The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-18
GLANCE AT FASHIONS I'M CAPITAL
Expert Tells Wellsownea Woman OF Smart Society. What
She Wears. and When
BY MARGARET WADE.


The latest male contributor to the high
pitched discussion concerning woman's
dress to find himself considered worthy
of extensive exploitation, it seems, is
professor in the school of education of
the University of Chicago, who proposes
to reform the fashions by having all
women dress alike.
OF course, every woman, who heard
or read this alleged learned professors
advice, knew at once the suggestion was
absurd.
In the first place most persons asked
what sort of a professor it was who
could be described as holding a chair in
the school of education. Are not all
parts of a university schools Of educa-
ton? Or at least SO considered by their
faculties?
Secondly, how should any one. even
ii theorist of the male gender. propose
that one style should be adopted by all
women when everybody knows the entire
harmony of clothes consists in having
each costume suited to its wearer, not
merely as a matter of fashion, but OF
common sense.
We all know the disadvantages of a
gown too young. hat too old, fashion
that makes stout women look stouter,
and thin women thinner, also most SEN
sible women, and there are more of this
kind in Washington than in most cities.
know that a style suited to the girl
in society with nothing to do but amuse
herself and look pretty is altogether
unsuited 20 the girl fortunately or I'M
fortunately obliged to go to office or
business
Also We all know the well-made plain
suit of the morning hours, with the ad-
dition of smart hat and fresh gloves
may be made to do for a round Of after
noon visits, but the gown made for
afternoon visiting should never be seen
On Street in shopping hours or in office
at any hour
If the professor from the School of
Educat ton could instruct his pupils or
his readers to dress each according to
her age. her opportunities, her obliga-
tons and her purse, he would indeed
he an educator of the first class, but
he can never accomplish this purpose
by a suggestion of one uniform model for
all women.
There is nothing new in the latter idea
as every one knows who has ever lived
among the friends of Maryland or Penn
sylvania or the still palmer Menonites
of Pennsylvania.
Among these gentle people there is
only one style of dress for the truly
converted from the child of SIX 10 the
man or woman of sixty For men as
well as women follow this rule of dress,
but from a religious motive not from
any idea of patriotism or economy.
The woman who wishes to dress be-
comingly, wisely, and in the fashion
never had a better opportunity of carry
ing out that virtuous intention than
now. for despite the strenuous efforts OF
the designers and the manufacturers
styles have changed little in the past
year.
Even those favored women of large |
means blessed with a discriminating taste |
in dress are showing few novelties and |
no freak fashions in their summer ward !
robes as shown by the conservative hats |
and gowns worn at the White Fbuse |
garden parties and at the succession OF
smart weddings of the past few weeks. |
That the narrow skirt is still the |
first choice of Washington's fashionable !
maids and matrons. cannot be questioned !
by an one who has seen the smartest
feminine gatherings OF the past week.
The bridesmaids frocks at the Perkins
Wallach wedding on Thursday could
not have been an inch narrower and
permitted their pretty wearers TO ascend
the broad steps Of st. Johns ChanceL
The same fashion prevailed among the
guests, although in many instances the
narrow line. that is the basis of the new
as well as the old gowns. seen on most
festive occasions, is in some degree OBJ
scured by the short high drapery.
There was no drapery on the brides
maids costumes of Thursday. They
were as severely plain as the old-time
morning frock of a girl in her first sea-
son: and except for the exquisite quail
itv of their material might have done
duty for just such time and place. The
material was silk MarQuisette with a fiat
band of lace covering the six-inch hem.
The bodices were surplice. crossed in
front with long close sleeves. There was
no drapery whatever and 10 sash. The
hats worn on this occasion served to
show the increase in hat trimming since
the previous smart wedding at St Johns
Miss Alys Meyers bridesmaids wore
hats that had absolutely no trimming be-
yond a narrow band of velvet ribbon tied
in a small bow in the back and allowed
to fall 10 the waist in streamer fashion.
Miss Perkins maids had the crowns of