The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-11

The Directoire gown has arrived in
Topeka at last, and o, what a blow to
all our hopeSi 1t isn't at all sensation
al-at least hardly at all. and as for
the side slash and the trouserines, or
whatever you call the undergarment,
the former is conspicuously absent
and the latter discreetly concealed in
accordance with the polite conven-
tions which have prevailed since the
days of our great-grand mothers
pantalettes. Miss Anna Marie Nellis
on her recent and latest globe-trot.
which extended around the world and
lasted year and month stopped In
Paris long enough to replenish her
wardrobe and a number of the stun
ming new gowns she brought back are
Directories. So now we have the first
authoritative information about the
much-discussed revival of the fash
lon of the French Directory and we
learn. just as most of us suspected all
along, that like all the other revivals
the Directoire costumes have been
modified in accordance with modern
customs and prejudices- While the
New Directoire gown is modelled on
cut bodice on the street as the Paris
pecially as to the sheath skirt which
ts its most distinguishing feature, the
women of 1908 will not wear the low
cut bodice on the street as the Poris-
1ennes of 1898 did. and they will not
wear their skirts slashed to the knee
and jeweled garter buckles. The real
Directoire gown as 1t was worn in
Paris by fashionable women of the
period of the Directory G795 to 1890
has been reproduced with historic
fidelity for the show rooms of the IA
been worn on the stage both in this
country and abroad more or less
modified or exaggerated according to
the nature of the play. Also 1t is said
4 - g. Sc w,nI
beauties of Paris have adopted the
real Directoire, but the New Direc-
btoires. which are being turned out in
large numbers by the fashionable mo-
distes of this country and Europe are
greatly modernized in the sensational
details and will be a distinct disap-
pointment to people who have read
and swallowed every yellow story
about the Directoire revival in the
Sunday supplements.
The new Directoire Is, however
striking enough, for anything but the
most perfervid taste. 1t may vary in
certain particulars, that Is, it may be
a street gown. an afternoon gown or
an evening gown and take on the
characteristics of any one Of these, but
Sin the essentials II is always the same:
The skirt is clinging and the waist
band high. The bodice may be either
high or low, but IL the latter 1t is
square or V-shaped decolletage. The
off-the-shoulder style is impossible
with the Directoire- The logical Dir
ectoire skirt is of course en- train, but
there are Directories for street wear
with round length skirts, although
they are not really good style. The
Directoire revival. has of course
brought back the long skirt and by
another season the woman who walks
or rides in street cars will be switch
ing around in long trains just because
the wealthy women who make the
fashions and who ride in carriages
have introduced them.
A particularly stunning Directoire
gown brought back by Miss Nellis is
of ecru tussore silk with a hint of
green and pink in the trimming. The
gown is severely simple and derives
its chief distinction from the beauty
and PROJECTIONS of its lines. The bodice
has a V-shaped decolletage outlined
with piping of rose pink velvet and
a border of point Parisienne lace. The
sleeves are mosquetaires in elbow
length and their chic depends upon
the application of the trimming, a
ruching of lace which finishes the I'M
derarm seam. There is-and here We
get the Directoire characteristics
very high folded girdle of Dresden
satin, a white background figured
with pin kand green which fits the fig
ure very closely and, defining a nor
NAL waist line in front rises in the
sides and back in Empire fashion, At
the top of the girdle in front is an en-
ormous linen rose. The long trained
skirt may we'll be described as a
sheath 1t is two piece circular
model with a front seam. absolutely
without fullness and so artfully cut
and fitted that 1t clings to and reveals
every line of the figure.
No one could wear the Directoire
gown more successfully than Miss Nell
lis, who is gifted with a rarely beauti-
nj distinction
of carriage and movement well suited
TO the requirements of the historic
costume.
While the New Directoire is minus
the much-advertised skirt-slash it Is
literally true as we have heard, that
no petticoats are worn under it, Ever
the gown-builders as far west as Chi
cago have heard about this. Mrs
Chauncey Dewey, of Chicago, who be-
fore her marriage was Miss Elvia
Millspaugh of Topeka, has a number
of beautiful new gowns fashioned or
Directoire lines and her modistes, II
Is said. have commanded her to throw
away her petticoats. Miss NelliS says
the Beau Marchais and other large
Paris establishments are losing thou
sands of dollars on their stock of hand
some petticoats, for the new gowns
must be worn without petticoats. This
last fad, is, however, not so new to us
Every time the circular skirt comes
into fashion the petticoat suffers a tenn
porary retirement The circular skirt
TO look well must fit so tightly ovel
the hips that there is really no room
for any superfiuous undergarments
'Only two undergarments'' is said t
be the decree of the modistes whC
turn out Directoire gowns. And Mere
Man is not even permitted to specu
late.
Miss Nellis brought home many
things from her tour OF the world be-
side Paris clothes. 1t would make YOU
mouth water to see her acquisitions IL
the wax of picturesque and bizarre
ornaments from the Orient-rings
bracelets, chains and necklaces. anklets
pendants-all oddly beautiful and many
OIL srift nf r,ri..l.1..