THE REFORM OF THE SKIRT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 52

THE REFORM OF THE SKIRT.

In many respects the present form of skirt, is admirable. It is light; graceful, and, when not too long, easy to walk "with ; but it has one serious defect — it is not meant to possess a pocket. Such a convenience is added reluctantly, shamefacedly ; but it is felt to be an artistic flaw, and you aye not supposed to have any serious need of it. It requires considerable practice and skill to get any article out of this absurd pocket in the back seam with anything like decency, and without frightful contortions of the body and arms. The toil pocket in a man's dress coat is elegance compared with our ingenious invention to do without a pocket, and yet to have it. Women, with their usual amiable submission to fate, compromise matters. They carry their purse and other little conveniences in a handbag, or merely in their hand. The other day a lady carried home through the city a bag of gold, a purse, and £2000 in notes, held in her hand between the bag and the purse. Of course, she had not any sort of safe pocket. Pretty sort of person to do business ! She arrived home without the £2000, having lost the notes on the wj»y, and it served her right, too. Now, it lias not been impossible in the past, and it ought not to be impossible now, to make ai elegant skirt with a pockefc safely placed within reach of the right hand. We ought to insist on this with our dressmaker, but,alas! what am I saying? A dressmaker is not a person with whom one can reason.She forswears sense, and binds herself a' slave to fashion.

Apart from the pocket difficulty, there 13 not one out of fifty of these tjjzht-fittinic

ikirts that fastens neatly and unobtrusively behind. If buttons and lacings do not attract the eye, there is an ugly gaping or stretching. Verily .this fashion is not meant for a clumsily-made woman, or for an awkward dressmaker. Its chief recommendation is that it affords amusement to the public* It considerably enlivens a dull journey to watch the more or less unskilful efforts the women to get at their purse, and to observe the ludicrous backdisarrangement as they complacently walk away. — Home paper.