The Washington herald., 1913-02-23

From Venerated Lips Fall,
the Dictum "American
Women Dress Fully
as Well as French
Women"

|
women Of great taste and refinement. who
dress exquisitely. yet who change their
style very little from year to year. They
| do not move with the crowd. They keep
to Just what suits them, with certain
notifications in waistline. sleeves. ETC."
Jacques was drumming a little tune on
the arm Of his chair with his highly man
icured nails Now he burst out again.
| "Oh. la! Lar he laughed. This decolle-
tage of the feet ard neck one sees in
| the street to-day A sable coat. a sable
cap. a sable nun. low neck away down,
skirt slit away up to show gauze stock
| ings+voilaw
1 couldn't help but smile at the picture
| he drew OF the woman I've seen q hum
dred times here and at the gestures with
which he rapidly sketched her costume.
but was not feeling kindly toward him.
SO I still shut him out. as I inquired
pointedly of Jean:
Hasn't the healthier. more outdoor life
women are leading also had some influ-
ence on fashions?'
Yes. yes" agreed Jean. THE present
| craze for exercise and sports is having an
| excellent influence In playing golf. for
instance, everything must be easy, SO we
7 have looser garments. less restriction.
Even the corset gets smaller and softer
all the time. Every one wants a flexible
| figure. Every one wants TO be able to
bend and move each l. -cle ----.y."
What about the harem skirt-will It
ever come backT'
Not Tor time. certainly: but believe
that had II not been presented so sensa-
tonally II would have had a vogue. OF
course. IT was practically killed n birth.
though few women here in Paris still
wear It. They have their tea gowns mads
in that fashion"
WHAT! TROUSERS! NEVER!
Il can't say ever cared for IT. VOL
unteered. but always felt that It might
be the high road to trousers. you know.
Do you think these will comer'
oh. no; women will never wear trou-
sers!" cried Jean and Jacques in perfect
unison Men will never allow them to do
so'
Dear, simple. young things! Wasn't
that naive OF them?
Men will never allow them! So early
Victorian. not to say antediluvfan, Q SEN
timent charmed mo by its novelty in this
generation.
1t is quite evident that. though they are
own domain. they don't know what Is
happening in the outside world Of woman
hood. That they should feel that woman
wears what most pleases man is quite
natural. and from their wide experience
70 doubt they know whereof they speak:
but when they go back to the days Of
their revered grandfather and commence
TO chat about what men will and will not
Y,rl1 E.F-
must pause for a vast and comprehensive
smile.
1 looked benevolentIy at them as I
thought. Perhaps they stay In Paris all
the time and don't travel. and therefore
don't realize that things are moving a
bit with US, though We still have a weak
ness for pretty clothes and have to put
ourselves more or less in mems hands for
the designing Of them"
DON'T SEEK IDEAS AFAR.
DO you find that you have to 90 to dif-
ferent countries in search Of ideas for
novelties in fsshions?" I questioned.
"Oh. We both like travelling" replied
Jacques, breezily. so We do considerable
of IT; but We don't go afield in search of
designs. Beauty is easier TO create in
course. characteristics Of dress in other
countries are sometimes borrowed. Just
now you can trace the influence Of India
and the Orient IN certain fabrics and
styles. and Russian touches are noticea-
Bile in coats and evening cloaks"
That didn't enlighten me much as 70
how they got or rather retained their
prehistoric views OF the relations of men
himself should have asked him point
blank and his answer would have been
but as It was I didn't havs
an inclination to hear Jacques on the
subject.
Then deep-toned clock outside sounded
twelve.
Most Paris clocks are wrong. and the
consulted shining gold watches
with one accord.
This clock was evidently right after
all and 1t was time they attended the
luncheon function: so I rose and they
sprang up also.
We'll, you have interviewed us"
laughed Jacques. Now don't say too
much about the decolletage Of the feet,
will your
Jean smiled at me and said nothing.
[ am afraid he spoils the irrepressible
me. you know, and don't think jacques
should be encouraged.
I assured them both would use dis
,retion as to the decolletage of the feet
Ind We all three walked out together.
Through the narrow passages we
wound. leaving the plain. businessliks
quarters, and making our way back to
he luxurious apartments given over to
he Muse of Fashion.
The big salon was quite empty, but
rom some of the smaller rooms came
sound Of gentle chatteting and now
md then subdued girlish gisgle. The
nanikins were taking of their war
,aint and discarding their gorgeous trap
,ings to don plain black gowns and ea:
heir dejeuner.
THAT LONG, LAST LOOK.
At tie drawing room door the Worth
,rothers left me and went out by a pas
age reserved for family use. They each
ave me a gay and gladsome smile as
hey vanished and I watched their re-
reating figures. Both were trim and
apper in beautifully cut overcoats. with
'eautifully shaped bowlers on their sleek
leads and slender canes in their we'll
loved hands
Out on the Rue de la Paix again hand
ONE Americans. English women and
french women hurried by me. all ex-
uisitely gowned. all carrying themselves