Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-16

long skirt when out on-the street
Then think what dirty. unpleasant thina
the skirt Is. When | remember the cough,
and colds | have developed from the cling
Ing OF wet and soggy draperies feel like
writing moving picture film showing the
evils OF the skirt. When | recall the many
times have caught my heel in hem and
nave stumbled and tripped feel quite con.
'inced that the skirt is responsible for the
increasing profanity among women.
Even in the house. in ordinary house
work. the skirt Is an impeachment The
WEAKNESS and headaches OF many house
wives are due to the righteousness OF work.
Ing In skirts. They could work 30 much
more expeditiousy in trousers
revolution in women's wear after Tn,
war is certain. Women have enthusiast.
cally embraced every opportunity they have
had to get away from skirts, and for years
have eliminated a bit here and bit there
from the swathings In which. because OF
mems attitude. they concealed themselves
DO we stand then, with the new freedom
and change OF feelings upon an era OF
trousered women? Many believe so In.
deed many affirm that as women more and
more enter into industrial and commercial!
competition with men they will adopt mana
sombre style Of dress.
In this do not entirely agree Women
viii unquestionably adopt more unitarian
garb for unitarian work. Perhaps It will
be in the way OF smock and breeches But
when her work is done, in search for con.
trast. with the desire TO attract and please
woman will blossom out even more COR.
geously than before.
After the war women Will dress more
rarishingly than ever IN the hours OF her
social life. There will be a golden era OF
fashions. II women. use trousers in the
mi aft tha
toonist's conception in blue, scarlet or pink
replicas OF mems evening clothes, In swal
low-tail coats with bands OF insertion over
the shoulders and lace lounces down the
trouSer legs.
Women will wear clothes designed to
suit their own lines. They will try more
than ever to express themselves charmingly.
Never. never will they appear as grotesQue
caricatures OF men, They will wear trous-
ers. perhaps-but trousers more like those
worn by Oriental women. OF exquisite fab.
rics with marvellous combinations OF colors
What may happen We can see prefgured
In the paintings OF Bakst. For some time
Paul Poiret. the great creator of fashions.
has advocated garments OF this kind. and
indeed several American society women
have already adopted them.
Having attained position OF economic
independence, working with men In indus.
trial pursuits and professions, women will
be able TO dress as they please. They Will
be free OF the tyranny OF the skirt. But
whatever they wear We may depend on Its
being beautiful in form and elaborate and
sum ptuous in color.
Nor will the working woman In trousers
ever meet with dsrespect. No more. in
deed. than the wise nurses In Serbia who,
for sanitary purposes. have discarded the
costume Of the dove-necked nurse OF 70.
nance Indeed, men will appreciate the
wisdom OF more unitarian and sanitary
garb for women as they work during tho
day. l can imagine that even within a few
years John Smith. out to dinner at o ros.
taurant with his wife. will turn to his
spouse and say:
Look. Mary. at that woman over there
It the third table TO the right wearing
skirt! Don't let me ever catch you doing
t. How immodest and unteminlne!"