The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-07-24

fashion toward the directOire that il
may as we'll be succinctly stated that
the new mode consists of a tight
Iclinging skirt, a shOrt-waisted coat
cut away from the front and collar
high at back and sides This is the
costume as pictured in old prints
some of which strongly resemble
those worn by the masculine members
Of society at that period.
As fashions originated for. and
first to be adopted by ultra fashiona.
bic women, because Of their wit OF
beauty, are certain to filter, by de-
grees. through the different graies of
society, losing much of their beauty
in the process of descent-this un-
doubtedly will be the fate Of the re-
vived directoire modes, the sole diff
ference being that in this instance
the graceful skirt, the picturesque
coat, and the eminently practical col
lar are thus early threatened with
notifications which will certainly and
swiftly rob them of their beauty.
But this is crossing the bridge be-
fore We come to it, for few indeed
are the tailOrs and mOdistes who are
willing to state emphatically that they
are qualified to turn out. subject to
order. a thoroughly satisfactory di-
rectOire costume. The chief difficult
y lies not with the coat, but with
the skirt, for like many other things
which seem simple to the uninitiated,
one that will at all look like those
constructed by the great French ar
lists who preside over the renowned
'aleliers at Paris, is only to be es-
'sayed by the most expert cutters and
.drapeFs.
These people, more than any eth
ers Of the class who take an active
and financial-interest in the fate OF
the new skirt, realize that failure in
this respect is liable to be. of all i'm
aginable sartOrial spectacles, the
most dismal
So great is the vogue of satin that
scarcely one out Of ten of the smart
semi-tailOred costumes designed for
afternoon weddings and similar GER
emOniOus occasions, but are made
wholly of this fabric or trimmed eiab-
Orately with it. Sometimes the prin-
cesse gown is of voile in a adelicate
shade Of gray, mauvre or blue and
topped by a satin coat of matching
hue. Or the g wn itself may be of
satin, accompanied by a semi-colored
dyed lace coat edged with satin
bands. But in the same class of cos
tunes are many of smoothly-finished,
silky-lOOking clothes which are ex-
ceedingly expensive and never initial
ed in second rate suits. These are
also trimmed with satin, showing in
the coat the trimming in the coarse
net, bolster bodice" as it is called,
or in the sash drapings.
While at the present writing there
are probably in this country less than
five hundred typically directoire cos
those having the
skirt Of modiste design-more of
them are being brought over daily by
returning pilgrims to Paris, and be-
fore long they will not be an unusual
sight in every city of Importance.
But it is safe to say that of all import |
ed costumes, none are so smart as
are those of all black in fine Eight !
weight satin-fnished broadcloth, worn
by certain we'll known women of New
YOrks ultra fashionable set on such |
exhibitions. These have
absolutely plain skirts that are gored |
and pointed-grained. Over them are
worn semi-fitting, shOrt-waisted, !
coats that are of even |
length about the bottom and slant
away from the bust line, where they |
partially close over a narrow waist |
coat. This is one of the French mod /
.fcations of the directoire mode which |
some modistes and tailors believe will |
obtain among the conservative Amer
lean women whose good taste forbids
them ever to adopt extremes of fash
on.
After all the changes that have of
late been rung on browns, khakis