El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-15
COUNTESS MAKES 4
DEFENCE Of THE
HAREM SKIRT
Continued from previous page,

CONTINUED from previous page.)
few nights ago a resolution was passed
which was to be forwarded to the asso-
ciated chamber in London containing
the following extraordinary statements:
THAT the fancy and other textile trades
of this country are gravely injured by
the extravagant and grotesqUe vagaries
Of Paris fashion and it would conduce
to greater stability and diminished
losses in these trades if legitimate
leaders of English society were to set
the fashion for English women's
dresses instead of adopting those set
by irresp onsible persons IN Paris
would like to ask in W at way are
the fancy and other textile trades of
this country injured by the harem- skirt?
I confess to the crime of possessing one,
and so far may claim to be an author
ity on the subject 1t is made of
British cloth, it is trimmed with British
buttons, and has been made by a British
firm of dressmakerS. I deny the man
in the street to detect that it is a di-
vided skirt, as the legs are wide and
loose, and two panels which are but
toned half way down hide the division
1 can walk comfortably without being
material, and there is no dragging of
cloth to hamper my movements.
The Loss to the Trade.
or course anyone, even the most sim
pie, can see one loss to the trade. Less
material is used for this really grace
full and healthy garment; but. 1 should |
judge, not much less than that used !
for the skirt which was worn three !
years ago, and great deal more than /
h
of last year. which 1 acknowledge was /
both ugly and hampering to free move ,
ment But it had the advantage of |
being inches off the ground.
Now l should like to know why wo-
men should be obliged to go on wear
ing yards of unnecessary cloth in or
der to help the trade" when they
would prefer to be CARRIED in a health |
full hygienic garment which is pleas
ure to themselves ard the onlooker
The women who go to extremes and
wear a gathered up bag around the
ankles, like the picture We have Of
Morleena Fenwig's extremities will be
mobbed, and the ugliness of the gar
ment calls for punishment But it's
very hideOusness will destroy this type
and the panel-hiding dividing skirt
viii be the one most universally adopt
I'd and worn.
None Of the designs for evening wear
that I have seen are either beautiful
Dr. necessary. One does not want to
stride about a house and the huge,
clumsy rifles of satin, which the de-
signs show gathered round the ankle,
only serve to make large feet look
bigger, and disfigure, small ones. am
sure it would be quite easy to have
| drapery flowing and graceful to COW
er the divided skirt, possessing the
necessary number of yards to satisfy
he demands Of the trade" and so
'eheve their minds from the burden
IF the dread Of the disaster from
which they are now suffering But
nan-like they rush into extremes
through fright, and perhaps this com
nonsense statement may help to as
iure them that this new change in
dress is not "extravagant,"
tut of a Sensible nature, and what the
trade loses in yards Will be made
lp to the nation in the improved health
4 its womankind, which Will mean
happier state of things all round.
OF one thing I am assured-that the
larem skirt has come to stay and that
t will prove one Of the factors in the
Of women, which is the
ecret Of its interest for me-