The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-09-25
!. NEW YORK FASHION LETTER
, BY Catherine Mann-PayZant.


NEW YORK, Sept. ga complete
revolution is going on in the figure sill
houette Of today. Long lines are the
persistent, inSiStent, command or the
arbitar of fashion. Broad shoulders,
slender waist and curved hips-all
these are done away with and the new
Empire figure is a straight up and
down affair. The idea is skirt begin
ming some inches above the usual
waist line, swinging loose from on
down with no fulneSs about the hips,
and lying around the feet extended
into a train. The word figure is out OF
place with such a picture
The greatest changes are seen in
the new skirts, far more than in any
other part OF the costume. The sheath
skirt in it's entirety will not become
over popular because of its discomfort,
but it's effect is very apparent in all
the new models. which calls for care
full fitting and clever draping with
those materials that especially lend
themselves to such lines.
But this new skirt is distinctly a
house dress, as it's length makes 1t
most impracticable for walking or trav-
cling. Short skirts are still in vogue
for outdoor wear, and while one sees
less and less of the plated models, the
circular and gOred types are very pop
ular and the underskirt of silk or satin
prevents that clinging in about the
ankles which characterizes the tunic
and sheath modes.
In the tunic skirts the sheath like
effect is often kept by having the
dr.
front; for those who prefer slight
fulness across the 'front.' the tunic is
finished on one side In some models
the tunic is caught UP above the hip
and cut away from a point above the
knees; in others the point comes just
! in front, while the center of the back
is again chosen as the proper place for
| the drapery and pointed effects, and
this must be decided by the require
| ments of the figure.
| The sheath skirt is a rather plain
affair, in many instances there is moth
| ing more than q long pane, of rich con-
trasting goods or embroidery or lace.
| On the other hand the pure tunic
model has a goodly amount of decora-
! ton, especially is this true of the un-
derskirt where the tunic is cut away,
Or the tunic itself is decorated with a
panel Or band of filet, or fold of panne
velvet, or gathered ribbon. Embroid-
cred filet may border the tunic, or the
whole overskirt may be of filet.
Nothing adapts itself more rapidly
to the use of two materials than the
tunic modes which are often very clev-
erly worked out The under sheath
like skirt will be of cloth and the over
skirt with inlaid panels of embroid-
cry or insets of lace. Some of the lace
and embroidery designs are marvels of
ingenuity and clever handling.
The thin wash materials are we'll
adapted to the tunic skirt and the
palmer sheath skirt needs more body
and linen or duck is the most suitable
wash material. The rapahs, pongees
and tussors work up we'll in these
| skirts which really seem to need a
richer line of goods than the wash fab
RIGS.
A design for tunic skirt has
points both back and front, which is
| possibly the most becoming style Of
| the various models shown of this type
| The most graceful effects are obtained
by the use of very supply silk voiles
nets and silks for the tunic drapery,
and self embroidered brown wolfe was
used in this instance with embroidered
bands for trimming. Some of the best
! results are gained when the drapery
falls over carefully gored skirt and
In this case the seven gored skirt was
used closely fitted at the top with a
slight flare at the top and a half train.
The OyerSkirt is pointed both hack and
! front and comes to within six inches
of the bottom; the sides were cut
rounding and well up to the hips where
the back apparently buttoned over the
fronts with embroidered buttons and
simulated buttonholes. The bodice was
draped over a French lining and the
width of the girdle was regulated by
the length Of the waist. To a shallow
band yoke cut low in the neck, is gath
cred the outer material and the sleeves
are mere bands passing under the arms
and over the shoulder. With this is