Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-18
Anent the
"Fobble" Skirt.

| "Fobble" Skirt.
| 4 STYLE on'y recently seen on Wash
| ~ ;ngton streets and accompanied by
q = tn. comments which invariably
greet any startling departures Of femi-
nine attire is the "hobble skirt" OF all
extraordinary invent ons Of the French
ateliers 1t seems about the most appro-
priately named. suggesting as 1t does not
only the ga the wearer must assume in
| order not to step Internationally forth
beyond the bounds Of its narrow two-yard
confines, but the ''hobbled appearance Of
The garment itself, curving out at the top
and precisely following the outlines Of
| restricted horse whose left fore and right
hind foot have been drawn slightly under
and toward each other and tied with q
| rope.
| In the case Of this new fashion. over
which fat women are wailing and very
thin ones looking uneasy. tie rope be-
comes wide band Of velvet or ribbon or
section Of beading. but all the same the
impression Of a FESTIVE horse In subjec-
| ton remains And from observations
taken on various street corners during the
past several days a woman thus arrayed
has just about as much chance Of climb
ing into street cars and SIX piping cutters
| as that equine has Of safely reaching the
| c. veted next field.
The poet who sang Of "a 8 ass Of fash
! ion" must surely have anticipated this
dernier cri from the Seine for now, at
last. the egg boiling smile is complete.
Out over the shoulders, In at the wa st
and out over the hips has gone the con-
| tour map of the smartly gowned feminin-
lty fer which Washington Is noted: but
now one san add 'aad in again at the
hour glass-beautiful in repose. but, We
gUds, In acton!
| Down where the Lincoln Park rs turn
from F street into 5th and cars from the
| Union station swing westward, a young
woman. evidently just from the metro o-
lis and arrayed In al that 1t had to offer
| by way Of new fall toys. stood yesterday.
plus handbag, parasol, peach basket hat
| and 'hobbla" skirt She was fair to look
| upon ard she knew 1t IS well the
sw.tchman who almost forgot to do his
duty In the rapt surpr Sc OF gazing upon
such up-to- dateness. All thu other women
about-and there were severat-whispered
mental passes such as disturbed the at
mosphere Of the barnyard when the ex-
auis te hem pheasant OF Chantecleer APP
peared. so that the proud owner of the
fine raiment knew she had made MT;
Along came the Lincoln Park car, in,
which she desired to ride. The human
hens Of dull lumage climbed aboard; so
did several ogling men.
Not SO the hobble de hoy lady!
Twice she endeavored to put one foot
On the swinging board Of this specially
elevated car while The other should re-
main on the street. and just as many
times an Gnerring something warned her
rat thus to do meant calm ty. Her face
Redeemed, the other women cackied, the
conductor swore and, finally, SIZE r.luc-
family stepped back and @ jerky con-
temptuous two bells split the morning
air.
IN 14th street where the Trailer sex OF
Washington have gradually found II
pleasant to indulge In the games women
Of other C ties long have enjoyed and 1t
toilets and shirt waists. opera clcaks
and motoring wraps in 5ux'aposttion
there. But one evening during the past
week several especially smart young
women arrived In party tt at Included q
and they intended to bowl and every.
| Lody was made aware OF the fact until
I; they got chance to bowl.
| Then, they found that 1t was q physical
| mpossibiiity for at least one-half the
group to bowl. for that half was SO per-
fectly and completely ''hobbled" that to
get down to the proper level for rolling q
tall without permanently injuring the
alley was-weli. the girls decided It was
| too warm to bowl anyway" and that
| they preferred to look on. But two young
men who had been ousted to make way
| for this more desirable party laughed In
| a very mean, rude way.
| Women have returned from the sea-
| shore with narrowing stories OF how
hey foolishly invested in ''hobble" bath
| ing suits. and went into the water only
to look Ike human balloons. and to feel
| like bags Of meal-with their feet ham
~ too much space where said space was
least required. But the worst Is not
yet.
Already one or two dancing classes
haye arted up. and the very younger
members OF certain sets have begun to
attend impromptu hors at the boat clubs.
and Into each and all Of them the "hobbie"
| skirt has thrust is insid Gus presence
So many Of them were worn by girls VINO
preferred to be temporary wall flowers.
and yet In style. than to enjoy the popu-
lar ty of splitting dances that the orches-
| ira blared out it's helter-skelter tW'o-steps
| for the benefit of only occasional couples.
who felt it Is indeed IAN II, wind" ETC..
! One of the funniest sights Is to see the
women in representative stores walking
| round and round the models, disclaiming
| and protesting, and buying.
81 wouldn't wear one Of those things
! for anything In the world: they are hide
| ous!''
| ''But. didn't you read where Mrs. Alfred
Vanderbilt wore one In her aeroplane
! fisht?" queries the willy saleswoman.
! who dons one In the shop. but would have
to send In a riot call for the police If
, SIZE ventured within the precincts Of her
, own me dest home thus attired. That Gre
| ates interest and the hobbie" Is marked
! up as sold.
! Among the many "orieins" being select
ed for this two yards Of Inconvenience
g that Of being invented for ladies who
| insist on seeking the upper ether. Skirts
fiared upward and bothered the female
pioneers to this sport SO nightly that
they demanded ta:lors give them a remedy.
The ''hobble" skirt Is It. and while there
ne men cruel enough to say that the cure