Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-29
AUTHORITATIVE FASHIONS.
Comments Of Mrs. Osborn, America.
Individuality in women's Dress.

when fashions were SO fixed, so decid-
ed, / have come to the conclusion that
there is one paramount difference. one
paramount advance namely. the reason
back of changing fashions, the cause of
innovations. That cause is the demand
for comfort, the demand on the part of
women for clothes that shall suit them,
not somebody else"
Styles for Autumn markedly confirm
this trend The women are gradually
learning, also, that It Is much more sem
slble to wear thinner fabrics in the fall
and winter regulating the warmth by
having supply of outer wraps to put
on or take off as the temperature de-
mands. In New York especially, where
both the climate and stea mheate homes
make thinner gowns imperative even in
midwintcr, you will find lighter weight
dresses to prevail 1t Is no longer thought
necessary to scramble to buy a heavy
cloth gown when September comes.
Thinner gowns are now made more
possible for the street on account Of the
appearance of the iong-coat. This
distinctive as we'll as very useful wrap
as likely to become quite the thing. In
fact, 1t Is inevitable as n companion to
the weight gowns.
80" continues Mrs Osborn, when
I say that lightweight dresses should
be worn all winter, I add the plea that
women will not Immediately ny at me
with tho cry OF impractical bility. Thin
clothes are no more expensive than
heavy. They come in shades Just as
sufficient for all weather changes and
lot
1t is conmendable that the cut of these
coats Is more suitable for general wear
than in recent seasons. For example. the
fitted back and the distinctly normal
waistline The correct length varies from
fortY-fou to fifty-five inches and for
hard wear may he made of English
worsted, covert. or broarcloth. Only one
thing is dema nded the garment must
permit a woman to go on the street
warmly dressed without changing her
thin gown.
1t is no. always possible to trace
directly tn source OF a particular style
OF dress but In this instance there is no
difficulty. We can lay It largely to the
climate Our winters are by no means
what they were. The whole scheme Of
weather seems to have shfted,-late
spring, summer in autumn, London
rains instead of brisk winter. 1t has be-
come an art to cope with the modern
American climate. This vogue for thin
dresses in Winter will, no doubt. prove
more than vogue. It Is written.
written by the weather man, that until
the seasons swing into some dependable
stability we must dress by The day and
not by the calendar.
Even the theories OF medical advisers
enter into this matter of dress Ply
sicians now recommend an abundance of
fresh air. toning and toughening of the
systems by facing all the rigors of eli
mate and OF making cold a tonic Instead
of a menace to health Women are
becoming more and more impressed by
this one hygienic principle: clothes must
be regulated by the weather no matter
at what season Of the year.
Thus we are assured upon this fact:
YOU will find no longer any notable
difference between the materials for
summer and winter. Many at first will
call this absurd, crazy perhaps; but
time will prove the assertion. Graceful,
cingng fabrics. such chiffon cloths,
marqusettc, crepe de Chin. the various
silks. musins even. will be found pre-
valent this winter when supplemented
by the long coat.
Common sense Is at last becoming
operative in the matter OF woman's dress.
To-days styles are bearing the stamp
e it. 1T is far from sensible Mrs.
Osborn writes further that we should
have been governed so long ny the calen-
dar, since back Of the calendar Is the
weather But many people go through
life with the two telescoped. When they
see October first staring them In the face
they bow to what they accept as the in
evitable and buy wooden underwear
find such people particularly agGravat-
ing And I challenge any class OF wor-
kers to meet more of them than does a
person In my position. I long since de-
cided that to know n woman's real
character you must make a dress for
hey"
Although the thin gown Is the most
radical of the sea sons fashions. It will
not be as conspicuous as It's associate
the long-coat This coat as shown ir
the Osborn models Is adaptable TO every
occasion and may be fashioned Of every
sort Of Observation-Disclosures cloths
silks. or of something Of more dura.
bility.
The long-coat, It Is hoped. will prove
valuable IN another connection. that o,
lessening the use OF the tiresome. stereo
typed shirt-waist. It's prevalence Is t.
he deplored. for strictly 1t has but two
functions-for morning wear and witt
the short skirt for walking. Womer
who put them on and wear them al
day can never consider themselves cor
more to be preferred.
It is Just this long-coat that is goinf
to encourage whole dresses as we'll a.
thin dresses: but there Is a great danger
in this becoming a popular wrap. Yo,
know what It is--it is the hackneyet
model. Heaven spare us from a uniform
Of long coats! There would be no escap
ing them. You would meet yourself walk
ing into several duplicates OF yourself
every time You strolled UP Fifth Avenue
or any other street, from Maine to Cali
fornia. 1t has been so. has It not, witt
the long hip coat and the plated skits'
Whole armies of these products have
paced the earth, no regiment OF soldier.
| ever having looked more identically alike
Now let the long coats take warning
from the plated skirts. Make your.
different or die. Remember that thes.
long coats are going to be copied be
| cause they will be n pronounced style
the women with no distinction Of he