Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-01

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
PARIS, March IS, / D.
That there is a psychology of fashion is
easily believed if one spends a Lenten sea-
son here at the French capital. Praisians.
YOU know are nothing if not artistically
correct, and in sartorial matters the at
mosphere and mise-en-scene are always
preserved Lilac and Lent is nice al
liberation which smart devotees are carry
ing out in their costumes these penitential
days. Very smart are gowns in cloth of
this sweet old world shade. To come back
to the psychological point. 1 think our at
tire does exercise u really deep influence
upon our spirits. or at least upon our
moods if you like that better. For in
stance, take the matter of Lenten attire.
Are we not always exceedingly sober and
religiously disposed in a gown of black or
gray or violet? AS another Illustration, go
to a number of fancy balls. Wear at the
first a severely classical dress and see
II you do not throw yourself into the
character" You assume a dignity of car
riage, a splendidly Gull expression lnsepa-
rable from ones conception of a goddess
and her draperies. On the next occasion
adopt the dress we term Vatican and see
If the general atmosphere of ribbons and
roses, tmpertinent little hats, high-heeled
shoes and garlanded crooks do not lead you
to adopt a manner entirely in keeping.
That the woman who has an instinct for
clothes can make an equal success of her
appearance in two such widely different
roles is not TO be questioned.
That Perky" Air.
We do not have to attend a fancy ball
to assume what for a better name might
be styled the now approved perky air.
The modes of the spring and summer abso-
lutely demand 1t as an everyday character
istic. We have tip-tilted hats, sprightly
diminutive and piquant; our sleeves spring
Jauntily from our shoulders, our bodices
are trinity belted, our skirts swirl smartly
about our feet. Verify the day of the little
woman is at hand, she of the robin type
OF beauty bright of eye, quick of move
ment and round of figure.
II we cannot be beautiful and pictur-
esque and perky we can at least be
smart and practical. And talking of the
practical reminds me of the very sensible
little suits some of the best couturieres are
making of the new checked mohair This
is as soft and plant as silk and in designs
OF pin checks II Is particularly smart
Brown and buff, blue and cream, soft green
ana white and rose and white are stunning
colorings barred off with threads of black
These checked suits are made I'D in
the simplest fashion, the skirts being
usually knife plated which Is very much
newer than the killed jupes.
Knife-Plaited Skirts.
The knife plated skirts are stitched TO
the end of the corset and then flare in bal
let fullness. novel way of finishing
the bottom of these skirts is to turn the
hem up on the right side as one is accus-
toned to do on the wrong SIDE then slip
stitch and press 1t firmly in place If the
wearer can stand being cut off in length
two bias bands of a plain colored cloth in
different widths are placed above the hem
On other models these bands are of bias
aud he afez
the straight plaits. Then again to vary
things where a color scheme may be carried
ihLo effect with success these plain bands
are plped with still another shade. The ac-
companying jackets are as a rule of the
bolero order, fitting, though, more closely
TO the figure than those of last year. They
end an inch or two above the waist and
are finished with high belt which Is de-
signed to preserve the lines of the waist
Every fashion chronicler has a different
tale to tell about the skirts of the season,
and the only way to really distinguish be-
tween the sheep and the goats is to study
examples of the best masters, as l did a
few days ago. One fact is evident, and
that Is street walking skirts have not
the enormous width that was promised and
fulfilled IN some instances this winter.
They are very wide, certainly, and flare in
graceful fashion from a tight-fitting hip
but the flare begins at this point and not
at the knee, and altogether the whole en-
semble is not extreme in any way.
The circular skirt. particularly when de-
veloped in Scotch plaid will be popular
for morning wear with shirt waists. 1t is
cut on the cross and has a seam down the
front This is a return to lost love of
a few years ago. There are rumors, too,
that the erstwhile bell skirt will be to the
fore this spring. This jupe of a decade
past in its previous incarnation was a cir
cular affair made with a single bias seam
up the back and boosted slight train.
What form the revived cloche will take
remains to be seen. In the advanced model
the material is shaped closely over the
hips, allowing for a series of plaits at the
back stitched a little way down below the
waist.
Twenty-one Cores.
For almost every modish occasion wo-
men are wearing the all-round-sweep