The New York herald., 1921-03-06

a heavy border made of cut yarn.
short time in the sometimes cramped
quarters Of country club dressing
room. in bath house Of a watering
place.
Imagine Queen Elizabeth or any Of
her ladies. slipping out of her long
stomacher, vardingale and ruff and slip
ping into her riding habit in the time
that 1t took her groom to have her horse
saddled and then imagine her getting
back again into conventional day dress
in the time that ii takes to have tea pre-
pared
These are two essentials of the sum-
mer clothes of the woman Of to-day
They must be suited for outdoors.
There must be no trailing skirts to be
dragged in the dust. no enormous bouf-
fancy that would make the close quar-
ters Of a well filled motor car uncom-
Portable, nothing too delicate or too
fragile to withstand sun and modicum
of dampness.
Undoubtedly the thing that went
furthest to make women abandon their
taste for having their clothes starched.
as they had before, was that starched
frocks and blouses and lingerie. while
all very well for indoor existence, were
not well adapted to outdoor life. The
wind blew the starch out or the damp
ness of the mountain or seashore made
starched garments limp and humid.
New Sweater Phases.
While the sweater has returned with
a good chance for a good reception an
other season, 1t may no longer be
classed as a wrap The slipon sweater
is certainly not a convenient garment
70 don and doff at moments notice.
Even the simply arranged hair does not
stand such harsh treatment. Sweaters
that open at the front have not this diff
flculty, but they soon lose their shape
II they are taken off and on carelessly.
as would be the case when the sweater
is looked upon as q mere wrap. So
now we put on our sweaters when we
intend to leave them on as part OF our
outdoor costume. Most often they are
worn without any blouse beneath.
Many women have little muslin or silk
slips 10 wear wish them. sometimes with
the lingerie collars and cuffs attached
TO them.
But from indications at Southern re-
sorts such accessories are not so popu-
lar a trimming for sweaters as they
were last season. Many Of them are
showing bright collars and cuffs of some
contrasting sort of wool material. A
heavy border OF cut yarn Is used to
finish one silk sweater at the wrists or
the long tight sleeves and at the edge
OF the sweater, midway between knees
and waist
To a certain extent the little loose
coats OF silk have taken the place OF
sweaters. They may be put on and off
somewhat more easily and are frequent
ly worn with blouse beneath Usually
they are selected 10 go with straight
skirt OF some contrasting material,
usually lighter In hue. Often the skirt
is of flannel or homespun, while the coat
is of black or blue crepe.
Though some OF the designers tell US
that plated skirts are quite out. they
still find friends among the well dressed
women who have not wearied OF this
type OF skirt. However the plated skirt
is not to be found in the elaborate frock,
in the evening froclS or afternoon frock,
but merely in frock OF the sports type.
The plated skirt takes on especially
good proportions when II is worn be-
meath long-bloused model so that the
fulness of the plaits does not begin
to flare until the line Of the hips. Plaits
that spring right from the belt or a
normal waistliue are not In good favor.
The side plalts are most in demand,
while the box plait is apparently almost
out Of the running.
There is no further question as TO
the great importance of the separate
skirt In the spring and summer ward
robe Of the American woman. She win
like II especially because she can vary
her costumes by wearing Il with differ
ent blouses or Jackets. For the woman
who can afford It's upkeep. white flannel
and homespun in white are perhaps the
first choice. There is greater tendency
to wear skirts Of woollen fabric than silk
this season. ere and thore you sec a
separate skirt that suggests a circular
cut. but this Is something of a venture
The average woman Is playing safer
when she selects the straight, fairly
scant skirt, not too short but not long
enough to suggest dowdiness.
What will ultimately become OF the
separate skirt Is a question that is more
as II becomes apparent that
with very few exceptions the big dress
makers OF Paris have favored a waist
line placed even lower that Il has been
Tt Is all very well 70 have ones frock
skirt begin midway between ones nor
NAL waistline and one knoes, and IL is
possible, though not entirely easy. to
place p sash at that angle. But the
separate skirt posed at this line would
be out Of tho question. With the sep
arato skirt the long wasted effect Is
produced new or course. by wearing the
skirt fastened at low normal waistline.
with the breadth Of the hips TO keep Il
in place, the blouse or Jacket being worn
on top, producing lower wsistline and
conceallng the skirt beneath.
Some twenty years ago women man
aged the lowered waistline IN connection
with separate skirts and blouses. But
then the line dropped down merely in
front. II was humanity possible. though
By no means easy, to wear a skirt cut
down IN front. hecause il coGld be se-
cured OF normal line ia tho back and
at the sides. Many were the mechanical
devices Invented and worn 10 aid women
in keeping blouse aud skirt IN perfect
alignment under these trying conditions