The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-03
MODE COMMANDS
SKIRTS FOR Men
Many Countries in Which 1t Is
Hard to Distinguish Sexes
by Their Clothes.
SKIRT MANS FIRST GARMENT
Greek Soldiers ard the Famous
Ladies From He'll" in World
War Called Attention to Pc
cuiiar National Costumes.

Washington, D. C.-Thc question of
the proper length of a woman's skirt
from season to season is one which
springs eternal. Even the archaeolo-
gists, according TO recent newspaper
reports. say that il has been d matter
OF controversy for forty centuries and
they point out ~statuettes of the times
Of the Pharoahs with skirts Of varying
cuts and lengths.
Men. too, have had skirts to worry
with almost since the dawn Of history
and some Of them-notably the Greek
soldiers and the famous Ladies from
Hell Of the World warfare literally
wearing skirts today" says a bulletin of
the National Geographic society.
In fact, the first garment which man
evolved after he originated in the
tropical ATTITUDES and began drifting
toward colder climes was probably a
skirt of skins suspended from a girdle.
Such a garment was Worn by the an
cient Babylonians and many others.
The national costume of the Jaw
anese men is composed of the sarong
and the kabaya. The sarong is a
brightly-colored skirt kept in place
around the waist by a silk scarf which
is wound around the body several
times. The skirt falls down over the
hips in straight lines and Is quite mar
row. with one simple deep fold in
front. The kabaya is a sort of dressing
Jacket. often embroidered in elaborate
colors. Though the Jayanese noblemen
today are accepting the commonplace
English and American attire for ordi-
nary occasions, one often sees at their
festivals startling contrasts in attire.
Anent the Philibeg.
Nothing is dearer to the heart Of the
canny Scotchman mar his family
plaid. once he wrapped himself in the
huge ob'ong piece Of cloth and belted
in the lower portion. which extended
down 10 his knees. forming the kilt.
Liter this lower part was made sep
afately and was dignifed with the
lame Of philibeg.
The Albanian armed Waterman at
The doors of foreign embassies and
HAHnAA4AfN anu AAE NAIAtA sasAA4A "a
What they are pleased 10 call the
fastenella. which is a killed skirt Of
lnee length made Of white cotton or
linen, very full and starched. The
royal bodyguard Ct the Greek king and
the Greek peasants on a holiday also
wear the '~fustenelia.'
~The men Of Ponapi island in the
Garolines wear skirts. usually made of
grass and palm leaves appended from
beaded belts, the kings being more
elaborate than the commoner's. And
many "A black king in Africa has on his
coronation robes when he ean smirk in
pride in a short skirt and a tall hat.
Among the a~bOrigines Of Australia
the women get out their needles made
from a little bone from the leg of an
emu. thread them with the sinews Of
o~pOssu1ns. k%angaroos. or emus, and do
the little plain sewing which makes
the necessary skirts for their lords and
masters.
but man suffers one step nearer
feminism than the skirt-the kimono.
Indeed. it seems that the street attire
for the greater part Of mankind is a
carmen OF that ilk. The Shah Of Per
STA is all dressed up when he gets on
y gorgeous robe cut exactly like the
American woman's one-piece kimono,
except that his sleeves are long and
tight and would be a nuisance to her
ladyshfp If she had to wear them. The
material he uses is elaborate and the
embroidery around the edges costly.
Burmese Monks Wear Togas.
THE men in the Teheran streets
rear garments of dark coIOrs made in
much the same way. the white Of their
uadergarments making a white dickey
1T the neck. The vivid robes Of the
monks in the temples in Burma are
somewhat like the ancient Roman
togas. Greek Orthodox priests and
Arabs Of northern Africa also
klmonO-llke garments, the Arab calling
MS a burnoose. The native costume