Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-11

subjects that a social master toio 40 oi'N
10 speak of if there was to be quiet III 'ne
social world
The changes in women clothes are
matters of Importance in conversation
and far more so in finance; the caprices
of the unquiet sex have involved so many
reople and So many dollars that II is use
less 10 try to dismiss the subject as not
being significant
Whether the women are TO piame, OF
m. combination made up of artists. de
sfrners and merchants. is not easy to tell
each one accuses the other. and all are
probably more or less at fault
There was a time when fashion was
confined. when one could look out and
see its boundary line: when long coat
or a short coat large hat or small
Ia. was considered 1.-The style, and the
world of women acted accordingly. These
were the DAYS when a doll was sent from
Paris by ship 10 the civilized portions OF
the world as an exemplar of the newest
stvIe, today there is no doll, but there
are several hundred models shipped TO all
parts OF the world to represent the views
of Paris
This variety gives women much latitude
in choice which is a vast Improvement
1Inon the method of other days; the
creed now is many women, SO many
fashions and from the multiplicity that
has been brought to America this year IL
would seem though every woman
should certainly be suited. The stout
women are the only ones who still COM
pIajn that there are no fashions made
for them and they have some truth on
their side Heretofore the complaints
have usually been from the elderly wom-
e1 who insist that none of the fashions
is intended for them. but the designers
have been kind or the need has been
great for any elderly woman can ma
tust what she wants today In the styles
advocated.
The empire waist line. the surplice
bodice, which was high at the back. ana
the long and three-quarter sleeves are as
much in fashion as the Balkan waist hne'
the elbow kimono sleeve and the Medici
collar To tell the truth, there never was
a time when the woman of sixty could
dress with more charm and find that the
fashions lent themselves more agreeably
10 her age than now. She has COM
planned for years because she has looked
upon the apotheosis of the slim. youthful
figure and she has believed that her own
figure was without the pale. But she ar
gued wrongly; while the world is niled
with the pony class, there are stately
and dignified fashions that can be util-
lied by a woman who is forty or seventy
years old.
She does not need TO put herself in the
hands of a great designer to find this OUT
all she has to do IS TO observe carefully
some of the best of the new gowns MADE
of satin or corded silk and the wraps that
hang straight from the shoulder and tuck
themselves around the figure at the knees
IL seems a mighty leap over chasm
20 take up the subject of checked fabrlcs
after leaving the style for woman OF
seventy years old, for the latter cannot
wear checks. no matter how much she
would care to follow the fashions or the
day. And vet youth must have it's fling.
even if il sometimes compromises with
age. and the style for plaid fabrics Is
part of this fling
The Bulgarian colors and designs, which
nave been variously confused In the pub
lie mind with cubist, futurist. POSTUM
pressionist and oriental. are doomed. OF
that there is little doubt. although the
public is still busy buying and wearing
The reds and blues and yeliows in checks
and swirls and cubes.
You will notice that the shops are sell
ing them off just fast they can,
which is very good evidence that they
not expected to last Inc output
from the mills is very we'll bought up
and it is not probable that the shops will
handle much more OF this extreme color
ing after June.
Do not confuse this in your mind with
the fashion for brilliant colors: they are
here TO remain for some time. The vivid
puppies. oranges, reds and blues will re-
main with US for year at icast II the
prophets of any account. but the
vivid designs that are usually known as
Bulgarian are not warranted to last
They cannot. They are 100 extreme, too
marked. too easily noticed.
Exactly what this has TO do with the
matter of checks is not easy to see. but
whenever the dressInakers talk about the
outgoing of Bulgarian designs they are
apt TO refer 10 the fact that plaids and
checks will be in high style this summer
and certainly next fall. Black and white
coat suits among the very smartest
ones worn by women who do not dress
Ike the mass. Some OF these-in fact a
good many of .hem-have plain black
coats wiz, the check suits. This is one
of the most fashionable combinations Of
&he hour, although IL was considered too
extreme for the majority last year.
THIS - the probable history Of all fash