Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-21
WHAT WE WEAR.
FASHIONS AND FOIBLES.
By Frederic J. Haskin.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

more comfortable and better suited to the
needs of the wearer. The soft collar
brought out during the past summer was
a boon to the average man whose neck
had chafed for many seasons inside the
stff, starched circle of linen. 1T was a
small matter. but it's sales reached mil
lions during the summer and it will not be
entirely superseded during this winter Ii
Is fitting accompaniment to the soft
shirt and Will be retained by thousands of
men throughout the country, especially
for travelling.
While to the manufacturer and the deal
er in ready-made clothing the change in
fashions is boon because of the increase
in trade it brings about to the American
mother with small income 1t is d hard
ship involving hours of ceaSeless toll with
the needle if the family is to present a
creditable appearance. The presiding ell
der reminded me. of the fact that John
Wes1ey'S mother educated all of her chill
dren al home herself" said "a hard
worked minister's wife one day. II felt
like telling him that Susanna Wesley for
many years wore without alteration a
cloak which had been made for her grand
mother. No wonder she had time to teach
her children herself. If I should go to
church wearing coat or dress even three
years out of style there would be gen.
eral complaint in the quarterly conference
over the fact that 1 did not appreciate
my husband s position enough to keep my
clothes looking up to date. SO 1 sew and
sew. turning clothes inside OFT and upside
down, trying to keep them up TO the
fashion because / feel it is expected OF
me-.
To large extent fashions come from
Paris. and a prominent merchant recently
began his advertisement
Faris Fashions with this statement:
~. c, Nothing in fashions
the Guide. is right unless Pari.
leaders say 'cachet.'" This saying, how
ever requires modification. Many styles
originating in the United States are adj
mitted to be superior even to those OF
Paris, while Vienna and London frequent
ly originate fashions worthy of recogn:-
ton. Even those vino insist upon the
superiority of French designs for evening
! dresses and millinery generally add that
for travelling and outing the New Yorh
and London tailors are superior ant
lately Vienna suits have been introduced
| by American women of higher grade
than any other.
Americans. both men and women, are
generally admitted to be the best dressed
! people in the world. everything being con
| sdered, so il follows as matter OF
| course that American fashions mus; have
weight in countries where the wealth and
prosperity of the nation is so highly re
| spected. The Russian women are espe-
cially fond of American clothes. Severa
/ American dressmakerS have gone to st
| Petersburg during the past five years ana
| are supplying women of the Russian cour,
| with garments that are pronounced to be
| super or in style and finish to those sent
formerly from Paris
The influence of literature and drama
upon fashions is most noticeable. The
| Merry Widow and "Chanticleer" styles
are examples of this. ANY event of his
| torical interest is likely to affect the
I, fashions for a season or more. During
! the Columbian exposition in 1893 coats.
| capes. hats and other garments were de-
| signed after the fashions of the time of
| Columbus. The coronation ceremonies Of
| England are responsible for fashions OF
| dress modelled from various periods OF
| English history. These will obtain not
only i'm England. but to a large degree in
America and the rest of the wSrld. Lead
/ ing mOdistes in various parts of this
| country will this year wrestle with the
| court train, and while this appendage
will, of course, be modified for court