Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1920 — French Note in [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

French Note in

Of all games tennis is the favorite with the French women, who take any ambunt of trouble in procuring smart clothes for their games, writes a Paris French woman’s conception of sports dress, however, is somewhat different from that of the American or English woman. The clothes, she wears on the tennis court are, judged by our standard, somewhat fussy, but unless one is of a distinctly athletic type these clothes are Infinitely more becoming than those of the more severe and mannish cut to which we have been accustomed. We in' this country are beginning to realize this - ; consequently the French influence is now felt mere strongly in our own sports clothes than ever before. A blouse developed in blue serge, with brown leather lacings, is cut so as to fall in loose, baggy folds, thus giving .freedom of movement. While this model made its initial appearance on the Riviera, It appeared later In the showing of Madeleine et Madeleine. It has been copied with many variations in one instancebeing developed from serge, with stripes embroidered in silk threads. It is made of this latter material both with and without the lacings. When the lacing is used, a black patent'leather belt, inlaid with brown motifs, finishes the waistline. Interest tn Skirts. In skirts for sports wear great Interest is manifested in models of decided design, showing big pockets, trimmings, panels, strappings and other features. The use of novelty materials adds to the extreme look, woven plaids and stripes in high colons being combined with plain fabrics in contrast or in harmony to work out the most eccentric of the new 7 styles. A skirt of fawn-colored serge has

huge square patches of checked burella on either side, and in these squares pockets are inserted. The skirt is made to wrap about the body at the top, closing in a crisscross fashion by means of tabs and large buttons. From the lower tab to the hem the skirt is cut away in a diagonal line. In other words, it has a one-side closing which laps far across the front at the top. A glimpse of the plaid shows at the hem in the form of pantalette cuffs attached to a full length panel of the plaid. These new skirts are quite different from the plaited sport skirts of wool that we have been wearing. The remarkable trimmings of gay colored cloths bring * bright note into them. Front Panel That Disappear*. Another skirt, developed in blue serge, has trimmings of yellqw, blue and green plaid in the form of sAddle pockets and a disappearing front panel. In this model the method of closing the front is reversed, the overlap being at the hem and the doth cut away in a diagonal line to reveal the plaid cloth panel at the tof only. This panel, however, extends the full length of the skirt, and attached to the bottom of it are straps which button around the legs. These are entirely invisible except when the skirt is blown about. This; while sounding rather extreme, is really a capital idea in a sport garment It Is most interesting to note the increased popularity of the

From left to right—Lanvin model of blue serge with bands of tucked taffeta edged with bright colored embroidery. Serge frock in leather brown. The low hanging blouse is bound at the neck and sleeves with bright red. Both skirt and waist are tritnmcd with red buttons.

panthlette T?bff and divided skirt. Practically every Important maker has included some phase of the divided skirt idea in the spring models. Collarless Blouse, Red-Bound .Edfles. A dress which embodies this idea is a simple serge frock in leather browtj with straight hanging side panels piped in bright red and buttoned on to the baggy trouser skirt. Here, too, the low hanging blouse fullness appears, and on the puffy bodice a •trimming similar to that used on the skirt is placed across the front where the lower hall buttons to the yoke. This blouse is collarless and all the edges are bound' with red. To, the Spanish Influence w 6 may attribute the lavish use of leather,‘ not only for trimmings, but for entire garments as well. One French firm shows a dark leather coat lined with bright red duvetyn. Lanvin makes very smart straight box coats of leather that are without fastenings of any sort. Then there are bright colored leather vests in ever so many of the dark cloth suits for SpTing. But perhaps the most interesting use of leather is its application In wide bands to the English traveling and sport coats of bright plaid w’orsteds. Flare in Topcoats. v In the camel’s hair topcoats there » appears to be a preference for the three-quarter length style, which is cut to flare sharply toward the bottom and Is tightly girdled with a string belt, thus giving the effect of an even greater flare. Either set-In or raglan sleeves may be used. Some of the newest homespun coats have no fastening other than the belt, the front of the coat lapping widely and being held together merely by a tightly drawm girdle. This, of course, makes a very warm garment, as the

coat is really double across the front It is smart to wear a bright plaid scan with these coats. . One maker of distinctive sport clothes Is having phenomenal success with suits developed from Ca-. nadian homespun of an open weave, similar in appearance to burlap. In times past homespun suits were extremely plain, the only thing attractive about them being their ■ durability. There never has been a trimming thp> could be suitably combined with homespun, so there was nothing different about them 'year after year. As women demand something new in thdi clothes, the homespun suit was not especially popular. * Trimming Easily Achieved. This designer conceived the idea of fringing the fabric to form a trimming and also of drawing threads to make beautiful patterns in the cloth. As this Is a trimming easy to achieve and very-* attractive, ever so many of these homespun suits have fringes of the material on both skirt and coat. The skirt may have a tunic edged with the fringe or tiers of the cloth may be applied to the skirt and coat For example, one suit of golden brown Canadian homespun is madewith a box coat and a plain skirt. Fringed tiers of the material are added tr both the coat and skirt on either sldcv leaving a plain panel In the back and trait. ?•' . , v