New-York tribune., 1906-09-17
CAPITAL CREATES FASHION.
Women Are Puppets" for Commercial
Exploiting.

I'VE women haven't anything do with bring
ing out the fashions" Mrs Belle Armstrong
Whitney told her audience AT the Waldorf Astoria
last week. in a talk fashions for the fan and
winter. And while the women before her easped IN
astOnshmeut. we are nothing but humble pup
pets, who lend ourselves for commercial exploit
ing" she went on. meek devotees for Juggernaut
10 roll over
For herself. Mrs Whitney looked neither particu-
larly meek nor Yet conspicuously humble in a su-
perb imported creation OF pOmpadOur silk IN pastel
green. opening over petticoat OF Aiencon lace
Before the end OF the talk she used this gown 20
illustrate several points likewise the magnificent
new conceptions from the best known houses IN
Paris. with which she was urrounded. She con
tinued 10 give her hearers a vivid idea OF the way
in which. instead OF creating fashion as they
fondly imagine they its puppets" and OF
what as puppets" they VIII be likely TO wear this
winter.
1T is really the capitalists who are back os this
incsssant change OF fashion," said the speaker
Last springs gowns not Out-they're as
Good as ever-but the capitalists not satisfied
with last springs dividends. 90 they force Us 10
buy lot OF their things. Many a husband
who complains bitterly OF his wife's drsssmaking
bills IS really responsible for the size those bills
However. there viii he nothing radically new this
year IN fashions. for the that The private
or~ssmaker IN this country is being steadily crowd
sd 10 tho wall by the manufacturer OF ready made
eresses-and when say ready made. don't mean
the ss@ suit. 7 mean the gown that may run up
20 $780, and that IS sold by the best firms in the
country. When a single New York firm places an
order for r6Oo0 worth OF such goods IN a single
season with one Paris house. you see for your
selves how completely It's influence dominates that
OF any small private dressmsker.
AMERICAN WOMEN TnuD.
'sSow"-sn6 here Mrs Whitney led them stiu
another step into the OF fashion-the aver
age American woman (only there is really no such
thing average womRn) Is timid She won't
buy q thing tn she has enough OF Il 10 get
used 20 e. She 10 scared OF every radical thing
Knowing this, the buyers fOr the big American
houses mighty careful not 20 order for their
general trade anything that is TOO Different And
Paris. sensitive 70 this note OF conservatism makes
Then Mrs. Whitney pointed out some OF the fail
ings q the American woman as dresser.
o LIKE Ss SeseP 2o,Es we @ SSs & tashioH IKE
IN front or behind, and in six weeks we've run II
come over ana cay. oh. but your women are stun
n,sr sat s5 stteF th5ee loo io0k; they are Ell run
a second glance.
NEW NOTES IN FALL sTYLRs.
'T an inVssiGhly asked. What Is the Leading
colOrY There is no leading color. And How are
sldrt. na6s-gored plestedT Both gored ana
Yieatec. Every oressmaker shows any number OF
ooiors and Il az depends fabric purpose OF
tie dress etc. how you have your skirt cut But.
In general new ssrtorisl notes dominate IN the
fau sfyles-the almost unlimited combination of
unlike faeEies-the thick and The thin OF It you
sEers" SAID Mrs Whitney, turning 20 an i'm
ported model, Eis gown with the upper half
insruu.sette and the lower half broadcloth. over
yonder is eAinOn velvet and silver cloth covered
with Chiffon, ana there Is brOaGclOth cut out
ropss> .irs &c s0ie. That shows you.
sAx foT ehe mandarin sleeve. that "a best de-
sortbec extension Of the waist itself. put in
csrs,seve OF some light fabric"
Empire princess ana Directoire viii combine IN
the seexorE gowns according 10 this authority.
TIE sApsrsts waist ana skirt being in favor
toe< who DO not like the princess idea. SILKY,
selyety ct.ehex, With many fancy mixtures and a
grest variety q checks and plsids. win be popular
ar" wxs Asrs Whltneys comment Chestnut
orowrs Yil be so0c, and. for the economical wom-
an. bi&sS gowns and white gowns. IL Is 20 be a
$4,000 ot endless combinations in color ana
tArel Fog evening there are exsrsite rose shades.
and ek9tr rets VII BE much 81 demand. As .or
" arspse effects. that are among the novelties,
Nh Whitney seys that American women DO not
ne sraps6 erects. and that probably ony t.oss
vre srs sure os the.T figures and carriage VIII
TAX 20 them enc then only whsre tho cEepinE
eeo sst e-xtuxh ths hip Ines