The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-10

ward the requirements OF the
Grand Prx and even Of the Trouville-
Deauvile season.
In the world Of dress nothing IL per-
mitted to stand still. not even charm-
ing and absolutely satisfactory 'ligne."
1t IL the age of the quick change artist.
Women who believe themselves to be in
the movement do not dare to pause lest
some one should say Of them. Poor, old
fashioned dears." So far a. feminine
affairs are concerned. the present period
may be said to be one Of reckless stu
pidity.
"Change, change and yet again
change." may be taken as the war cry
OF smart women, and 1t Is cry which
has been put into their lips by unscru-
pulous and unintelligent dressmakers.
1t is not the really great dress artists
who advocate this system Of change at
all costs The real artists in gowns are
walking hand in hand with the great
artists in oils and water colors. and are
ceaselessly imploring women to realize
that they ought to regard dress as
frame for their beauty and that 1t is
necessary to guard against frames which
are merely eccentric IL not ridiculous.
Worth has set forth this sentiment
again and again. So has Nine. Paqun.
and so have many other genuine artists
in clothes But in this age of mad rush
the majority of women have not time
to listen TO such words. They rush to
and fro calling aloud for change and
yet again change. II Is thousand
pities.
Ny present protest is against those
blind and foolish persons who seem bent
on bringing about a change of "ligne'
where corsets are concerned. Now II ia
certain that at the present moment
fashion has provided an ideal corset
graceful. natural. comfortable and beau
tiful. The straight fronted corset of to-
day gives classic outline to the most
ordinary form, and it is equally success
full in connection with day and evening
gowns.
BY slow degrees fashions have ar.
rived at a stage when small waists rep
resent everything that is in bad taste.
when the hour glass waist Of twenty
years ago would be openly ridiculed.
But are the fashions going to stand
still 10 enable women to enjoy a perfect
moment? I fear not. Already there
are disconcerting indications of COM
plete change of ''ligne." Already the
dressmakers who live by constant.
often meaningless, changes of fashion
are putting forth models which will
sooner or later bring the pinched waist
back into fashion
For example, the 1850 style of dress
consists of a close fitting jersey bodice,
a pleated skirt and a Fatima sash cir
cling the hips. In the year 1850 this
style of dress was universally worn,
and doubtless It was very becoming to
the women of that period. But il must
be remembered that in 1850 straight
fronted corsets were hardly known and
that 10 inch waists were considered the
only possible.
have before me as l write an old
photograph of the famous English
dancer. Kate Vaughan. She was at
the height of her success in 1880 and in
the picture she Is wearing a skin tight
bodice, laced at the back, which ex-
tends we'll over the hips and is finished
off with a deep killed skirt and a satin
sash, the latter being drawn round the
hips and tied low down at one side. The
famous dancer was eXtraordinaril,
slight in figure; imagine that at that
time her waist could not have measured
more than seventeen inches at most
Her bones were small and she was very
graceful as well as pretty. ! have beer
told. on good authority, that it was
Kate Vaughan who first launched tn,
style of dress l have just described, anc
l can easily believe that this may bs
true. for It was eminently becoming t,
her.
But what are We going to do will
this 1880 style OF dress in this year o.
cred small and when no woman of fash
ion is ashamed Of confessing to a 3.
inch belt? 1t is Il preposterous idea
but it is one which will have to be faced
for without doubt the fashions of 1888,
and 1882 are becoming very popular
They are being pushed by certain dress
makers who are opposed to the meth
DDS recommended by Worth. Nine. Paq
uin and others. and they are beini
pushed to some purpose.
Already / have seen several impor
tant model costumes in which skin tigh
bodices made Of silk jersey cloth playe,
an important role; and this is only tn
beginning OF the end. Women viii
quickly find that jersey bodices lool
absurd when worn over natural corset
and little by little the process OF tigh
.acing will begin again. Unless a firm
Stand Is made women will find them
selves with 10 inch waists again befor
the year is out.
/ have been amused to see that II
some OF the London newspapers the.
are giving the polite name Of garter
petticoats' to the new lace pantalette
which have recently been introduces
into the world OF fashion In Paris
"Garter-petticoat" sounds quite simpl
los ptrin hal