Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-27

EAR in and year out, season
after season, the conflict contin-
ues on the subject of the advisa-
bility of the short skirt or the long
skirt for street wear. AT one time
all odds are in favor of the prac-
teal short skirt, in which one can go
about with so much comfort; at another a
universal vote is obtained in favor of the
long skirt, with its graceful and becoming
lines, and in which it must be admitted
by even the most violently opposed that a
woman looks her best. But there are in
dividuals of note we'll learned i'll the arts
and crafts of dress, who do not hesitate
to say that little by little the short skirt is
gaining for itself so firm place in the
modern outfit that it will ere long be re-
garded as absolutely Indispensable not
only to comfort, but to style.
Country life has had great deal to do
with the popularity of the short skirt, for
it has long since been conceded that a
long skirt in the country is not only not
practical. but, worse still, "bad style;''
and the woman who does not own a
country place of her own and is merely n
guest at house parties no longer finds 1t
advisable to be appropriately, even If
becomingly, gowned in long, trailing
skirts. Then it is fashionable to take
some account of physical exercise every
day. Walking is part of the fashionable
routine, and women pay no end of atten-
ton to having their walking gowns smart
and becoming. They have demanded of
their dressmakers smart short skirts, and
consequently this season even those dress
makers who have been loudest in their
championship of the long skirts have
found it imperative TO bestOw time and
skill upon turning out the smartest and
most original t-reet costumes.
SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL STYLES.
For the morning the simpler and more
practical styles are the smartest, and
while the braiding and trimming so pop
ular this season are to be noticed on
even the plainest costumes, much more
depends upon the perfection of cut and
fit and the choice of material than upon
any elaborate or ornate finish. Plain
cloths, especially those in the lighter
shades of color, are not considered nearly
SO smart or desirable as the rougher
mixtures in the darker colorings. Serge
and cheviot of all kinds and design are
very smart, and there is an unusual va
rety of choice in weave and patterns III
both fabrics. There are many weaves of
serge that are fashionable, while blue
serge, generally relegated to summer
wear, is in unusual demand for not only
the skirt and coat costume, but the three
piece costume-coat, skirt and waist.
Black braiding is considered smart with
blue serge, and all widths Of braid are
used, the narrowest soutache and also
the inch wide fancy braid with glossy
finish edged on either side with the mar
row soutache. Many different effects are
obtained by the use of these different
widths of braid, and it is not at all neces-
sary TO use lot of it in order to obtain
good results In fact, it is difficult to OBJ
tain a good effect with an elaborate de-
sign of soutache braiding on serge if the
serge is of the larger weave or cord. The
plain cloth of lighter shade shows off
The braiding far better, and IS IN conse-
uuence used on collars. cuffs, taeings
and waistcoat.
There would seem to be an uncertainty
as to the smartest model for the short
skirt. The sheath skirt is not under any