Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1918 — BLACK FOR SUMMER [ARTICLE]

BLACK FOR SUMMER

Mourning Color for Street Wear and Social Functions. - Upkeep of Country’s Optimism Could " Best Be Maintained by the Wearing of Gayer Colors. Another departure from the fashion as laid down by Paris this year is the wearing of black. This Is not for mourning, but for street, luncheons, dinners and the theater. It Is really not a good fashion, and those who cry for the morale of a nation, which merely means the upkeep of its optimism in the highest form, would prefer to see this a season of gayer colors, states a fashion correspondent. There will probably bq enough mourning in the land, and our millions of soldiers do not wish to see all the women garbed in black. It does not make them look upon life with more joy. However, we have started on a career of black for this summer season, and only the Individualists depart from it.. It is a condition fop gratitude that we have enohgh rebellious souls to Insist upon blue, pink, green and yellow as a contrast to the moving procession of black jet, taffeta, tulle, satin, pearls and jersey. Another fact about this fashion for black, for which we are truly grateful, Is the extreme manner In which It is presented. There is nothing gloomy or depressing in the way It is handled. Only the color Itself strikes a somber note. But color is always the note of victory, the sounding of the cymbals of a deed well done, and as the psychology of the masses is the most important thing of the hour, we should become students of this peculiar science of the mind and exploit It to the greatest extent. It might be wise for us to follow In detail the psychology of the generalissimo of the allied armies, General Foch. One who knows him well, says that General Foch thinks that to be gloomy is to admit that matter has conquered spirit. Hopefulness is, first In his creed of victory. He believes that depression is a confession of Intellectual weakness and will lose more battles of every kind than any other single cause. Mind power, thinks General Foch, can snatch victory out of the arms of defeat as well as the coming of unexpected re-enforcements. He said during a battle that no man need ever be tired at a crisis if he manages his mind right. One of his great maxims is “Resist the irresistible,” and another favorite maxim during his long life in the thick of things was “Victory is a thing of the will.” There is no getting beyond the sentence that “victory is a thing of the will.” It Is this psychology that we should work upon, and the constant wearing of black does not help towards a more brilliant expression of the will and the Spirit Therefore, if we must wear black gowns, even though we are not in mourning, let us have them as gay as possible. Brilliant jet contributes to the vividness of a black gown, and it has been reinstated by the designers in a fascinating fashion. Entire frocks are made of It for dinners and dances.