The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30

TASHIONS are as various ard
changeable as the proverbial
moods 81 wemen. They do not.
however. mark the distinguish
ing individual characteristics as
moods do. for the simple reason that
they are subject TO the stern and un-
bending DEGREES which issue direct
from headquarters in Paris And who
can tell what sudden whim or what
passing sentiments rule the destiny of
the robes of millions Of women all over
the. civilized world? / say the civil
lied World" for the women of Cen
tral Africa and of tropical islands are
still wearing the straw Wristbands
that have constituted the single and
singular raiment of untold generations
Of ancestors. although tapa cloth and
garfands are sometimes adopted for
gala days. The women Of India. China.
Japan, Madagascar and many other
places Ike these do not come. under the
yoke Of Partisan dressmaker but have
their own peculiar fashions. In China,
for example, il is a curious fact that
fashion is more changeable than in
many other countries The style of
one season, and the colors of the
charming costumes Of the women are
continually changing. But in some Of
the countries of Europe. within hail,
as Il were, Of Paris itself. peasant wo-
men are still wearing the same pc
culiar and distinctive dress that has
prevailed for three or four hundred
years, and in many cases actually the
same garments are handed down for
several generations. But no such luck
falls to our lot to-day Fashions de-
crees are absolute and tyrannicai and
must be obeyed without struggle. The
present big hat (and its reign now
shows signs Of coming TO a close) has
TO be worn by US all. no matter whether
It becomes our own peculiar style of
beauty renot. 1t would really be an
interesting study TO discover why this
particularly ugly form of headdress
was devised.
1t is a well known fact that some
fashions are made to hide a physical
defect or deformity of royal or nt.ble
DANES, but all the same they must be
copied and worn by danes whose
forms are symmetrical and free from
blemish. Thus the big s,eeve-or
balloon sleeve. as it is called-was
made TO hide the swollen and twisted
arm OF noble fashion-maker of
France, but beautiful and shapely
arms are clothed in it now. When the
decree establishing a fashion goes
forth. it is inexorable.
one unfortunate feature Of fashions
ordinances is that their periodic
changes are not easy to foreteu. II
is true that the changes are in cycles.
but their periodicity is Of uncertain
duration. Their orbits, so 10 speak k.
are hard to calculate. Sudden and
violent changes are expensive and an
noying and have TO be met by all sorts
of inventive. devices that try our souls.
while others are more or less easy
and within economical resources. And
Fashion itself has of late years had
10 conform 10 the prevailing senti-
rnent Of equality Of all classes OF wonl-
en-. Dress no longer marks distinc-
ton of class. The fashions of to-day
must be so democratic that they can
be worn by all classes alike. 1t is only
in the material that any distinction
can be made.
Occasionally fads creep in. but they
are not recognized as fashions. and are
generally scoffed at except by the fad
dists themselves. Little Isidora Dun
can. a California girl, by the way. has
adopted the Greek costume not only
in her famous dances. but also on the
boulev2rds Of Paris, but her bare feet