The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-11-05
FAMOUS PARIS
STYLE PARL0Rs
ARE CLOSED
EMPLOYEES ARE MAKING BAND
AGES FOR THE WOUNDED.
AMERICA TO LOOK ELSEWHERE
But Dress Artists Predict That Their
Trade VIII All Come Back in In
creased Volume After the
War Is Over.

War Is Over.
by William Philip simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent. Paris
Oct. IL. BY mail to New York. Thi'
year there will be no Paris styles
Paris, mistress OF the worlds fash
ions, Is thinking of other things, Mos
OF the famous dressmaking establish
ments are closed and the employees
are making bandges for the wounded
War, the great leveler, has taken
the coquetry out of the women OF
Europe; war has frightened the rich
Americans away; some OF the Lien
who designed milady's dresses are
now company cooks; midinettes are
making winter underwear for the sol
diers. and the dutehess-like models
and sales ladies are red Cross
nurses.
In the fashion creating quarter of
Paris, the steel shutters are drawn.
The Rue De La Paix is well named;
it IS preemininently street of peace.
No Styles This Year.
| asked the premier of closed Rue
De La Paix dressmaking establish.
ment what effect the war would have
on the styles.
1T won't have any" she said, for
the very simple reason that there
won't be any style. Under present
conditions how can there be any
style?"
Famine. pestilenee fire and food
may not be able to take away the de-
sire TO look charming vanity If you
prefer-from modern women, but this
war has done it. ..........
1T is because women are thinking
or other things" she continued sober
IL. "Oh, we'd be only too glad to
keep the shops going If we could. Dc
sou think we discharged all our en-
pioyes at the beginning of the war for
nothing? The demand for styles sud
denly came to an end. When their
men left for the war women cancel
ed orders previously given and re-
trained from giving orders already
decided upon. They began to think
Of less selfish things"
, America Must Try Her Own Hand.
What?
How they could help their men
folks and their country, for one thing
The more energetic began some sort
OF work. A few people there are in
Europe whose families are not d.
rectly interested in the war by hav-
ing a member on the firing line.
These few are financially hit and
must go slow with expenses"
And your foreign trade?"
Your American women are our
foreign customers and they are not
likely to do much shopping in Paris
this winter. South Americans are
good customers but they have fitted
too"
Now is Americas chance to try
her hand. This season we are not go
ing 10 set the style; we have other
occupations; we don't care who sets
them" FL #f
"You smile as if you think we can't
do It" l said.
you misinterpret my smile" she
corrected Your American women
are good dressers and have taste-a
taste more like the French woman's
than the women of any other coun-
try perhaps possess.
Fashion Demands, made In Paris
but" she smiled again and screw.
ed her mouth up after the fashion OF
shrewd people, but she has whims;
and one OF her pet whims is that nc
gown is pretty and stylish unless II
is Made in Paris And as she has
the money to crafty her whims she
will get along with home made
variety until the war is over and
then she will come back to us and
make up for lost time"
Tonight at the fashionable hour
FIVE to six o'clock walked the
length Of the Rue De La Paix. Three
months ago at that hour the thorough
fare was packed with the feminine
elegance OF the world; tine street was
surcharged with handsome turn outs;
the sidewalks and shops were throng
ed with the bon tons of two hemis.
pheTes; everywhere was perfume and
grace and beauty and coquetry and
extravaganza. Tonight the street was
almost deserted. Only the red and
green lights in Roberts drug store
were burning; the other shops were
shattered. The one vehicle in the
street was cab driven by a horse
scoTned by the army while other than
myself there was but one other pc.
destrian using the sidewalks. He was
a wounded soldier, his arm in a sling,
making for Roberts.
a;a.gk 60 -. A.. -