What diff
ference did that make If the ankles
were trim and the boots dainty? That
the material was there and in plain
sight II any one cared TO look was all
that was necessary or required.
But now the times have changed
and frocks have just about reversed
their positions The trailing ruffles
are left AT home as long as the sun
is in power and the short skirt sways
supreme. And what an absolute
tyrant it is With yards and yards
Of thin silk they fiutter and fly about
and just about keep one distracted
trying 10 hold them in place, for no
sooner is one side reefed in enough 10
defy the winds than the other is exc
cutting. an animated blow-away dance
and reckoning and flirting with every
tiny gust that chances along in a most
- outra geOUs manner.
Then comes a peck Of trouble. II
you make a desperate clutch at one
side TO prevent the whole from float
ing serenely over your head, you raise
the short folds higher than you in
tended and come back to earth with
q dull thud only when you realize that
you are affording others more than a
little amusement.
on the other hand. If you move
quickly and without thinking you are
more than apt TO put out both hands
and draw the toy balloon to the front,
and then you are in a worse predica-
ment than before. There you stand
for the world and all like your great
grandmother, lifting up her precious
ay-go-to-meeting black silk TO
avoid two-by-four puddle. To say
p. the least you are not the acme of
grace and there is something irresist-
ibly laughable about the woman who
makes OF herself a veritable Mother
Bunch
Then there is the chorus girl style.
For some reason or other it isn't espe-
cially fetching or captivating, and
while people undoubtedly stare, it is an
open question as to what they are
thinking. First, as much Of the skirt
IS gathered into the hand as can be
conveniently got hold of. One would
think that this would be sufficient, but
Il isn't by any manner OF means. Still
holding on 10 il for grim life, another
volume is. gathered in from some
where. preferably from the side and
front brea dths, and away you go, max
fng an unholy exhibition Of yourself.
In the first place the steps are all
mincing and small and every one is &C
companied by a little fiuff-fuff of pet
ticoats and silk and an amazing length
Of hosiery. And, pray tell, how could
II very well be otherwise? The skirt,
as full as any dressmaker can make it,
is held as snugly across the back and
hips as is possible, and that straight,
tight line goes to the depth Of the
knees, where il is suddenly let loose to
fly and switch about as il pleases. At
the same time. this gathering in all
stray folds from the front necessarily
takes away from the length and only
the eager onlooker can fully appreci-
ate how extremely abbreviated the
otherwise pretty skirt is.
There is a happy medium in all
things, and even il it takes an endless
amount Of practice and work, it should
be struck. To be too perfect is almost
as bad as TO be too carel sss, for il eX-
cites not so much the envy as the deri-
sion Of our friends who live in most
imperfect world. They watch every
step that is taken on our tiny pedestal
that We have reared for ourselves, and
all eagerness TO witness the collapse
which is bound to come sooner or later.
Every time we manage to make our
selves ridiculous, and il is such an easy
thing TO do, we see a smile hover over
the faces Of every one, even including
our best friends, and in the midst Of
our chagrin we suddenly realize that
the path that is broadeSt and the hest