The Washington herald., 1912-03-13
SPRING FASHIONS
AS SEEN In PARIS
short-waisted Frock No Longer to
Hold First Place.

II seems fairly certain that one may
choose between low-cut neck and high
stock. or between long sleeve and short
sleeve. according to ones preference. The
short sleeve Is as much in evidence as
ever on the Riviera and Southern models,
and moreover is as often a kimono sleeve
as a set in sleeve, although the latter
has gained ground during the winter.
The simpler morning frocks and blouses
ere very often made with long sleeves.
but the dressier models are chiefly short,
and with the coming OF hot weather even
the simplest of morning frocks will be
very likely TO have abbreviated sleeves.
Coat sleeves in the more severe tailor
models are of course long. bu. more
dressy mo1els often show a three-quar-
I ter sleeve. Short cutaway coat lines are
not for every figure. but where the hips
are small enough they are becoming. and
there seems no doubt that they are to be
mcdish. Waist lines slightly raised have
not disappeared from the fashionable
coats, though they are not so general as
they were, and though one hears insist
ent reports Of a more pronounced waist
curve, a majority of the new models look
as straight as ever.
The full skirt, OF which there has been
so much talk, is not yet to be taken
seriously. although two of the great
French dressmakers have launched models
exploiting this detail in rather amazing
form. Stronger pressure may be brought
to bear later when the spring openings
occur. for the manufacturers are insist
ent in their protests against the narrow
skirts and small dress patterns, but so
far the innovation shows only In the
slight ring over the hips which charac-
terizes a good many of the new models.
the front and back being left plain. This
arrangement Is becoming only where the
figure Is modisly .hipless and the waist
large.
Significant Change.
The high-waisted skirt has. so II IS
said. had its day and the short-waIsted
frock. while not demode, is no longer to
hold first place. A normal waistline. and
that line very frequently belted, is prom
inent in q majority OF the best-Iooking
summer winter models from the most au-
thoritative sources. and no one who Is
accustomed TO studying fashion currents
can miss the significance Of this change.
Often the waistline Is defined only by a
narrow belt Of the frock material. but
with the passing OF the high-waisted
suit skirt and the falling OF the frock
waistline separate belts are fairly sure
20 have another inning. With a belted
skirt Of normal height separate blouses
ana tnlrt "dlsts "Oulu DC at their best
once more
The flower hat. the tuIle hat, and the
rilk hat are always in evidence when the
first spring millinery is shown, and these
models are bought not only by women
going South for February and March,
but by stay-at-homes as we'll The hats
in these materials AFFORD a pleasant change
from winter hats, yet are not, like the
straw models, too incongruous in a
Northern January setting. Even II one
Is going South for a short holiday, hat
Of one of these types may be a better
investment than straw model since Il
Is sure % be appropriate and seryiceable
should one come back into March or
April storm and cold.
The tulle hats OF the moment are
chiefly in black and white and are more
often combinations OF tulle and silk than
creations entirely of tuIle. There are
small toques of black charmeuse benga-
line. or tsffeta swathed in great rouleaux
OF white tulle over black tulle. with big
bows Of the white tulIe over black tuIle
for trimming, big low-crowned, wide
brim shapes OF black silk trimmed I'm
similar fashion, and shapes built up en-
tirely Of the tulle in black and white
layers, with the black and white trim
ming. Some OF these models are OF a
character 10 which one must apply that
much-abused word 'chic," but on the
whole they are not becoming nor are
they especially attractive.