Williston graphic., 1916-08-24
The Skirt And
Coat Situation

OOVO JAOVSAVAOAA
The fashion editor of the Woman's
Home Companion says in the Septem-
"Let me tell you of the skirt situa-
ton. The hip fullness has surely
started on a downward course. Pla1t-
ed effects are the style. Plalts are
introduced to give the straighter 1lg-
ure line, but without cutting out any
of the fullness at the skirt edge.
"I assure you, however, there is
nothing monotonous about the new
plaited skirts. There are loose plaits,
dressed plaits, side plaits, and wide
and narrow box plaits. Some OF these
skirts are made with yokes, and then
again the plated effect is often
broken with panel.
"Plaited plaid skirts will be worn
with tailored jackets Of plain cloth,
while velvet Jackets will be worn
with skirts of satin or broadcloth.
"The skirt with the high waist
line is here. You know | said there
was tendency toward Empire styles.
,"Paris-to be particular, the house
of Martial ct Armand--has intro
duced skirt with wide, straight
front breadth mounted up to the cor
sage onto a three-inch belt which hts
the waist closely. To the lower, edge
of this belt, the material is gathered
over q thick cord, and then hangs per-
fecsly straight. There are straight
side breadths, and a wide back
breadth in which the closing is con-
cealed."
"The skirt has surely gone up as
high as it's going to, and now 1T IS
coming down. The shoemakers know
it, and it is matter Of business with
them to know, too. They have taken
about two inches off the tops of the
new fall shoes. This new skirt is not
coming way down, however. 1t will
stop about at the ankles. The ten
dency, too, is toward straight and
narrow lines. But it will be a long
way from the hobble. Women having
been hobbled once are not likely to be
hobbled again. That's where the de-
lights of freedom come in. BY the
way, Callot of Paris was among the
first of the sponsors for this longer
skirt.
"The pert, faring and bouffant
skirt will still be worn; but it has lost
it's novelty, and that was the best
part of it. Lots Of women, however,
thought it's youthfulness the best
part. They claimed that you couldn't
tell the grandmother from the grand
daughter, when viewed from behind,
by wearing it. But you see the grand.
daughter doesn't care about this: It
new style seems more attractive,
and the poor grandmother must sub
init. It does seem as though youth
and fashion, are always in league,
quite forgetting that middle age and
old age have aspirations about being
tastefully clothed.
"Coats are conspicuously showing
the descending line. Autumn suit
coats will vary in length from twen-
ty-eight to thirty-eight inches, thirty
four inches being the most popular
length; while forty-eight inches is a
good length for the separate coat.
"Plaits and panels are featured.
The flare is not as prominent as in
the spring models. This does not
mean that they are not wide at the
bottom, for they are. The separate
coats, especially, show sweep at the
hem Some have the upper portion
made with fitted lines, others hang
loose from the shoulders.
"Plush. velour. panecla-which is
the short nap French velvet-and
imitation fur fabrics are all good ma
terials for these coats. The leading
novelty in these limitations is Rodier's
ederella, a close imitation of Persian
lamb.
"These suit coats and separate
coats alike rely upon their collars and
cuffs for their novelty note, and | !
assure you they have not relied in
vain. The cape collar, about the only
real military note in the new fashions,
and the high wrinkled crush collars,
are the leaders. They both have the
big clumsy look in con1mon-it is re-
garded as their chief style note. Some
of these collars may be worn two
ways, buttoned up close about the
neck, or laid out fiat in cape style.
"Many Of the separate coats have
kimono sleeves, often so stitched that
they have a raglan effect. The full
leg O. mutton style is seen, too, made
with deep flaring cuffs.
"Suit coats are not showing many
long shouldered effects. The armhole
is generally the regular size. The
sleeve most favored is the regulation
coat sleeve with nothing new or un-
usual about it until the cue is reach
ed. Then comes the novelty. Very
deep cuffs are worn, fur and button:
trimmed. Big, flaring, inverted bell
cuffs are fashionable, lined with a con-
trasting, often gay color. These are
cuffs that swing out from the sleeve
and appear to be just broad band
caught together and to the sleeve
with big button and buttonhole, in
fact. there is no end to the cuff
novelties.