THE "HAREM" SKIRT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10767, 16 May 1911, Page 6

THE "HAREM" SKIRT.

(By Cicely Hamilton, author of "Diana o' Dobson's.") A; few daring women in Paris, it appeals, have burst on the sight of an excited world in trousers; modified trousers,. no doubt, but trousers, none the less. . And it is-safe to say that there' is a goodly number of women on this side of the Channel who wish them luck in their venture and would gladly follow their example. Not because the so-called "harem", skirt is a thing essentially beautiful, or unusually convenient in itself; but because even the most voluminous of bifurcated garments is a tacit admission of the truth —so carefully denied: for centuries — that woman is the possessor of legs, two in number.

So far as we know, she lias always had them ; nor in the earlier stages of her development- does she appear to have been in any way ashamed of the fact. I am not antiquarian enough to hazard so much as guess at the precise period in the history of the Western world when woman decided to pretend that she was not a two-legged animal; but I am none the less convinced that, whenever and however the decision was made, it was disastrous for herself and for her daughters. It is one thing to resign possession of your birthright;' it- is quite another to get your birthright restored to you. Woman born of woman still plods- through the mire witli wot cloth slapping at her ankles; still rides bicycles in a head-wind with a skirt that swells out like a sail. And the extra muscular energy the weaker vessel has to put into that plodding and that wheeling! .... If the

chivalrous male did but realise it would lie not fall on his knees and implore her to go knickerbockered ? But the chivalrous male does nothing of the kind; and, at the risk of being uncharitable, I cannot help having a suspicion that it was iie who was the real mover and instigator of the change in woman's anatomy. She, by herself, would never have been such a fool as to v di-:pei)se with the proper use of her lower limbs; it was lier husband who wanted the skirt and made up his mind she should wear it. He probably found it convenient —for himself. A garment that tied itself into knots and made it difficult to walk with any freedom would prevent his wife from running lound after him when he had much rather be without her; further, it would assist to keep her in her proper sphere, the home, by making rather a nuisance of the process of stepping outside it. When she put her objections before him, I have not a, doubt that he kissed her diplomatically and told her liow much he liked watching her feet, like little'mice at play, run in and out beneath lier gown whereat she. good-natured, if weak-minded, decided to indulge his' simple pleasures. After tliis manner the skirt became an institution ; and in time, there was produced a Queen of Spain whom lier loyal pubjeets were bound to consider legless. Here and there, of course, and now and again, women of exceptional character or intellect successfully asserted their right to the lost members. Among others, Joan .of Arc, George Sand. Rosa Bonheur, and Lady Hester Stanhope insisted on classing themselves as bipeds. The reproach of aping man was doubtless flung at them, but seems to have been borne with an equanimity founded on logic. To ape a, sensible custom, so far from being a reproach, implies sound sense on the nut of the aner: nor should woman be abo:'o taking a hint—even from man. As for man. if he really disli'.es being imitated, let him cease to appropriate the most comfortable and r.r.Tnic.'il fashions for his own use. I do not imagine that there will ever be a real run on his four-inch collars or his hats that fly off in a gale.

From time to time women not cast ir the heroic mould— of just the ordinary type—-have mad? .1 more or less courageous effort to free themsehes, for out-of-door purposes, from the tyrannous embrace of the skirt : but, so far, alas! tliey have succeeded in creating only a short-lived sensation. Will the present attempt be more fortunate and lasting? One hopes—it* the interests of health and freedom, one hopes! But, remembering that the fashion has originated exact.lv where such a fashion should not —jn Paris—ollo also 'fears! For if there is one person who does not know what divided garments should be like, if there is one person tfho ought never to be seen in divided garments, it is the average Frenchwoman. Unfortunately. no one will start 'to wear divided garments until the . Frenchwoman has led the'way; arid, equally "unfortunately, her appealance in tlie new departure is usually so distressing as to send tlie self-respecting females of other nationalities shuddering back to their skirts. It is her ideal of feminine beauty that is tlie stumbling-block where legs are concerned. A straight-shouldered, straight-hipped woman ofthe type thatis common, iii. England qould wear even ordinary masculine get-up without a suggestion of. offence ; but the outline of the average Frenchwoman is ;an impossibility in" anything "but garments especially designed for its encouragement and obvious femininity. It was because the costume which, some years ago, the Frenchwoman adopted for bicycling was' built .011 these lines — and, therefore, hideous—that it- went the way of other fashions in a remarkably short space of time. Thc-re are places where it- is. still to be. seen as a horrible example of, all that a;Knickerbocker snit should not be; for though it has vmished from the back of the bicyclist it lingers on at some seaside resorts, where it is considered a suitable garment to shrimp in. ' So, though I have hopes for the liarem skirt, they are hopes, less confident than .fervent and sincere. My heart misgives me that it has got into the wrong.hands; or, rathfsjv 011 to.tho wrong legs. .As Paris, in -the- interests of. ,the ; Parisian figure, distorted tlie defunct Knickerbocker, so Paris, in : all probability; will; ..distort ♦.he new--born Grouser—with'.the fatal result. ' A-.now eofitumfa '.'in order to "catch on" must be , worn by women who look well in 'if; and' those wlio«a working idea .and aim.' of feminine beauty "dree a, succession of curves, and circles, can by no manner el means be indncecl td'Mook 'welViin tro'iser" So, until.we cease^ to,tfike qur..f ashions from fan's—or until Paris-'can be brought to see that there is 'beauty in s.traightness: and spareness, as Well as in circles and' curves, I fear me, I very much fear me. that we shall continue to cling to the skirt and the skirt to ?lin* io us.