Arizona republican., 1911-12-13
FACTS CLEANED FROM
WORLD OF FASHION

theme of a fashion letter that gives
the modes as they are exploited by
the best dressmakers of Paris and
New York. for the one idea that needs
always to be emphasized is the pre-
dominance of black and white effects;
! and this has been told SO often that
as a simple fashion note it has be-
| come mOnotonous
But what is one To do when there
is nothing else seen in the smartest
shops of the worlds greatest cities
of fashion? The same blend is treat
/ ed in different ways. but the tones
are predominant. And the public does
not tire either. looking at these strik-
! ing gowns of white touched with
black, or of black TOUCHED with white,
or of combinations or black and white
in checks or stripes. Rich il decided
| ly is, and stunningly effective
As for cuts and drapings. that is
another matter. The French are past
masters when il comes TO putting
colOrs together so that the result will
be not only beautiful but PICTURESQUE
and in the black and white scheme
they have not fallen short. Gowns
appearing now are magnificent from
the point of view Of fabric and juxta =
position. The blatant dryness of the
white is Immediately killed by the
GeliciOusly soft cOmmingling Of black
velvet, and the result is perfection
As a matter of course dresses are
loud. but it is grand chic 10 be loud.
That seems to be just what the de-
signers are after.
Some splendid tailored suits in
white cloth touched with black vel
vet or black satin revers are among
the best things of the moment in Par
is. and satin seems TO be giving way
TO velvet in many instances for the
large. flOppy revers that French wo-
men delight in to such a great extent
1t used to be the aim of the leaders
of dress i'm Paris to be as quietly
and as elegantly gowned as possible.
and their American sisters cheerfully
| followed suit. But now il is the re-
verse. 4 walk along Fifth avenue in
New York or the rue de Ia Paix
in Paris, where the latest and best
in the world of fashion can be viewed
Will verify this statement
Unless a woman has eyes fastened
on her, no matter where she is. then
she probably feels that her clothes
are failure. Really, merely gen.
teel woman with a dress of the best
quality looks dowdy nowadays There
must be something GRANT either in
the cut or the way the white and
black are put together For exam
pie a word of description might be
given of a tailored frock for dressy
wear.
The suit is in which satin faced
cloth. the skirt being cut with a tunic
that looks more like the lower part
of a mans cutaway coat than any
thing else that suggests itself for
comparison just now. These tail like
pieces are draped over the underskirt.
crossing at the front-or rather. per
haps. overlapping would be a better
word. They are very long at the
sides. but short at the front and
back. They are piped with soft black
satin and the coat. which also takes
on the shape of a cutaway is piped
with black satin.
There are very deep revers Of black
velvet and they are almost as broad
as they are deep. The long sleeves
are finished with cuffs of black velvet
and fancy pendent ornaments of
black crocheted braid adds to the
finishing touch of elegance To the
gown. OF course handsome furs are
worn, but the neckpiece takes the
form of a stole about a ward and a
half long by a half yard wide
This. inlined with heavy white satin,
Of the same pelt.
And furs, by the way. were never SO
splendid as now. Plumes were never
so fine, vclvcts 50 rich. brOcadeS so
eXuiSitc. silks so soft and jewels 50
seductive. II is a season Of superla-
tive beauty in everything-and prices
in accordance. one may not pay
much for cheap piece of goods. and
there are some very very clever imi
tations of the costly models in cheap
materials and trimmings. but one pays
terribly high for everything that is
good. Women have been trained to
extravaganza so many years that they
will have nothing but the best and
the most exclusive.
one ought TO say just word or so
about plumes. because even though |
they have been talked about before. |
they have shot up again this month |
like an unexpected burst from Yes
uvius. This applies to price as well |
as TO the popularity of these trim |
mings. Up until a fortnight ago one |
could buy a feather or little ornament |
for hat at 4 reasonable price: but |
now nothing is reasonable Cheap, |
ragged little plumes that no one |
would have are as high in price as |
good feather was a year ago. one
would think that as hat ornaments /
in the way of short aigrettes, fancy |
feathers, etc. had grown so tiny that |
the price naturally would have fallen:
but not at all The smaller the feath-
er the higher the price. evidently AS
for long spiral plumes and aigrettes
with the ends curved and turned to
the center, they cost a basketful of
But there is n comforting thought.
Gowns take so little now and there
are so many combinations that the
counter yields most attract
We and undeniable bargains at this
season of the year. The same is true
If trimmings for dresses, hats and