The New York herald., 1922-09-18
N. Y. WOMEN YIELD
TOLONG SKIRT RULE
Fifth Avenue Crowds Show
Surrender to Decree Of
Paris Dressmakers.
SOME GLAD, SOME SORRY
Fair Sex Far From Agree
ing OH Merits and De-
merits OF the Dress.
BOOTS sUPPLANT SHOES
Modiste Says Short Gowns Are
Going With Rest of War
Measures.
SOME GLAD, SOME SORRY
BOOTS sUPPLANT SHOES

| New York women have surrendered
completely to fashions long skirt de-
cree. This was admitted yesterday by
Fifth avenue dressmakers. The long
skirt. the slinky skirt, has driven it's
knee length sister into oblivion, and
this in spite of all the protests. the de-
fiances and the brave utterances by
the freedom and case OF the short
skirt.
The Easter parade last spring indi-
Gated that New York women--Amer-
lean women--were getting ready to
surrender. Yesterdays admissions by
the dressmakers and by women them
selves revealed the surrender ac-
complished. Some women are glad,
some are sorry-but apparently all are
going to wear the long ones, just as
plump Monsieur Poiret predicted.
Il hate these long skirts that sweep
the ground" said Marie Tempest. Il
cannot believe that women will adopt
them again. / refuse to wear sweeping
skirts myself. Why. oh why. will wom-
en- give up the freedom that is so hard
to win in these matters of dress?'
And yet. to the uneducated masculine
eye, Miss Tempest's skirts were not
great way from the floor. You couldn't
have pushed a thick book between the
end Of the drapings and the floor. They
seemed the real thing in slinkiness.
THE old modes are the loveliest," said
Mrs. Howard Chandler Christi. There
IS beauty In the long skirt. but extremes
are to be avoided. of course"
You can't judge a woman's morality
by the length of her frock," said Frances
Starr but whatever may have been said
about the short skirts they certainly
were ungraceful things-abomination
They We're hideous and unlovely. Out
side Of that they were all right. Me
for the long ones every time"
Long skirts for Frances Starr.
And she wears em long and silky and
very. very slinky-very.
Men are always troubling themselves
over women's skirts" said Minerva T.
Kinks. dean of the omen's School Of
Applied Thinking. Maybe that is be-
cause men used to wear 'em themselves
and set US the example in abandoning
them. Teeth and hair have receded with
civilization, why shouldn't skirts? The
controversy AS to short skirts versus
long skirts is Of no consequence. All
skirts are going. Women will wear nick
ers or trousers.
Good riddance,' said Mrs. g. Axson
Jones, speaking of the way the ladies
have given the gate to the abbreviated
garment. 1T was a horrid thing. with
out graceful suggestion. and revealing
In It's crude immodesty curiosities in
leg architecture that probably nine
women out of ten possess and should
never reveal. The long skirt of lovely
lines is one OF the most beautiful Of
garments. In their hearts most women
adore It."
Miss Teresa O'Donohue, president of
the League of Catholic Women. believes
the short skirt fad went to immodest
extremes, particularly when girls got to
wearing mems socks and showing a
considerable stretch of bare leg between
skirt hem and sock top.
Skinny skirts. low bodices and half
stockinged legs are coarse and vulgar"
she said. They should have been aban-
doned long ago for more modest gar
ments."
Miss Elizabeth Sears. president of
the New York League OF Business and
| Professional Women. Is all for the
shorter skirt. but Is leading a beaten
and retreating army Of short skrters
| Although she maintains that business
women will not adopt the long skirts de-
creed long ago by that dear Paris, there
| arc visible proofs to the contrary.
"No. emphatically no!" exclaimed
| this champion of a lost cause. DO you
think New York women want 10 so back
| TO slavery? Our organization has never
| approved of the very short skirt any
more than IL approves of the very long
skirt. In our business women's exhibi-
tion to be staged next month we will
display what we consider 10 be a SEN
sible, useful office dress. The skirt Is
seven inches from the floor. That ,s
the proper length. Business women will
never wear tho ankle length skirts that
dressmakers arc trying to introduce" Z"
Even Business women In Line.
The answer Is that they are wearing
them as a special investigation made
| by, reporters for THE NEW YORK
HERALD among business women in the
/ last week clearly demonstrated.
| Hickson, man modIste of Fifth ave-
nue.. said that the short skirt has had
its day and that the ankle length skirt
1 mas come 10 stay.
| The short skirt was war measure in
economy. anyway" said Hickson. ut
was never becoming to any except the
slenderest and youngest of women. IL
was never really graceful or attractive.
| Now VIC arc done with II and glad that
| IL is gone.
mo woman who prctends TO I've well
dressed will wear her skirt more than
five inches from the ground. Most
skirts will be longer except for tho
street. and even In the streets they will
almost touch. Only the flapper clIngs
| to the short skirt and she is getting
ready to desert It,"
Similar testimony was offered at other
| Fifth avenue shops--Gidding' Hol-
lenders, Franklin Simon's. Bonwit
! rcllers and others. Skirts go lower as
the waistline rises. Moreover. boots in
stead OF shoes are 10 follow the length
| cned skirts
Most Of the defenders OF the short
| skirt are of the sex that doesn't wear
em-except the Scotch. now and then.
| Dr Royal 3. Copeland says it's a shame
| the short ones are passing out, on the
score Of health. X nothing else and then
too the view was often pretty fair.
| F1orenz Ziegfeld. Jr., IL short skirter.
rot unnaturaliy, considering his business,
and he hates to see the long ones
| come In.
IL only hope they won't go to ex-
tremes," said Mr.. Ziegfed. "The long
| skirt liz here There liz no resisting