Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31


VIA 1/E where one sees
~ IA @AS celebrities who are
kaHE exploiting gowns
"NSHaH that are new to
W/11 American eyes, and
MI V1Qn often new to the
u NAa Hi eyes Of the Parish
w. " - enne 1t is difficult
to put the finger on any one costume THAT
presents something startiingly novel; LOT
the field OF fashion is so plowed up these
days that one does not expect TO see
new furrow.
The silhouette remains unchanged since
May, but it Is silhouette that has not
been accepted by every one, and TINS
promises to be the novelty OF the hour
its acceptance.
One must stand out like lampshade
between the hips and knees: not in the
form of panier, not in the form OF
draperv but in the form of the tunic
which IS wired to swing away from the
figure and make a vivid contrast be-
tween it's slimness and the width of the
outer line.
Here and there we saw this silhouette
exploited in America in the midsummer
hut it was not done with this straight
tunic which swung away from the fig
urc The first gown of this kind worn in
New York was of black tulle and satin,
and the former was used to give the
ballet effect which is noW so well known
over here. 1t was the same old trick
of bringing out a startling novelty to try
lis effect OH the public. and then adopt
ing II as a settled fact six months later
After ell. Paris moves very slowly.
r,uc,t more so than America. Tt ex-
pc.iments over and over with a novelty
Ia tha silhouette or sleeve or
method Of draping or the shape of a
skirt. IL does not make all of its
gowns in the same way. and 1t has no
one recognized style at one time: it
IS only the Waterman on the tower
who cites the coming fashions over
the far horizon and gives the fact
~ the public.
statement with Indifference and only
recognizes the invasion when it Is
within the city.
Any acute observer could have fore
told what was going to happen as
soon as that black satin dinner gown
with it's ballet ruffies of black tulle
made it's appearance last March. It
was not needed for Madame Georgette
to wear it at the Drag in order to
show to those behind the scenes what
the coming silhouette was to be.
Whatever the genesis Of this fash
ion. its presence is interesting. til
may change the figures Of the world
of women. To describe 1t Indifferent
~ gives woman a wrong impression Of
it; 1t really looks very well on the
modern figure Of the day. which is
certainly in the majority. whether by
process OF nature or corsets.
This may be balm to the woman who
has a panier gown. for she will not find
herself out Of fashion. although she may
have to pull this short drapery out into
wide circle around her figure. If the
fabric is Of satin or silk or cloth, it will
not be necessary to wire 1t.
She may find in this new drapery q
means of arranging her present gowns
into future ones that will bear the stamp
Of modernity. As the gown Of today has
draped skirt over which is the lamp
shade tunic. 1t is quite easy for the
average woman to have one of these &C
cessories made. and attach it to a draped
gown which is too slim at the hip Nne
4 X
There is no disposition so far on the
part of the designer to make the tunic
in different color from the skirt. The
u
sp!ashing colors together and one sees
more white and black than was thought
possible in May: but it is all white and
all black, mind you. When a color is
added TO white it is more often brown
and yellow than black
For instance. the white crepe do chine
gown worn at the races that exploited
me new tunic had a wide band OF red
fox at its edge. And one sees whole
red foxes. worn always in the evening
with white gown
Paoi Poiret began this fashion for red
,uf, but Americans did not take it up
because that anirnal was cheap and
pientnul- However. the red fox has now
gone the way of the skunk, the raccoon
auu the possum. Instead Of being a
lhonieht pleasure and a midday feast
TOT the southern negroes. the coon and
the possum are now raised on speciai
farms and sold like sable and errnine.
"hen a womans figure canrot stand
straight line around it sne must din
the tunic down at the back. ana If she
cares not how large is her waist meas.
nrement. she Will raise il for two inches :
ut the front waist line and arrange If
n Two box rleats
really, and without eSaygeration the
women over in Europe have waists al
h'ost as large rs their shoulders No