The Washington herald., 1914-01-13
FASHIONS STILL i
INSPIRED By EAST
China Has Come to the Fore as a
New Fountain Head for
characterization.

There would be little news In the state
ment that the influence of the East still
predominated were 1t not for the fact that
the sphere of inspiration is changing.
For the last six months. or longer. al
most every novel feature has been hailed
as coming from Persia. not necessarily
the Persia Of today, but rather the Per-
sia of the past as revealed in old manu-
script and paintings. Just as this source
Of inspiration seemed to be drying up a
new one was opened to the alert, ever
watchful eyes of the costume designers
and this new source lies in China.
Attention was first attracted to China
as a fountain head for ornamentation of
various kinds by the English tourists
who visited India for the Durbar. On their
return to England a demand sprang up
for beads. buttons and other curious
ornaments similar to the Chinese ones
which the visitors had brought back with
them The demand was quickly recog-
mixed by the manufacturers. who saw an
opportunity Of continuing the vogue for
Eastern novelties by offering articles of
an unmistakable Oriental origin. yet suf-
ficiently different to interest the women
who are always on the lookout for some
thing new.
Bead Necklaces.
The first object to catch the eve of
the capricious public were the beaded
necklaces. In China these necklaces are
used as prayer beads. They generally
consist OF MIN dozen of the real amber
beads, with two large jade beads at either
end. weighing with a long silk tassel
The real antique amber is very rare, but
there are clever limitations. which give
the same curious clouded effect. II
dosen't require much imagination to
realize that necklaces of this type are
sure to appeal to women who have been
taught to appreciate the beauty OF East
ern art. Amber and jade were then COM
bined In various ways to serve as neck
laces. charms, pendants. buckles, buttons
and other dress accessories. The manu-
facturers aimed first to reproduce a
Chinese or, at any rate. an Eastern de-
sign. but they didn't hesitate to fall back
upon the West when the customer
seemed to demand a more popular pat
tern.
Chinese Buttons.
The success Of the necklaces was in
Simultaneous: in the vernaculsr of the
commercial world they caught on at once
So assured was their success that the
hdhuidCtufcTs IOOheu around Tor Otner
means Of displaying the Chinese art and
hit upon buttons. Not only could buttons
be produced from the jade and amber
but beautiful creations could be devised
from bone in imitation OF carved ivory
The couturiers as quickly recognized the
beauty of these buttons: one. or perhaps
two, buttons were sufficient to give an
air of individuality to an entire costume
The manufacturers diligently culled the
old Chinese missals. studied the strange
designs on the old mandarin coats and
the priests vestments. and reproduced
them in bone. To give the correct Chinese
finish to one of these buttons a long silk
tassel should he added. and. as fashion
has already decreed that tasseIs shall be
the favored trimming medium Of the
spring, the fashion future OF the Chinese
buttons is easily foretoId.
Printed Leathcrs.
Still another. and a more novel. method
Of trimming has been introduced via
China and this is the use of printed
feathers. Here. again, the designs arel
fAl n