Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1918 — American Wealth and Gay Clothes [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

American Wealth and Gay Clothes

New r hits sent net clothes over here. We have viewed them. They have been acceptable In large measure and approved of in full measure. And yet observes a prominent fashion writer, we don’t understand why they should be are. They are a somersault fro&JvSltft has beep. Paris has preached rtemureness, economy, simplicity-; and modesty. Her cloths have been wave of depression that swept over her spirit since 1014. pj The Reason for the Change. Do you realize why Paris 'ba* sent us over such brilliant, aUuriug, -rich Clothes?. .JL is because. Ajueri can mon-, ey has burst upon her with such for ci; that' she' has gone up in «’baflo<®,: figuratively speaking. France down for demure clothes on the day of the war aiid „ha§ kept to this contract with l^ersdlf,' compelling the rest of the ktOrld tlie < autumn of 1917 there burst upon her 1 astonished vision vanguard of' America. They were not commercial tfiyers; they were nov-awwimopolitan ’ multi-millionaires-Who aped the French; woman. They were the true representatives of a country whose vastness: 'and resources/France had only guessed at. ‘Boys-ip blue flannel sailor suits had bank accounts of ten thousand dollars each; women in Red Cross uniforms could afford five hundred dollars per gown, if they wished-; privates In khaki paid their bills Without looking at their change.; canteen workers hid under their collars strings of pearls worth flft> thousand dollars. AlFthese Americana laughed and went to the theater and-ordered expensive dinners and jokedwith the midi net tes. The confusing part -aboUt this" situation is that'Ameflca Is getting, Ifffo the. ppifit of economy and somberness that Paris bad a year ago. Our reformers preach standardization, .tipi’, formity in clothes; oiir economists' preach conservationr; -our emotionalists beg us OOH smiles and turning our heads from the wiles of pleasure, as though we were: early Puritans: Glhemiso Robe. Among the new eveplngjowns from France this spring the twelfth century tunic te as fi-equently/seen as lir-the street gowns, but the effect of the two Is strong!^'differentiated. For the eveping the designers use a harrow, slim, primitive slip Of salm or metafile cloth the latter preferred. Over this slip droptSn'infleh’Wlfler.more voluminous, transparent robe. It is QutJikP a chemise; it hpspa half-tew, ddcolletage T' the sleevesukuatfy rover ’ the : T.l I'.' _■ | J., a .

i entire, arm, but; are cut to faTJ. half a foot away from it, and the entire effect is one of exquisite veiling. ./ Doucet doea this Uj .the most brilliant manner, and hf-shows?> his competitors something In the way of an underslip, making h corslet and then a short skirt of soft gold tlSsUe. which gives a far more graceful, undulating movement of the is seen beneath the transparent ch§inlse.-j''y There are chemise gowns of rare lace, seldom in white, but in ivory tints and also in cloudy gray. These are dropped over a slim underslip 'of tissue, silver and steel as wfell. is gold, and the note of eolor Is-given by an extraordinary sash, ft mjy be-of CWk nese blue taffeta, of splendid Chinese brocade, of deep sold> blackbrocaded ribbon, andoneend of it always trails down the back panel and adds to th&’brilliancy of therahort tralflj s We have demure capes made of grii berdlne and serge which are as serv-

Iceable as those worn by the Italian police, and ffi»e quietness of put one of these over a align fly worn .<uiduHH‘h-ut>edrfrQek,--die r eby enclosing an old friend lit-aweM’ frame and presenting a briLwldWoiS to a world that is not too critical in these war days. " dpes at< theses demure capes. .^r Itself in ’capri garments catted 6apos, 'which 0 are fashioned for afternoon and. evening wear. They are made in Chinese colors, Ln Slavic tody's/di satin rtffd ’cp.lffdhr’&hd metal entßrdl’d^r^.7 they

are maroon colored faille lined with light blue taffeta and worn oyer a gray gown of crepe de chine or satin and chiffon. ' / ',. n ; . What the Prophets Whisper. There is no disputing the fact that French women have yielded to the American desire to wear short skirt's on the street, and the skirts in these new clothes are both narrow and short, The women who appeared on street In them without leggings or high shoes have created unpleasant criticisms which should compel them to change their style; v; •■w-j I The smart women run a legging or. ’ a high cloth-top boot well up under the hem of these short skirts, and the effect is military ami pleasing. But at the very moment that we ara-ae*-cepting with enthusiasm this continued style of short and narrow garments, the prophets say that the real French skirts are growing longer. And the smart American designers say, the same. They are making the garments slim, without using an inch of surplus material. MAhey are dropping them saossS to the flat-heeled, pumps With broad ribbon bows across the vamp. Three Or four of the •best houses in iNew York emphasize these skirts, and those who are tired Of the brevity of the slirts we have wbrn for yettrs are accepting. this? flew garaent with more than the usual enthusiasm, if it had fullneps\ltJwould- lie impossible for street usage, but its narrowness and the slight bias; line at the sides, that: comes, if font the'material being putted backward and upward, make it a pleasing picture on the street and an artistic contrast to the prevailing garment.

Miles of Tulle. Even when France starts out to be demure she changes her mind and gets .a little fling of gayety into the most .somber; gown. For example, she makes a. black Satin restaurant frock dp f the, style of the eleventh, century, ■with the long chemise, the slight gir’diihg about the hips and the half-low-deeolletage. Well and good. But she is weary bf the . black surface by the time she gets to the armholes and the mecTkHne, SO sh? sMngs In i? pair <tt fhlnese sleeves of jade green tulle edged with Jet, and she winds a i narrow scarf, of tulle once around the neck, pulls its fullness once chin ami weight® its ends with jet tassels. When green Jsn’t used, king's blue or wine color is chosen. i Every French designer used what; sheconM of colored tulle. There must have been, a competition over there as to who could reduce the amount of tulle in France most quickly. 7 i,; ; ;! One designer todTc tt iptp Ke? headto omit white, collar? and vsC as a substitute tulle ? wrapped al out the neck and tied in a bow., TW fashion fe already considered quite smart over here. In restaurants./for luncheons and for any affair where thq hat ti-re-tained thd tdrie~Whlch cbvere it : forms this bhlH#/ and sometimes drops Ita long ends from the nape of the heck to the knees, (Copyright, 198. by the McClure Newnjmper Syndicate.)

Tunic of black and' white figured fou-lacd-ovor a natrow elip of white crejie de bhine. The short, narrow skirt is finished at the hem with black fringe. Note, unusual collar.

Gdwn of black satin, short, sleeveless and thin. The sash, which ties at tyeis finished with large sold , tassel at.hem of skirt The scarf, of black lace and tulle, with band of gold lace ett each end, slips under belt at right and is loosely thrown; over left shoulder.