Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-03-02
Fashion Seems to Hesitate Be-
tween the Directoire Period
and the Panel Skirt.
TUNIC MAY BE DISCARDED
Would Naturally Be in Conflict With
the Directoire Effect-coIIar Not
Much in Evidence-Apparel
for the Street-Wide Va
riety In Belts.

New York.-There are conflicting ru-
mOrs coming from France, each of
which has a set of American experts
to accept ii. One rumor is that the
directoire period will come back for
spring, followed by the first-empire
fashions for summer. Another rumor
Is that the jupe tonneau, or barrel
skirt, which Cabot put out a year ago
and which we wore ten years before
that, is to be revived.
To guess which of these two
prophecies will come true is as futile
as guessing what is to be the out
come of the great war. 1t is quite
probable that the directOire will be
greeted with a bit more enthusiasm
by Americans than the barrel skirt
There is nothing new about the lat
ter. 1t provides the same extended
circumference between the hips and
knees that we got so familiar with
last winter, and its only claim to
departure from the commonplace is
Its narrow hem.
1t may be that the introduction of
this barrel skirt as a forerunner of
the spring openings is really to
emphasize the determination of the
French designers to make the skirts
longer and much narrower at the
hem. 1t will also be remembered in
connection with this fashion that
there is certain type of directoire
skirt which is high-waisted, has folds
that fall outward at the hips to in
crease the circumference there, and
then shapes downward to the very
ankles, where IT is so narrow that
the wearer can scarcely walk.
First-Empire Skirt.
Four years ago this skirt was
for the evening by a few
smart designers and was called
first-empire skirt. Mark you, there
is grace about such a skirt. and not
the ugliness which the stiff barrel
exploits. If we are to wear narrow
skirts, and everything points toward
eN'N A"N-s 'htii II DtlleT 10
have the kind Of skirt known as the
first-empire. This has plaits at the
high waist line. which. in their down.
ward sweep, keep the material of the
skirt from girding in the figure at
the end of the cOrsets across the back,
which provides one of the ugliest
ines known in the history of dress.
Such skirt is admirably por-
rayed in that wonderful picture by |
Luloaga of Mile. Marcelle Souty,
which is on exhibition in America
md which has been widely copied
md printed throughout this continent.
The barrel skirt as 1t is seen in its
PRESENT form. arriving from the house
It Cabot and a few of her imitators.
las little to recommend it; If ii Is
merely an indication of something else
o come, shadow that foretells the
oosening of the waist line and the
tightening of the ankle line. then it
hould be gladly greeted. There are
ew women who look well in extra
ull skirts, especially when their full
ess is added to by vague and useless
rapery, by horizontal bands Of orna-
1entation and by taffeta petticoats
hat hold the hens far away from the
nkle and display the feet in an ugly
lanner.
Will the Tunic Go Out?
Even the best advices from Paris
iifer as TO whether or not the che
Use, or twelfth-century, tunic will
entirely ousted by the new spring
ishions. Surely, one cannot be
ledieval and later directoire at the
lme time, but fashion can keep both
-yles going as it did Victorianism
nd Louis Quinze. There are enough :
omen to dress one way or the other, '
nd 1t is relief to the reporter, the ;
rtist and the dressmaker when the
hole world does not take I'D one I
lhOuetted. one fabric and one style I
OrnamentatiOn. 5
The Understanding Organdy collars !
it'll which the continent was flooded &
st summer and autumn, have not
lily given way to other things, but the J
Nv line which is being accepted more I
every day, threatens to re- {
I'VE all garments of collars. Young /
omen are wearing their new coats {
it'll only neckband, slightly elongat-
at the shoulders and finished with
Egyptian or Peruvian design In silk
'ss or bullion threads.
Street Apparel. r
Regarding street apparel, it may be a
lie that the One-piece sandwich n
wn will become second-in choice
others. but 1t is more than prob C
lie that the shortened tunic made V
satin and embroidered in a primi- r.
re design that could easily be used C