Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 139, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1917 — Trouser Skirts Gaining Ground [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trouser Skirts Gaining Ground

N'ew York. —It Is an oft repeated assertion that the French never give up the idea of trousers for women, and the world that is opposed to such an idea always comes back with the statement that France, who adores the feminine in woman more than any other nation in the, world, insists upon her wearing a costume that is entirely mannish. It was France who opposed the An-glo-Saxon coat and skirt of worsted material on the ground that it took away from women that alluring semi- f ninity which is their chief charm. It was the Paris designers who said that they never pared to perfect themselves In the making of costumery that was pot befitting to the soft curves and coquetry of a woman’s figure and face. And yet, it is Paris who, for at least six years, has insistently struck the note of trousers for women throughout the seasons. She points to the trousers of the Orient, however, as the ones to 'be imitated. The bifurcated garments that she Resigns are full of feminine touches. They are not ‘the square, rigorous “pants” of the male attire of this generation. And yet, one of the most coquettish things the little girls of Montmartre do in Parisris to swagger about the restaurants in boyish attire —the large trousers of the quarter, the short jacket, the soft shirt with its rolling collar and the flowing student’s tie. It was these little French girls who first bobbed the hair off a la Buster Brown and wore the slouch hat pulled [ down over the forehead. When this coiffure —or lack of coiffure —was introduced here by Mrs. Vernon Castle and taken up by a thousand and one other women in and out of society, it was thought to be something quite outrageous. France had accepted it for ten years without a quiver. Her pe<> pie asserted that the bobbed hair of a boy was excessively coquettish against the allurement of a young girl’s face. However, in tl}is country, especially in New York, there are now women of fifty with gray hair who have it bobbed to the ears and freshly curled every day; so the antagonism has evidently died down. Coquettish Ways With America does not seem to be averse to trousers; now that the first shock is over, she looks upon them with calm acceptance, provided they are cut according to the coquettish manner which France insists upon. They are usually part of a skirt, they do not Indicate the shape of the leg above

the knee and they are managed in some fashion that gives attractiveness to the entire garment. Erte, the young French designer who was with Paul Poiret, invented the wlrffeVcloth sklrt that itself at the\Mem into tight-fitting gaiters with a strap under the shoe. This was the very first indication of the now famous zouave skirt. —. There are already several patterns of .walking skirts, and also those used for sports in the open country, which are made of shadow plaid or vaguestriped worsteds that resolve themselves into a kind of puttee from knee to ankle. On the stage, and in the restaurants where women dance, there are more extravagant trousered effects in skirts, such as full garments of crepe de chine or satin which drop from a high waistline and end in .tight-fitting leggings -of jet, crystal beading or gold and silver lace. These leggings inclose only the calf of the leg, the knees being covered by full zouave drapery of the skirt, and the qnkles by silk stockings, with high-heeled, brooded slippers as a finish. . n ’ •« xT... . < - -v. .

Everyone knows that the new. evening slippers designed after the French pattern, are often carried to the calf of the leg by means of wide straps of jeweled leather or gold or silver lace. These strings are folded and interlaced about the ankles and finished at the top without a bow. . Some of the smart women who wear the zouave skirt with the short, jeweled leggings that stop four inches above the ankles, add a jeweled bracelet or a ribbon of black velvet at each ankle, in the Oriental manner. The fashionable demand for gold and silver lace done in the pattern known as lame, which means that the bullion threads are flattened out by a

heavy roller to give the effect of being Ironed into the cloth, gives rise to short, tight leggings made of either lace. The metal tissues are not revived for summer, and only chiffons, crepes de chine and thin satins are used for evening gowns; therefore one does not get the impressive Oriental effect from the jeweled leggings that one would receive If. the gown itself were full of bullion threads, as it was last winter. The Zouve Uniform Skirt. None of these trousered skirts is narrow. Every one that France has sent over and that America has adopted has its trousered effect arranged in the Slavic or Oriental manner. The insistence upon the silhouette of the zouave uniform is conspicuous everywhere. This uniform is used by the Algerian troops fighting for France, and it is most picturesque, with the full trousers like skirts, the colored sash, the short, tight jacket and the wrapped leggings from knee to ankle. This idea of inclosing the leg with wrappings of any kind goes back to the earliest history of the race. It may be prehistoric, but we know that the earliest garments of men were wrapped about the legs with strings or vines, to keep the material compact, against the flesh. Therefore, when we revive this ancient and honorable custom we are going back to the cradle of civilization, and it is only natural that the Oriental races, where civilization began, should have retained this idea in the dress for both man and woman.

France sends us many afternoon gowns as well as walking skirts which hang full from a high waistline in either plaits or fine gathers and are tucked in around the legs in some fashion, to suggest trousers. The bifurcation is often in front, not in back, and some of the great dressmakers in France drop plaited panels of ornate needlework in the Slavic fashion down the front of the garment from bust to hem of skirt, in order to hide the bifurcation ; but it is there just the same. This silhouette, which, keep in mind, is patterned after the Oriental idea of trousers, and not the Anglo-Saxon one, gives rise to an artistic variety of skirts-that for the present seem to attract several classes of women. Possibly, in peace times or in an era of ceremonial social dignity, this idea would not advance so rapidly among the women of two continents, but with millions of women called to take the places of men, with ceremonial society simply gone by the board and with efficiency, utility and the greater degree of comfort being the things that women worship today, tlie trousered skirt is gaining headway every week. (Copyright, 1917. by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)

This summer suit of velour is light green striped with a double black line, the coat and skirt fastened with black bone buttons. There are a directoire collar and revere with Japanese sleeves.

This Outdoor smock is made of gray Jersey with yoke of worsted embroidery. The front, back of sleeves and pockets are laced with , colored cord finished with wooden balls.