Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1920 — Simple Designs for New Frocks [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Simple Designs for New Frocks

As a violent reaction, clothes became widely extravagant almost as soon as the war was over. There were a few months of readjustment, while dressmakers were getting their establishments back into normal working condition; but this period was sui* prlsingly brief. No sooner was this done, even in a limited way, than the market became flooded with an avalanche of clothes, as extravagant as any that the world has ever seen. Now we are experiencing a reverse reaction, observes a prominent fashion correspondent. While It cannot be claimed that our frocks are any less expensive than they were six months ago, they are a great deal simpler In design. There is no mistaking the Indication that women want all of their dresses built on the simplest and most youthful lines, and that they will pay more for a dress of this character than one elaborated with applied trimmings. Season Calls for Pretty Clothes. We tire, in time, of all our clothes, and now is the time when we es■peclaHyTe3~tfie~heed of something fresh and different. Then, at this season, we have so many more social engagements that we like to have a great variety of pretty clothes in which to appear. In both the early and late autumn this need was filled by one-piece cloth dresses and beautiful furs. Later, these * frocks were topped by coats of either cloth or fur. Now, we feel the need of a suit that Is completed by some sort of an attractive blouse, unusual enough to make the costume something quite different from the old-fashioned coat and skirt. A suit, by Doeuillet, was created to fill this need.. Its arrival may be the most popular suit that this famous house has launched for the winter. The strong one-side move-' mcnt and the long coat are its features. The portion which laps across the front, buttoning under the left arm, to give a semi-belted appearance, is cut in one piece with the right front of the jacket. The color combination worked out in this is remarkably pleasing. Copper brown velours de lalne ,1s the material selected for it. The tendency in tailored suits is toward the use of pronounced colors. The erstwhile popular dark blns is, for the moment, neglected. Much of this Is doubtless due to the fact that in rough wool pile fabrics dark blue is the least attractive of all shades. There must be some changing depth to the color tone to bring out the beauty of the fabric; hence, browns and greens are chosen in preference to blue or black. The vest and collar are of broadtail fur, although it has been made wdth these trimmings of the heavy

plush which is often substituted for fur this season. * While the broadtail is decidedly more luxurious, the plush Is most economical, and has the advantage Of being equally fashionable. Poeulllet completes his costume with a smart bodice of black satin, embroidered in copper color. This makes the suit beautiful and practical. Taffeta Dresses Midwinter Favorites. It Is surprising to And taffeta dresses meeting with continued success in the midwinter season. Those - . r ♦

who look ahead in fashions will see in this indications of a considerable use of this fabric for spring. We have come to think of it as such a practical material that it never has had the attention that it deserved from the artistic standpoint. It was always featured in evening gowns for members

of the younger set, but we rarely saw it in handsome daytime frocks, as for some reason or other is has come to be considered a somewhat informal material. Now our greatest designers have taken it up and are exploiting Jt in a way that makes everybody wonder why we did not realize its possibilities before. Taffeta Popular With Designers. Probably the puffy skirts’ of thia autumn gave It the first boost toward success for it does come into prominence whenever we have a wider silhouette, due to the fact that its stiffness makes it suitable to these designs. Now those who make dresses are using it for straight-line models which wrap about the figure. Of course it is not a fabric which lends Itself to a long-line drapery with any degree of grace, but it could not be surpassed by any other material for short, puffy drapery. Lanvin especially has had great suet •cess with her taffeta dresses. Sha makes them with and without embroidery. Black and navy blue are the colors most in demand in taffeta. — This winter hats have reflected the uncertainty of the silhouette. There has been a war between the dress with the puffy hips and the one of slender lines and the question of a choice between the two has had an important bearing on all fashions. As both these types were worn, it was natural that there should be both large and small hats as well as those that were plain and those greatly trimmed. We always see the full skirt accompanied by a rather large hat of picturesque shape, which is topped by trimming of a fussy character; while the stralght-llne dress has in its wake the small hat Fur toqdes are fashionable bits of headwear for this midwinter. Please Southern Visitors. Those going South are beginning to think more of springlike things, and for them quite summery-looking hats are already making their appearance. Glazed chintz and cretonnes are featured In some of them. We have had "chintz and cretonne hats for the country in other summers, but the glazed, or shellacked chintz, has not been used before, n is indefinitely more practical than the ordinary chintz, as it sheds the dust easily and may be wiped off with • damp cloth. Then, if one Is caught in the rain with one of these sum-mery-looking hats on, there is no fpal of its turning into a bedraggled mass of cloth, for even a rubber rain hat could shed a downpour no better. j Quite a remarkable trimming ap» pears on the glazed chintz hats. It is a fringe of straw. Although may nA be going South it is a vW#; good idea to get some, of these for they are most attractive and 11 the hurry of getting ready Tor al exodus from town in the spring It is not always easy to find just one wants in country bate.

Tailored Suit of Brown Duvetyn, With Jacket Showing Yoke Effect and Skirt Having an Overhanging Panel at Front

Suit of Copper Velours de Laine, Affords an Outfit Quite Different From Old-Fashioned Coat and Skirt Suit.