Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-07
Of Interest TO Women
FRANCE INSISTS UPON TROUSERED SKIRT,
BY ANNE R1TTENHoUsE.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
NEW YORK, June 6.-Skirts that
tuck under at the hem. skirts that are
pulled in by an elastic to narrow
width and skirts that are gathered INTO
ornamental CATERS are offered now and
then to a cold and incredulous public.
There are individuals. however. VINO
| show no GOODNESS toward these trous-
cred skirts. On the contrary. they take
them up in any form which the French
designers OFFER with glow OF en-
thusiasm that shows they know how to
wear them.
Every one cannot carry Off with great
charm the kind of skirt which certain
house here for her own particular use.
This is draped ! a Turco-Franco style
of white crepe lie chine which has
bit of jet about The upper part OF 1t.
the skirt gathered. into tight-ftting, jet
puttees. These Ell at the ankles. and
below them are white silk stockings
and high-heeled black satin slippers
with jet buckles.
This is a fantastic idea of continuing
the skirt into some sort of tight leg
gings. and the credit for 1t should be
given to that amazing French designer.
Erie. who was with Paul Poiret for
several years and who assisted him in
the designs for theatrical costumery.
Skirt and Caters Together.
The young Frenchman's designing is
looked upon askance by a great ma
5ority of conservative folk who do not
appreciate the fact that an idea ex-
travagant1y exploited makes its impress
sion in the way intended and finally
sits through the channels Of artistic
dressmaking into a settled, acceptable
fashion.
All really brilliant ideas in clothes
have begun in the way that Erie does.
and his master, Paul Poiret, gained his
entire success through this method.
Erie conceived the idea OF cutting a
white cloth skirt SO that it dropped
down on the legs into tight-fitting
CATERS and fastened up the side with
a row Of white bone buttons. The effect,
as you may we'll imagine. was that Of
the uniform of the zouave soldiers.
our civil war by a brigade Of ferocious
lighters known as Billy Wilson's
zouaves. Needless to say. Erie got his
suggestion from. nearer the source than
the civil war fighters.
The interesting part Of this effort
OF his. which at the time was derided
with mockery and contempt, is that
the costume is now being demanded for
ambulance service in this country and
who are going into the supply service
after they have been graduated from
the automobile schools.
1t Is thoroughly believed by most OF
the experts in dress that the same effect
of trousered skirt will be the fashion
outcome of this war; and that in itself
opens up a whole new chapter Of dress
which may go into the history Of this
tremendous battling.
Trousers That Are Modest.
The desire Of women for something
that holds in the fullness Of a skirt
does not come from vanity or even
from modesty. It comes from the
desire to be comfortable. AS the world
advances, as the great war sweeps over
the planet and engulfs every individual
who breathes, women are taking their
places in all the segments Of the ac-
tivities which it produces. This Is not
new note in history. We think we
are revolutionized and that we are
essentially different from everything
that has gone before. but one can go
back to the women of ancient nations
and see how they fought and worked
and often died during the great wars
of their country. Don't you remember
the old, historical story Of tho women