The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26
NJ CLAUDE CHERYs.

u COmplot0.
We have had a determined
war Of outline In dress in Paris.
great dressmaker on ono side Of tn,
Rue do In Paix has announced that tn
styles Of the summer season were e
be Egyptian. Another equally famous
parsonage on the opposite side Of tn,
same street announced that the style.
Of 1914 were to be Second Empire, tina,
IL to say. Crinoline. Other smaller
dressmakers made startling statement.
Of different kinds: but all the time some
unseen. almost unrealized, power wa.
turning the tide Of fashion into q fresh
channel. This power silently decided
that woman was to have her day Of
triumph. Egyptian and Persian anc
Indian modes might be seen hero ant
there, but in in the year 1914 the rea
ruler Of the world Of fashion must be
woman
And woman At her best. clad IN filmy
draperies. surrounded by quain,
flounces OF cobweb muslins, draped in
lace and in embroidered chiffon. Once
moro we are to realize tho charm OF
Sir John Stockings words:
Her feet beneath her petticoat
Like little mice stole in and out,
As II they feared the light
We arc to have fiounces. We are
even to have frilled peticoats. the latter
very thin and supple OF course. blu,
mono tho less petticoats.
It Is . delightful change and women
who are wise will make the most Of 1t
Personally. I have fought hard TO bring
about this change. In conjunction with
a small band Of painters and designers
hero in Paris. have never failed to
advocate q revival Of fashions purely
feminine.
It 10 absurd to say that inst exa9-
geratedly short. tight skirts are more
practical than those which show dainty
fiounces and picturesque draperies.
There 10 . tina and place for every.
thing; for every style Of costume. No
woman Of hne taste would wear q
fiounced dress made Of muslin or lace
when taking . walk across country.
Why. then, should Il be considered
necessary. or desirable. to wear tailored
suits Of the ultra-mannish order at
weddings and receptions7
For many years past Worth has been
making war against this fashion. He
has declared again and again that any
thing approaching a tailored suit is
unsuitable for afternoon functions.
especially for weddings. lie has
pointed out that dainty laces and soft
silks belong Of right to woman: he has
cntreated woman to accept their nat
ural advantages and not to try to look
like rather badly made boys.
And worth is not the only great Pari-
sian dressmaker who has expressed
strong views on this subject. Paul
Poiret 10 a thing apart: his models are
so original as to verge on tho eccentric;
but they are distinctly feminine. The
materials may be startling. but the
"ligne" is always soft and gracious.
But to return TO the triumph Of the
fiounced skirt. This is to be a season
OF lace. Of finely embroidered chiffon. Of
hand painted gauze. Of Indian muslin
traced over with pale gold threads and
1ncrusted with jewels. All these dainty
materials will be freely used. but lace
will take the leading place. The year
1914 will be "a year of lace. And when
this Ii said and realized ono finds Il
very easy to understand that things
feminine are rushing to the front, for
lace has always belonged to woman.
1t Is a long time since lace has been
generally worn: at least valuable lace.
in the shapes of hounces and scarfs.
Pretty women OF fashion have voted In
favor OF fancy laces which were pretty
enough in themselves but without any
real value. our mothers and grand
mothers have often spoken OF the lovely
lace fiounces and shawis shut up in
cedar wood cases and have regretted
that they were old fashioned. Now
these cedar wood chests are being ran
sacked. The filmy lace founces are
being brought out and carefully cleaned:
more than this they are being worn.
II is said that Queen Mary Of Eng
land has done much toward bringing
about this delightful state of affairs
Queen Mary. like the late Queen Vic
toria, Ii a genuine collector OF lace.
She has in her possession many price,
less hounces and scarfs Of real old
Valenciennes. and her Mechln fiounces
ana robes are said to be the finest In
existence. Tho young Queen of Spain
Is another lace lover and tho Crown
Princess Of Rumania, one OF the famous
beauties OF Europe. has ins!stently worn
lace all the year round, I was speak
,ng OF the lace revival 10 a we'll known
portrait painter yesterday afternoon and
he rubbed his hands together in an
ecstasy Of satisfaction.
I'VE are done with tho cabotine cle-
ment, for the moment. thank heaven"
he said; and In that little sentence he
summed up the situation. We are en-
'ering upon season in which tho
srande dame will be the central figure.
not III" pert little actress from a boule.
ward theatre.
nave sk"'ch"d this week two nc
tur'snne models which show the
"onn''d skirt Al It's best. Both were
'''","d Tor musical reception re-
''i'F given 10y th, Princess George az
'I'''' 'i Mh.'u Claude pchussy nlavcd
N'Hu Of hs own compnsItions
lftntr. Ma. ,4 il, I,rt.t.,,,,., 10, D.,