The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-17
THE HAsKIN LETTER
The Cotton Dress Movement.

can rnanufacture. Gut the supply Of
wool Is limited. Last year 3 b 2S5.-
255 pounds of raw wool were tir-
ported from Europe The snutiEs
OF of this supply is likely to cause .
scarcity of wool. Cotton cannot be
used for all the purposes hled py
wool, but with the excess OF the col
ton supply and the threatened snort
age in wool. the women feel that z
proper sense of value necessltates
the use OF cotton wherever feasible
AS a material for dresses cotton ms
the need admirably.
While many of the finer cotton
fabrics have been imported. the
American manufacturers are pro-
ducfng much better materials than
has been generally supposed. MOST
OF the elaborate designs which have
been imported can be duplicated In.
this country within few months.
Now that the supply OF European
fabrics is cut off, American manu-
facturers will be stimulated to pro-
Educe finer and more pleasing designs
lii they have suf1icient encouragement
from the trade. The effort OF the
women of the country. to bring ABOUT
this demand has already been noted
as substantial encouragement.
Last week New England manu-
Ifacturer sent into New York nne
Iof samples OF a number OF new IA
rics which he had not previously at
ltempted because his factory has here
Itofore produced only such staples as
Iginghams. calicoes and musltns:
lOther manufacturers are preparing
similar samples.
The cotton dress movement may
be as economical or as extravagan.
las its follower desires. Many
women in this country are having m
comes materially decreased because
lof the European difficulties me
substitution OF cotton clothes for silk
will materially relieve them.
woman so situated will suffer no
II a substitution becomes
an established fashion. as Is almost
certain to be the case. 1t is quite
possible to secure cotton materials
for an entire wardrobe for less actu-
al money than the materials Tor one
dress of silk or velvet or OF even
some of the finer grades of wooden
materials.
On the other hand. the woman OF
means may be wildly extravagant
and yet wear only cotton frocks.
Ordinarily. a dressmaker charges less
for making cotton dress than TOT
one of the other materials. TINS
will not be the case if elaborate de-
signs are insisted upon. 1t has been
argued that the advocates of cotton
gowns will bring about the Simple
of living which is supposed to accom-
rany them. but this does not neces-
sarfiy follow. A woman may pay
five dollars for the maternal all In s+
cotton dress which which Will cost
her fifty dollars to have made be-
cause of the decorations put upon ~
Inv her dressmaker. A silk gown
might be secured for less money
Since the lace markets of Europe are
closed to us, our supplies OF faces ana
fine trimmings may be dimtnlsneu'
Hand embroidery, fine tucks. p pun,
iinRs and shirrings are being calleu
into service to replace them. Wnlcn
practically fixes no limit to the price
which may be charged by the dress
maker for cotton frock.
J The cotton dress movement -
likely to lead to a greater number OF
dresses than before. This is an ex-
1cellent thing when 1t can be anoroeu,
1 beca use it creates trade. The woman
4 who makes her own dresses may
have several cotton frocks for the
price of one out of other materials.
liz she has no special need Tor econ
1 MIXING. she is really exercising pa
] trfotism in buying as many cotton
| frocks as her fancy suggests.
II The woman WHO uSCA0Co "a pOAA -
cotton wardrobe this year, may be
| surprised at the variety of materials
presented for her selection. Her
| tailored suit comes first. For this
! abe may have some variety of the
| nonular ratine, a newly designed
| cotton serge similar in appearances
to it's wooden counterpart. or an
other new material known as para
dine. If she desires something
/ oardr1rnv is most OTaCG1CaI:i
For calling suits the varieties or vel
yeteens and cotton velvet fall little
short OF silk velvets in finish and de-,
sign.
! gowns the variety is almost 1nlt-
| less. For satin-like effects, the new
tmercerIzed satinee are being utilized.
known as Venetian have recently
been shown. These have beautlIu u
designs in Dresden, pompadour ana
broca Cied effects, which, II properly
made up. will be almost as effective
in appearance as the imported Silks
thew duplicate. These fabrics may
| ba secured In practically every shade
and coloring at from thirty TO nit1
cents a yard.
For evening wear, also, some COT
ton yoiles are so delicately transpar-l
ent as easily to be mistaken for the
finest chiffons. Nets. crepes and sew
eral other fabrics give the effect OF
FAR costlier materials, while, Tor the
woman who prefers what frankly
nror.laims itself as a cotton gown,
there is endless variety In the way Of
organdy, dimity, lawn and other old
fashioned materials used by our
! Grand mothers as becoming now as
| then.