The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22
SPECIAL CORREspoNDENcE OF !

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE CALL
PARIS, Nov. s.-The latest edition
Of the fashionable figure, straight
hipless snS supple as a snake. is a
question not only Of corsets but of con
unuations, for the greater part Of the
figure is revealed in the princess and
directoire gowns now worn. Indeed,
women Of fashion are growing bolder
and are splitting the skirt at the side
10 show just little more Of the ankle
Therefore 1t is necessary TO take into
consideration the question Of undergar-
ments, since petticoats are threatened
with complete revolution. Corsets
are now being made to continue into
knickers. made of Jersey material
and fringe. the coming furor. takes the
place of lace frills. Just how long this
latest wrinkle in the way of fashion
viii last il is hard to say, but as the
fate Of fashions are usually decided by
women Of good taste it is doubtful If
the divided skirt and the elongated
figure viii survive a great while
The larger the toque-which is the
craze here for the moment-whether
of fur or velvet-the smarter. While,
when held in the hand they look al
most as though. they would bury one
and make one look like an Eskimo.
when worn on the head they are most
becoming and attractive TO the ma
5ority Of faces
The directOire hat is one to be worn
j argely this winter. It is khaki felt,
5ound with very dark green velvet.
The crown is encircled with the velvet
and is trimmed with an immense para
disc plume in the same shade Of green
he hat has long strings. which are
crossed in front and tied at the side
But speaking Of toques the very
of US from the horrors which mas
ouerade under its name Women who
have no beauty or grace Of their own
may imagine that their only resource
is 10 make themselves look remarkable.
but the really smart woman knows of
other methods, and employs them.
Nothing is so indispensable as a
toque for driving and motoring, for
winter days and morning expeditions,
For women who have no carriage of
their own the tooue is a boon. Let any
woman who has tried getting into and
out OF cabs on a rainy day in a big
hat tell her experiences.
Some Of the large hats are trimmed
with fur beasties. which make them
very heavy and uncomfortable. A smart
model Of = large hat Of Il very grace
ful shape is in panne khaki lined with
black velvet. II is trimmed with a
beautiful black fox and feathers OF the
golden pheasant.
All black and white effects are tre-
nendously chic. and almost every one
Of the great dress makers has turned
out at least one or two models in this
coloring.
One Of the most successful Of the
black and white frocks was the last
model in which Beer interested him
self. He had been at home i'll for
.r-r i,
establishment on the morning when
the model was completed and gave it
his last touches. He died that after
noon.
In his model the materials were
white chiffon on black satin, and
ornate IN trimming. AS with all French
frOcks. the skirt hung limp and very
long How woman can walk grace
fully IN fhese clinging skirts falling
closely about the feet and spreading
on the floor all around is a mystery.
bat the young women models who wore
the frocks demonstrated the fact that
IL could be done. Rumor had it that
they had gone through a severe course
~ training before they mastered the
art but they certainly handled the
difficult problem with an ease that is
encouraging 10 the novice.
without indiscretion it may be mur-
INJURED that the one garment which
these slim and elegant beings wear
under the frock Is version Of the
''monlsDEe," called p "sheathbocker'
which is merely = lightly boned corset.
or corset waist. and close knickers
made in one of soft satin
This fashion Of dressing would. Of
course, be extreme for the average
woman, even though she were appro-
priately slim Concessions are made
in the shape Of ankle length petticoats
formed of several thicknesses of chif-
fon or mousseline, hemmed together at
the bottom. or a plain, rather short
petticoat Of supple satin. guiltless of
founce or frill and finished fatty at
the bottom.
Even so much petticost as this will
prevent a frock skirt from wrapping
itself so closely as TO be frankly in
decent, according TO accepted ideas of
decency, but Of course more substan-
tial petticoats Will be worn even by
some very nOdish women. and these
same directoire gowns will Took well