The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
DE- MAReARET wADE.

The latest fashion in dress is economy.
and this is a fashion that owes its ex-
istenee to the European situation IL not
to Paris and the once great courtier Of
that capital. The reason is not alto
sether sympathy with the war-stricken
nations across the sea, and the desire to
contribute to the relief Of the Belgians,
although the latter Is fashion, an
amusement and q charity all in one. The
reason lies much nearer home.
The best Of modistes and tailors are
row approachable on the subject OF
making over last years costume, which
% 4 change for the better. and likely to
keep many work rooms open that other
wise would be closed by reason Of the
tariff or the European war. according to
the politics of the proprietor. There is
aiao a change in the designs for new
frocks that tell story Of economy for
the wearer of these gowns, just as the
cloth-top boot which has leaped into
fashion tells OF the wisdom Of the shoe
manufacturers who had this fashion
created when the price Of leather took q
night paralleled only by that OF the old
crow in the nursery rhyme.
The substituting Of folds of satin,
frills, and quillings Of tulle and chiffon.
and garniture of renovated iaces in place
of the new, odd, sometimes artistic, and
always expensive embroideries, that ap-
pear each season has it's advantages alike
for the modiste and her customers. When
the importation Of novelties stopped
short in August the American buyers at
once looked about for q substitute. Since
then dividends have been passed and in
terest reduced IN certain great industries
from which many of the well-gowned
women Of washington receive their dress
allowance, while those women who do
not feel the necessity for additional
economy, a. their neighbors exempt from
the income tax understand that word,
are falling in line with their sisters
poorer Of purse, and adopting q simpler
form Of dress than in past years.
Like all fashions launched suddenly,
this commendable virtue Of wearing last
years gowns with or without 1914 i'm
provements, will have to be tried out be-
fore any one can pronounce on its sue
cess or failure. That Il is not an un-
compromising goad may be the opinion
OF our home modistes and merchants
who are naturally hoping TO take ad-
vantage OF the shortage in imported
fashions and exploiting the truly excel
lent fabrics and models with the made
in-America" label
The Exception which Proves the
Rule.
One feature in dress not likely to be
affected by the new economy is the
fashionable wedding gown. Here old lace
Is the desideratum of even the most mod
-ern bride Real American-made satin has
proven itself fully equal to the former
direct importations from France, as
shown in the gowns worn by such recent
brides as Miss Martha Bowers, Miss
Louise HELEN. and Miss Mary Mofris
-McCauley. The latter. whose wedding
filed st. Johns Church with a fashion
able company on Tuesday morning.
showed a charming individuality in her
conventional gown, inasmuch as the satin
was veiled from throat to the end of the
long court train in delicate French tulIe,
producing what some artists term a
snowflake appearance, admirably suited
10 the youth and charm OF this pretty
bride. Delicate tendrils of orange bios
SONS. lacking nothing but fragrance TO
appear real, held the tulle to the satin
on the edge Of the long train. They also
held the exquisite old lace which crossed
the shoulders and formed a short drapery
about the top of the skirt This unusual
gown, except for the lace and tuHe was
an all-American creation, constructed,
like most OF the wearer's trousseau, right
in Washington.
a rousseau gown from the same mo-
diste for this same bride, worn at one of
the recent AFFAIRS, shows all the promised
fullness at the hem which certain French
designers put on the market just before
the war. This is changeable faflle one
OF the successors OF soft taffeta, with its
coloring green and blue. The skirt. to
the eye, appears fully three yards wide
at the hem. This is undraped and un-
trimmed, but opens from belt to hem in