Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-08-10

AS the season advances women are
trying out cotton crash with more
persistence than they showed earlier
in the season. When 1t was intro
duced In the early spring, following
it's advent in Paris early last autumn,
the manufacturers pushed it hard,
and the retail shops offered 1t in
piece and in the ready-made garment,
but even the woman seller added her
note of disapproval to that of the
woman buyer. No one knew or ex-
pressed anything positive about IT.
but there was a. quee taboo upon 1t
over here that has not let up until
now.
Paris took 1t up with enthusiasm
and has now announced that 1t is
somewhat. tired of it and that here
after only morning gowns will be
made of It.
1t never seemed Mt for anything
but the morning hours or those in
formal afternoon ones given over to
| the open and athletic life of the coun-
try. Crash is a common garden wash
| fabric and should be classed with
duck and gingham, but in this topsy-
turvy day, when satin skirts are worn
at 9 o'clock in the morning with wash
shirtwaists, one is too bewildered tc
believe in ones inherent convictions
about the fitness of things.
Things are not as they used Il
be- said the old lady to Punch. .
They never were,' said Punch.
In the frantic endeavor to find
clothes that were cool in hot weather
| women took to crash. 1t was there
waiting it's chance. Somehow ap'
prevail seems to be going its way, al
though one could hardly call 1t popu'
lar yet.
Very smart and expensive gowns
able houses, but-to drag in a bro
midic political phrase-the rank and
file didn't respond.
They thought it was a caprice OF
the manufacturers, and they openly
avowed themselves as not happily
disposed toward the fashion of wear
ing washrags and bath towels as
gowns.
They leaned toward a less common
place novelty. 1t reminded the rem
iniscent ones of those awful days
when frying pans and milking stools
were turned into parlor ornaments
by means of a little paint and more
ribbon. Making a bath towel into
a coal suit smacked of this ugliness.
They also argued from a more
practical viewpoint that crash was
not cool and that it might shrink.
Both of which are true.
It's advantage is that it is really as
cool as linen and duck, and almost
as comfortable as shantung. It is not
in the class with soft muslin, china
silk or foulard. but every day is not
hot enough to demand the latter
three.
Crash really rye very well. fol
its sole disadvantage is the way in
| which 1t shrinks. 1t has somewhat
the same faculty for doing this as
cotton crepe has, which was entirely
given up for blouses because of that
| reason.
Another disadvantage Is that 1t!
rough, knotty surface is apt to catch
i HUGH QuSl dliQ SUI that SnPS vi
linen. Yet the shrinking can be pro
vided for, and 1t does not prove such
a nuisance in a coat suit as it wo1t
In separate blouses. The dust car
be brushed off in a most satisfactory
way and soiled spots can be washed
off quickly with a nail brush. The
fabric dries Immediately, and, as II
needs nc ironing, the rough drying is
not noticed.
Every one does not know this about
cotton crash; women find 1t out by
experimenting, basing their expert
ments on the washing Of wash cloths.
They were amazed to find out how
quickly and safely it worked, and
how much longer they could keep a
suit or a gown presentable this way.
The majority of these crash gowns
have the waists made quite loose and
in so-called sailor fashion.
The shoulders are wide. the arm