The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-01
THE NEW STYLE SKIRT TAKES
TWO HANDS TO MANAGE 1T
Is SO Full That 1t Hides SIenderness and Requires
Special Practice to Hold Correctly.

does il is bound to spread and give an
effect of tremendous width: There IS
one, and only one, way TO SIT. ana IhaL
IS fatty and Squarely in the middle OF
the back of the skirt OF the pose all
that can be said IS that II is less un-
graceful than any other way DO not
Weld to the temptation of sitting. as
was done when tight skirts were worn,
with most Of the fullness under one
side That is done by sitting trife
sideways in a chair, and was the proper
way with tight skirts. But inevitably
the same pose with full skirt will
send the fullness 0aring out to one side
i'm a way that is absolutely grotesque.
as n woman viii readily see If she tries
this post before a mirror
The present mode of sitting is pre-
cisely that popular with our grandmOth-
ers, and that visitors TO small New
England towns have observed among
women there who were careful to save
their skirts from muSsing while sit
ting. II is to pull the fullneSs straight
down. and then sit sQuarely back in the
chair. If this is wide in effect at least
II keeps the lines straight which aids
in making an impression Of length.
But II Is holding up the skirt in back
that Will rack the nerves of most wo-
men, and all must come pretty near to
| being COntortionists to do il correctly.
IL is noticeable in the streets in skirts
already worn. that when q woman tries
| to hold one W she fails miserably. and
/ the tag end is dragging. sweeping up
the filth. How mach more this will be
when the fuller skirts appear with the
winter models IS easily understood. The
natural way Of holding the skirt Is the
wrong one. The natural method IS 20
| take hold Of the fullness either side and
simply pull up the skirt slightly IL is
absolutely impossible TO do this and
keep within the bounds of decency. and
not have the very middle of the back
| touch. The sides will escape but not
the back. The only way 1t can be done
correctly is by practice. The method
! consists in bending the body a little
sideways and back. and getting hold OF
/ the fullness in the back, instead Of at
| the side.
Then the hand that has the back must
| be raised and brought around TO a com
| Portable angle. which. of course carries
/ the fullness with it. That will clear
| the back and one side, and the other
/ side must be raised by the correspond
/ ing hand. This sounds simple. but il is
/ not and IL is a wise woman who pTac-
| tees this before trying Il among people.
] Even crossing Il pavement to set into a
4 carriage a skirt may be ruined If an
/ inch OF II drags, and yet TO raise II awk-
Wardly Is distressing. The correct way
/ Will be quickly acquired If a woman Will
/ try IL several times before a mirror. not
/ forgetting to notice the back effect and
not the front. As a matter Of fact. If
/ the back be properly raised IL VIII clear
/ the front sufficiently.
A word as to materials for these
/ gowns. In nothing viii a woman show
/ more common sense imam IN StlecLluE
! those which Will best accord with her
! figure. For instance. a short woman,
/ be she stout or thin. should cOnfine her
| self TO soft stuffs that lack stiffness 10
stick out and make her seem shorter
and stouter than she is. The new silks
and brocades are fascinating and calcu-
| lated to tempt an anchorite, but if you
are short beware OF them Instead use
! crepes de chine and soft liberty silks
| that have no dressing. There Is in
finite variety-they are plain, figured.
/ embroidered. and stripes and they are
immea surablv less unbecomjDg than
those other materials that wa ARE.
They are also equally fashionable. The
fascinating silks and brocades are for
I tall thin women only. Remember this,
! If you would look your best.