Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-08-30
Skirts To Be Worn Longer n
What Goes Up, Comes Down
Vogue Foretells New Mode

There is one clothes question
that is at the moment uppermost
In the minds of nine women out
OF ten. "Are skirts really going
to be longer?-and if so, how
much longer?"
Not in years has a fashion ver-
dict been awaited with SO much
interest.
The short skirt has been SO
popular-so comfortable and, to
most women, SO becoming that
quite naturally there is a reluct-
ance to part with 1t and a hor-
rible vision of trailing lengths
that sweep the dust.
But 1t isn't so bad as all that
in fact, 1t isn't bad any way you
look at 1t.
Longer, translated, means
eight inches off the ground for
street clothes-not much chance
for dust sweeping there-and two
to four inches for the evening.
This change may seem sudden
to some women, but like all of
fashions moves today 1t really is
quite gradual, and truth to tell
quite logical.
Every one remembers quite
plainly the floating wisps Of
crepe de chine or chiffon which
first became the fashion in the
spring of 1920. Little did women
know, when they accepted this
vagary Of fashion, just how much
they were letting themselves in
for. Then, somehow, there were
more wisps-pretty things, and
often they hung down farther
than they had at first-but, of
course, the skirt proper was short.
Then, all at once, panels which
hung at either side Joined the
brigade of wisps. AS the season
advanced, these panels grew more
definitely in character, and the
eye saw them and lost sight Of
the once important skirt under
meath until, today, last years
straight line short skirt looks de-
cidedly out of style and the long
skirt has very definitely arrived.
Next in Importance to skirt
lengths, comes the question of sill
houettes. Time was when one said
"the silhouette" First comes the
suit, which, due to Partisan en-
thusiasm, is perhaps more popu-
lar than in several seasons. This
year, 1t is made, very likely, OF
kasha cloth, or broadcloth, called
back into favor. Its coat may
either be straight and beltless or
with a slightly curved waist line
and godets on the side, but flat
hack and front. It's color is black,
black combined with grey, very
dark red, or the new Madeleine
blue. It's skirt is nine inches from
the ground.
vying with it in popularity rs
the coat dress, a real feature OF
the coming season, with its hign
collar Of fur, lowered waist hne'
defined by a cleaning steel belt
and sometimes embroidered In
icut steel beads, its long sleeves
Its fuller and longer skirt lts
deep. rich color further enrich
ened by peasant embroidery.
Next comes the afternoon dress
offered in several interesting sill
bouettes. but best liked, perhaps,
in two. One is in the real peasant
sn,rit. with it's Enthusiastically
long. loose, bloused lines, straight
wide sleeves, lowered waist ine'
sash loosely knotted about 1t, a
full. but straight hanging skirt
uneven of hem, and with touches
of embroideries reminiscent OF
southern Europe adding to Its
colorful effect. The other is the
straight silhouette which retains
many of the features Of last sea-
sons chemise dress, falling
straight from the shoulder and
simply belted with one of the new
metal girdles.
Then, for evening, comes the
Greek silhouette. lovely thing OF
grace and charm-ideal for the
dinner table or the theatre. In
white or delicate colors and soft
natternless fabrics. II is apt to be