INDEX-NUMBERS; PRICES; WAGES.) (A. L. Bo.) COSTUME

the changes in women’s attire since 1910 complete a development which began about the beginning of the century. a motor-car of 1910 is already a pleasing and reasonably shaped object in comparison with the first automo- biles that appeared. but, by the side of a well-designed body of 1925, the coach-work seems clumsy and untidy. the develop- ment of women’s clothes has been upon parallel lines. in 1g00 the figure was distorted into a series of opulent curves. the un- hygienic wasp waist made, as it were, the intersection of two ellipses, and the aim of the coufuricr was to emphasise the full- ness of the bust and the hips, and the narrowness of the inter- mediate tract, while a similar contrast was effected on the arms by sleeves that billowed at the shoulders and tightened to a cuff at the wrist. by 1o1o the directoire influence was firmly established. the arum lily had replaced the hour-glass as the model for a fash’on- able figure; the waist-line was high, but not pronounced, the hips were attenuated, and very long stays held the body in a gently curved mould over which the dress was tightly drawn. the hair was still puffed out, skirts still reached the ground, and enormous hats crowned the elaborate edifice. the effect did not suggest the real directoire period so much as the still fashionable ornaments of the art nouveau style. in torr the bottom of the skirt was gathered tightly round the ankles in a hobble etfect, and gradually . the curves grew even less pronounced. the collar which had raised its palisade of bone and whalebone high all round the neck, 747 fic. 1.—silhouette of 1909-10. fic. 2.—‘' peg-top”’ silhouette of 1914. disappeared at the front and, as if in compensation, rose higher at the back in the medici shape. in tor2 the first appearance in western europe of the russian ballet introduced an oriental influence, better designs in ornament, and a new interest in strong contrasts of colour. ae ee, ae etd tt age sse pnte ee mie perstecenscs sett oee rs skeets boy a og srl ay gap ian 2d q sn gs a peers bees ware ss a oe 3 - psericke ~ 2. foatch ep 2) see 3 p magda here: ote mo aa cp. ep hay py ¥ 7} ud rete fic. 3.--straight and slender evening mode of 1925. fic. 4.—typical day dress of 1925. 748 although the so-called directeire silhouette remained general, it was modified by the use of tiers and underskirts, and an un- successful attempt was made to make fashionable the turkish trouser, and the panier. the trouser disappeared but the panier flourished, and in 1913 and 1914 the directoire influence dis- appeared entirely to make way for a louis ouinze silhouette. but skirts were becoming steadily shorter, and below the paniers they remained narrow. the very full skirt, suggestive of crino- line or farthingale, appeared about the same time in evening dresses, and under the name of robe de style has continued ever since. the tube-silhouette, which was afterwards to become general, first appeared, it is interesting to note, in the autumn following the outbreak of the war. women were being called to do work previously done by men, and the tube reflected the fact. fashion and the world war.—but the time was not yet ripe. in rors the skirt still reached the boots and the high collar was still worn. but the petticoat began to disappear, the one-piece gown was worn, the waist was lower and shoes were less pointed. in 1916 the conical silhouette was general, being the woman’s ideal to approximate to a walking sugar-loaf. the following year saw the success of the fonneau or barrel skirt, which, like a column, tapered at its head and base. the effect of the war upon morals was being denounced; women had the audacity toshow their ankles and evening dresses were cut at the back down to the waist. in 1918 the tonnean silhouette replaced the tonneau skirt and the waist entirely dis- appeared. in 1920 the short hobble skirt made walking difficult for the chic woman, but in the evening the robe de style gave her freedom to dance. a revival of late victorian fashions produced a momentary taste for bustles, and the more lasting fashion of brushing the hair smoothly and tightly back from the forehead. the next year saw sleeves disappear from evening dresses, and an increased vogue for the natural figure. stays began to be cis- carded, and the straight line finally defeated the mdwardian curve. but it was not until 1923 that the tube-dress, the cloche hat, and the short hair arrived. with these, the modern woman presents a stream-line appearance like a modern motor-car. the exaggerated and meaningless ornaments have disappeared. caprice is confined to a scarf round her neck, a flower on her shoulder, a handkerchief on her wrist, or a jewel on her hat. the accessories of costume, on the other hand, have taken ona greater importance since 1g10. a skirt which hardly reaches the knee makes stockings and shoes of the first importance. against an unornamented costume the exact colour and shape of the handbag stand out with a boldness which makes its choice a serious affair. attention is no longer dispersed over a hundred frills and laces, embroideries and buttons, but it is concentrated on a few crucial points. the dresses of 1925 were intended to clothe a woman who read modern books, listened to modern music, and looked at modern pictures. they reflected a new clearness in her sentiment, a new hardness in her intellect, and a new determination to live her life on equal terms with men. her make-up was intended for adornment rather than disguise, and she attended to it in public. the covturzer has to reach ever higher standards of excellence; he has ever to justify his modes upon aesthetic grounds. new materials are continually put forth by manufacturers, and the designs woven, printed, and embroidered upon them employ the most accomplished painters of the time. the costume of women ts no longer a by-product; it is expressive of civilisation. the dress of men.— during the same period men’s clothes have changed comparatively little. comfort and convenience have been more and more important. the starched collar has been increasingly replaced by the soft collar: brighter colours have been used, and, in the country especially, fancy has been given free play. if women in their neat and simple clothes, short hair, and straight silhouette have become boyish, men have allowed themselves to borrow from women, as witness the fashionable fancy wool pull-overs or jumpers. the differences between the sexes are no longer artificially exaggerated, and the clothes of both . sexes reflect the free companionship which replaced the old flatteries, coquetries and artificial relationships. (d..t.) coltet—=cotton cottet, charles (1863-1925), french painter (see 7.253), died sept. 25 1925. cotton, sir henry john stedman (1845-1915), anglo- indian administrator (sce 7.254), died in london oct. 23 1915. cotton, james sutherland (1847-1918), british writer (see 7.255), died at salisbury, england, july 10 1918.