The Republican journal., 1914-05-14
Evolution Of Fashions.
Changes In Silhouette. Reign Of the Pet
ticoat. New Short Shirt.

ticoat. New Short Shirt.
Correspondence Of The Journal1
New YORK, May II. 1914. Each sea
son brings it's changes in modish outlines,
sometimes amounting only to minor, but
telling, notifications of prevailing styles.
Occasionally there is what seems like a
complete transformation, revolution,
yet careful study reveals that this seem.
ingly startling change has been creeping
in gradually, noted only by the few.
; Take skirts for instance. A short time
ago women were wearing a sheath SC
tight that walking, even with mincing
gait, was difficult, hence they were split
at the foot at front, sides or back. Then
the dancing mania seized everyone and
to permit graceful motion tightness at
the hips was replaced by easy fullness,
and the split at the foot increased to the
horror of conservatives. To modify
revelations not by any means uniformly,
attractive ruffles of chiffon and lace
were introduced, constituting becom-
ing screen where the skirt parted. These
fluffs were arranged in various ways,
some suspended from knickers and gar
tiers, but more draped on scant filmy
skirts. For these no garnitures were
too elaborate or fussy, and behold the
tabooed peticoat had come back to its
own, with more than its old prominence.
So dainty indeed were these that it SEEM
ed sartorial sin to cover them with the
outer skirt and the showing of thin
fluffy petticoat at the bottom of the
dress is now a notable feature of fussy
frocks,
LACEs AND CHIFFONS.
Most of the chiffon ruffles and lacey
trimmings seem to be deserving the
waist and lodging at the foot of the
skirt, where the very scant ruffled and
lace trimmed lower skirt hugs the ankles
closely, tbringing the foot into special
prominence, creating another insistent
demand for pretty hosiery and foot wear,
as if the need for smart foot dressing
were not already sufficiently emphasized
by prevailing skirt lines.
MoDIsH COMFORT.
Both short and long sleeves are fash
ionably endorsed, but when once warm
weather arrives, people lean naturally
toward things that are at once modish
and comfortable, SO short sleeves and
silk gloves are alike firmly established in
the field of fashion.
Whatever the length glove wanted it
is best to avoid bargain counter offerings
of uncertain weave and::no. special make,
which are pretty sure to fit badly and
look so poor that they quite spoil ones
whole appearance. A particularly good
looking new silk glove of reliable cut and
quality, which is beautifully finished, is
marked "Gloversilk, and is fast becom-
ing favorite with clever women who
are satisfied only with the best.
THE NEW SHORT SKIRT.
Short skirts, especially those that lap
over. cork-screw fashion, are newly
launched in Paris and will shortly be
seen here. These are not slit, and the
irregular line at the foot is a farcry
from the old ideal of hanging even all
around.'' One Of the smartest, develop
ed in the fashionable striped material,
and worn attractively with fiaring
short coat of plain material, cleared the
ground at front and sides by seven
inches, while the narrow. square cut,
pack panel touched the heels. Another !
skirt on simila lines had the bottom
finished with five large, shallow seal
lops, the middle one at the center back
marking the heel length, the front as
suming the upward dip, familiar in fussy
rocks, but arranged to run diagonally
toward the side, in the fashionable cork
screw line.