SMALLER WAISTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11116, 2 November 1907, Page 2 (Supplement)

SMALLER WAISTS.

COMFORT SACRIFICED TO

APPEARANCE,

A private view of the new dress models to be the, fashion m Paris this season (writes the Paris correspondent of the London Daily Mail) makes it absolutely plain that th^ woman of fashion will have to sacrifice her? com fort if she is to make a good m public. The most' striking feature m these new frocks *> their absolute fidelity to the form, they .-lit Ac, and the absence of; all friendly fullness i.n gathers. Women will- have to look to their, corsftts. These dresses will be made to ! fit closely over the bust, waist, and hips, falling m unbroken, lines from the bust to the foot, and as the shoulder ,seam has gone back to its normal place, and the puff of the sleeve has been reduced .to a- 'minimum, there will be no fullness to throw the waist into a becoming perspective. There is certain to be a return to the tight lacing of the late '80's and the early '40's, to the great alarm and disgust of the, dress reformers, and of the admirers of the rationaV m ladies' dresses. ". - "■ „"/,.•■ '■; '

- Twenty-two inches will be the maximum allowance of waist measure for the new gown, and the cqrsetiers are fabricating a corset which will lend, itself to this popular form of self-torture, and' to the necessary "reduction m dimension!! which all women will have to achieve. The mannequins v who daily don the latest creations m ladies' dresses m Paris dressmaking houses, are, of course,, always selected fop/ their sylph-like forms; but the hew dress will prove a trial even for -them. 'At the at the Comedie Francaise last night there were several women whose waists could •only be, described as miraculous. They looked scarcely larger than the owners' necks. ,

But the diminished waist will not be sufficient to. carry off this new dress. The poise of the figure will be of the highest; importance. The line down the front of the dress must be perfectly straight, and this necessitates throwing, the shoulders and bust well' forward, while the back, at the same time, must show a graceful curve, elegantly continued > by the long skirt as it sweeps* following behind the wearer. ;

Contrary to what has been said, there is no question of the return of the crinoline. It would be impossible with the new gowns. They will be close and clinging to the knee, and then a great fullness and softness will be attained by" a number of flounces antl lining. ■ Dressmakers are advising their customers to practise carefully before the glass first without and then with the ftr^?',, 1 ? e as.»re wearing it gracefully. ■With this dress it is unavoidable that the tiglit-laced corset should again be the vogue. In fact, the coming season' will be a trying one for ladies.