The Detroit times., 1908-11-30

ure has been over generous In the mat
ter OF hips and your physical culture
teacher has not yet been successful
In subduing them. to eschew the habit
back skirt. On a slim. up-and-down
figure nothing Is more charming, but
on any one inclining to stoutness-
you see how delicately | put IT, don't
you? 1T Is, to say the least. not be-
coming.
American women long ago decided
never to be parted from their COM
Portable walking skirts, cut To clear
the ground. | am sure that this year
their resolutions were shaken. TX they
were ever going TO be. for the French
designers persistently sent out models.
so-called street suits, with gracefully
trailing skirts Then did the adapters
OF fashion on this side find IL wise To
get busy" and chop OF those graceful
trains, for the American woman would
have none of them. But II took more
than one struggle to stick TO the reso-
luton, for graceful beyond question
are these long skirts, and absolutely
in keeping with the long lines Of the
fashionable coats.
Only In the most strictly tailored
suits for morning wear will the woman
with any pretensions 10 smartness
have a shortcut skirt. and then II must
barely escape the ground. Ankle
length skirts are now In the worst pos
sible taste. With suits for every occa.
sion but walking. for driving. teaing
or calling, skirts sweeping the ground
will be the thing. In long. scant lines
they hang, obviously without under
skirts. In walking length skirts the
box cut is the latest and most fash
Iona BILE. II hugs the figure tightly al
most 20 the knees and Is extremely
narrow around the hem. Plated
skirts, although a few are still being
worn. are fast going out. And /, for
one. breathe a sigh OF relief. Pleats
that stay In are all very well. bur
pleats that are always coming out are
an abomination.
The untrimmed gored skirt. perfect
ly cut and hung, with perhaps a bias
fold Of the material directly at the
foot, Is a good model In a walking
skirt and one you would be safe to
choose. 1t may have the perfectly
fiat back and open on a side seam In
front, or have an inverted plait and
opening in the back. But not an inch
OF unnecessary material must there
be.
The appalling split" skirt has done
the disappearing act with great sue
cess, and all that remains to remind
us of its brief and meteoric career
is an occasional skirt buttoned up the
side. few buttons left undone to-
ward the hem Below this Is thick
and modest underskirt, which Is In
deed part Of the skirt itself. Rarely
IL Is OF contrasting color.
Afternoon and evening gowns have
skirts of almost iNdescribable deeignG.
so quaint and fanciful are they. With
panels and overskirts. long, sweeping
draperies and stole.like hangings,
caught up with flowers tied In with
ribbons. bound about with sashes and
weighted with gold and Oriental en-
broideries, 1t is difficult to give a pen
picture Of them. That they are the
last word in feminine charm OF dress
any one with the eye artistic must ad'
NIT. Alas, that not always Is the form
within suited to live such environ
ments. Only one figure had the de-
signers in mind when they evolved the
triumphs OF this season, and that the
slightest AMI most svelte. However,