New-York tribune., 1911-04-23
REACTION In DRESS
Signs of Reuolt Against the
Tyranny of Fashion.

The vulgarizing Of new fashions by imi-
tating them in cheap materials and putting
them on the market by wholesale Is q de-
plorable condition from the poin1 OF view
Of the elegante and is often her excuse Tor
the rapidity with which she discards one
mode fer another and the expense involved
I'm throwing aside gowns and hats as soon
as they have made one or two appearances
Mile Sorel of the Comedie FRANCHISE
much famed for her beauty and her toll
lettes came forth some time ago with a
statement that no woman could be truly
elegant on a dress allowance OF less thah
$4,000 a year. confessing at the same time
that her own expenditures went far beyond
that sum. Mile. Sorel. it may be remarked
parenthetically. probably gives more time
10 questions OF the toilette than any other
woman Of to-day. with the result that she
is probably the best dressed woman In the
world. Her taste and good Judgment i"
these matters seems TO be beyond cavii anu
she has never been known TO start vulgar
fashion or to countenance one Ohrortu-
nately. this is not true OF the majority oi
women who spend great deal OF money on
their toiIettes. and we find a large proper
,ion Of the money expended goes for foolish
experimenting with unlovely designs made
nm from materials that i'm themselves have
no intrinsic value or beauty. More money
is spent I'm the desire 10 have something
new than in developing and bringing out
in rich and beautiful materials good idea'
From the dramatic authors OF France mas
come a public protest against the excess
sive dressing that their productions under
go i'm the hands Of the actresses engaged
for them They declare that the actresses
popular on the Paris stage to-day think OF
nothing but of calling attention 10 their
own persons and that no matter what the
stage setting. whether the play be laid IN
the country or in a modest home, gowns
must be worn that arr commented on.
written up and featured in fashion publi-
cations The authors point with regret 10
the artists OF generation ago, whose hrst
and only thought in costuming character
was TO conform TO the authors idea OF the
| role they were impersonatIng, and they
/ insist that plays to-day suffer more in an
/ artistic way from Overdressng than the
drama in it's more modest period ever did
/ from insufficient money spent in this di-
| recton.
| mat dress renearsalS nave become uress-
makers rehearsals is common saying In
the dramatic world. II is also true that
managers have come TO see the drawing
power Of beautiful and novel gowns, and
are more likely 10 produce play that
gives room for them than a more serious
drama that does not present sartorial
! possibilities. Choosing plays because they
present an opportunity to display dress
makers models certainly indicates great
| desire on the part Of women-for IL is an
axiom in stageland that TO succeed play
must attract Vomen-to view elaborate
| clothes rather than dramatc~ art. That
women are dress mad is comment otter
heard on the extravaganza of the day and
If an exaggeration, there is enough truth in
the statement TO give grounds for uneasi-
ness. This desire for fashionable clothes Is
perhaps more unfortunate in a country
where changing conditions in regard to
money and social obligations sweep away
all class distinctions and where woman
/ is apt 10 feel il a misfortune II she cannot
dress like her neghbor
II is quite probable that from the very
abuse and exaggeration in matters OF dress
! a healthy reaction will spring. We look
| 10 Paris as the centre OF activity in mat
I ters OF dress and as the source OF most
new fashions. and It is from Paris that now
comes a hint that In the future women OF
social position are TO be distinguished by
not being too much in the fashion. To be
absolutely chic women will be elegant.
but not conspicuous by their toilettes. In
the discussion OF this matter the French
have coined a new bit Of slang. CHEN"
What is fashionable but not good taste is
"chien."
The question Of suitability in matters OF
dress is the hardest note 10 strike. Most
fashion magazines occasionally include
among their text and Illustrations models
for elderly ladies' but in the fashions as
trey are created there are no half measures
or distinctions in age. The woman OF
twenty and the woman OF fifty dress much
alike IL the latter desires 10 be in the
fashion" There should be no arbitrary
laws laid down in this connection, and it is
true that some women Of middle age can
wear youthful fashions with justice 10