Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1913 — Draped Skirts and Color Combinations [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Draped Skirts and Color Combinations

SKIRTS for daytime and ordinary wear are draped, but the draping is achieved in cutting the material and in shaping the skirt to the figure rather than in the addition of extra pieces of goods. But for evening wear with airjk and clinging fabrics, that weigh nothing, to deal with, the designs pose two or three materials and several colors together. This is done without making the skirt cumbersome in the least. Diaphanous draperies of this kind result in the most illusive and fascinating color effects. One color glows through another, and with the movement of the body in walking or dancing several colors are revealed by themselves and in ever changing combination with each other. Nothing but thin frabrics can be used in this way. One makes a mistake to drape a medium weight or heavy fabric in any but the simplest manner. The result can only be clumsy. Skirts for day wear cut along—the newest lines produce the “top” figure, with broad lines at the hips narrowing down to the smallest dimensions a*, the feet. They are somewhat shorter, too, than in the early season. Smartness attends the wearer of these eccentric lines, if she be slender. The stout woman must forego them. But for the slender or the heavy figure, long lines of drapery, like those shown in the picture, are becoming.

Beads and heavy tassels, beaded passamenterie and touches of the gorgeous in gold and silver laces are used on all varieties of gowns, but are most happily placed on dinner and evening toilettes. A bit of finery in embroidery quite chqgges the character of an ordinary dress. What with the everpresent girdle and draped skirts, clever dresses are able to make one skirt do duty for various occasions. By arranging a train so that it can be draped up on the skirt, making it round, and by two or three separate bodices, one may manage variety with out much trouble. This is a great convenience for the tourist. Extra tunics and long scarf draperies used over a skirt and girdle do wonders of transformation, also. Black satin is the best choice in the softest and most “souple” of qualities, for a skirt to be worn with several waists or tunics. One may arrange to be either quietly or elaborately gowned, according to one’s taste, by these means. The spangled scarf and the corsage, rose are great favorites at the moment. But the feature of features for on which fashion appears to concentrate attention, is the wonderful development of tassels and beads in decoration. A beaded drapery, which seems to me merely a scarf wrapped about the figure, shown here in the picture, demonstrates how effectively and cleverly the draping is done.

JULIA BOTTOMLEY.