Middletown transcript., 1918-05-11

two fashions. The wrapped skirt will
not be content to be limited to evening
usage; it wants to appear on the stree
in a modified measure. in cloth cos
| tunes.
| Already one hears IL said that tn,
coffee-bag skirt will not last through
the summer. 1t is not an admirable
model for thin materials, such as pom
| gee, extra fine serge, and the new
worsted that Is expensive but ultra
1ashionable-a kind of worsted tina
was invented in France, and has the
appearance of coarse-meshed thin An
CORA.
The plated skirt is a substitute fol-
this coffee-bag skirt, but unless it Is
done by machinery it is not acceptable
and women are not altogether enthu
siastic over the continuance Of straight
plating. They are willing to accept
it as an underskirt, fashioned after the
Alexandrian manner, to serve as q
mere foundation to a tunic of brilliant
lines, but they do not want to use it
for whole skirt. Therefore, the
chances are that the wrapped or
draped skirt will have its own way
and creep into the clothes that are
worn at 10 o'clock in the morning, as
we'll as dominating those that are worn
at night.
There is more distinction about one
wrapped skirt than the straight one.
but it is quite possible to make a
happy combination Of the two.
Compromise with the Tunic.
Judging from the multiplicity of
tunics that have sprung up into the
spring clothes, there is little doubt
that the ungarnished, plain, tight skirt
is deplored by the dressmakers.
This is true in America as we'll as
in France, and one makes that state
ment with a boastful feeling today, for
the American houses and designers
have done far-reacning and serious
work this year. They have taken a
stand that is important. What they
have devised in clothes is sufficiently
brilliant to give them hopes for the
future.
So when women realize that the
American as we'll as the French dress
makers have insisted upon tunics as
an offset to the straight narrow skirt
they see that this kind of drapery is
an accepted fashion. and they grasp at
it eagerly, if their figures are not at
their best in the limited amount of
straight material that the tailored suits
offer.
These tunics are diverse in shape,
coloring and ornamentation. They. like
sleeves, are produced in such variety
that they clamor for attention, and Of
fer to every woman a phase Of dress
that she alone can wear.
The Waistless Figure.
The garment which vies with the
draped tunic in Importance and artis-
tic merit is the corslet. but it can only
be worn by a slim woman. However.
there are many types of cOrslets. FASH
ion is kinder than nature this year.
There are wrinkled corslets of Chi
nese brocade which reach from the
chin to the hips, with one side cut
into a deep point and weighted by a
jade ring. from which hangs black
and gold Chinese tassel.
That is one type of corslet. OPP
posed to it is straight, wrinkled, low
wasted blouse of dark-blue satin,
which is carelessly drawn over the
hips by means of turned-up cuff run
with soutache. The sleeves are of satin
and branch well out over the hands,
where they are edged with soutache.
This is sensible corslet that may be
worn over any kind of skirt It is even
adapted to deep golden-brown chiffon
md the new wooden jersey in oyster
white.
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)