The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-02-27
FASHIONS EDICT
by Margaret Mason

Concealed beneath the chemise frock,
So straight Of line and side
All, would that all ones surplus chine
Could thus so smartly hide.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-It is indeed
fitting in this period of excessively !
costly living that there should be no
waste but not quite so fitting that there /
should be no waist. In truth you could !
hardly call it fitting at all the way the
new frocks and suits hang straight and
severe Of line with no hint or dent of |
curve or gentle intake.
We have had hips, my dear and hoops
my dear, but now nothing but straight
long lines will do. It's certainly go
ing to be lumpy going for pudgy per-
sons.
With their clinging ways coat dress
es and chemise frocks tried awfuNy
hard to get around us all this winter
but while the many fell for their
straight lines straight away a few of
us still held out for and on to our SEM
blance of a waist line. However this
Spring and summer we must all capitu-
late and kiss our waists goodbye. That
is Of course if we are equal to such an
alphabetically agile stunt.
Girdles and sash effects are omnipres-
ent on all these straight line garments
but you mustn It care to pull them in a
bit to break the rigid outline Of your
Silhouette Indeed it would seem that
Dame Fashion were striving to emulate
Puck, that saucy sprite Of Midsummer
Nights Dream in his famous boast
in forty minutes.' For she has GER
tainly put girdle around at least the
feminine portion of the earth in less
time than that.
Most Of the girdles are fiat bands of
the same material as the suit or gown
that Imply cling around the spot
where one s waist ought to be, without
giving away it's location by any undue
pressure. Some Of them are elaborate
ly embroidered on the ends and almost
to girdle are finished with tassel or
two.
There's mad taste for tassels too
and they dangle from pockets, collars,
cuffs, and most every available spot.
Pockets aren't the favorites they
once were and are found on very few
Of the newest gowns. Possibly be-
cause they break the slim contour Of
| the straight line and in order to accen-
tuate that same straight line the skirts
are all forgetting their shortcomings
Of the last few seasons and decorously
sinking anklewards.
Henceforth you may be short of
breath, short of cash and short Of stat
ure but never short of skirt it,
not much above the ankles. And since
our conversation has reached the ankle
| level it is not altogether footless to re
mark on the new Spring foot gear. At
last after chic Parisians, smart London
ers and Frenchy Argentine beauties
| have worn the short vamped, snub-
nosed high heeled Paris shoes and slip
pers for two hole seasons they are not
at our tagging feet. Whether we will
kick up much fuss about being shod
in these long -theyare- broad effects
| is yet to be seen. Truly after the long,
long vamps Of the long, long winter our
pedal extremities are to be driven to
| extremes it seems. Tootsies really look
much timer in these new French foot
| fashions if you don It mind looking a
bit as if you had club feet. Up-to-
date I haven It glimpsed any on a real
American foot but there are lots on
hand in the smartest Fifth Avenue
| shops.
Buttoned, laced, strapped and in al
colors Of suede kid, silk, satin and pat
ent leather they are like the shoes OF
another season save for the abrupt diff
ference Of absolutely round stub toes
where heretofore our vamps were a:
long and pointed as wifely curtaine6
lecture.
Since Fashion has put her foot dowr
in short vamps on long vamps however
it looks as if there would be nothing
for us to do but toe the mark in thes'
round toed boots. Verify the footprint
| on the sands Of summer time are bount
to look bit blunt to say the least.