The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01


airing and early summer styles from thi.
,sn,us centre Of fashion for some
reeks To- come, for 1t is here that spring
Ard summer modes are decided, Just
ss autumn and early winter fashions
are decided on the racecourse Of Deau-
vlIe or the Grand PLACE Of Biarritz in
III. months Of August and September.
E1t to-day wish TO review at some
length the impressions ! received last
ne,k when visited all the leading
theatres of Paris for the purpose of
seeing what the great dressmakers are
dong.
The first and strongest impression
made was that Of pleats. Pleats in
every possible form and in an immense
variety Of materials. Accordion pleats
IN crepe de chine and chiffon. Fla,
Meats In chiffon cloth and serge. Flat
meats lined in taffcta and supple satin.
And these last named pleats will have
an enormous success this spring.
IN Gabrielle d'Annunzios play "Chevre.
feu.le" these lined pleats were very
for example, had a notable afternoon
toilette composed of black charmeuse
which exploited "A pleated tunic entirely
lined with ivory white charmeuse. The
tunic was cut up at the back. but at
the sides II was long. the ends being
finished off with handsome jet tassels.
The pleats were rather large and quite
aat. the white lining showing at each
NOV ement of the wearcr. The corsage
Of this robe was very picturesque in
outline: the shoulders were kimono in
outline. hut the sleeves were absolutely
tight at the wrists. curved cuff like
the petal OF large lily falling over the
hands
Mime. Berthe Badly also had pleated
gowns which showed pale Innings, and
] have seen the same dainty idea carried
out In pastel tinted crepe de chine and
even in chiffon. When these latter
materials were used the pleats were of
the accordion order and at the border
there was very small ruching which
made the drapcries or tiounces fun out
IN an engaging way.
In "Chevrefeuille," as in all the other
fashionable plays Of the moment, the
natural waistline - prominent. Indeed
LIDO not know OF "A single case. where
women Of fashion are concerned. in
which small waist is visible. Slender
women are making efforts To make their
outline purely classic. and the favorite
corset of the day L. the one which does
not attempt to compress the form.
Drecoll has been doing some very
charming things for the leading actresses
at the Theatre du Vaudeville. In care
fully studying these costumes the lesson
Of natural waistlines and pleated skirts
makes itself still further felt. The day
Of the plain, tight skirt Is over. skirts
are still IN many cases plain, but they
are no longer really tight, though they
often seem so.
The leading dressmakers are past mas
tiers In the art OF making frocks seem
one thing while they are in reality quite
another thing. This applies very dis
tinctly to the skirts for day and evening
wear. They still seem extraordinarily
even tight while they are
reall. composed of a considerable guam
t!ty Of material.
All the new materials lend themselves
10 this style of treatment, for they are
specially supple in texture. The dress
artists of the Rue de la PalX and Place
Nendome have no use for stuffs which
cannot be easily manipulated, and this
applies to velvet. brocade and cloth. as
vel as to satin and mousseline de sole.
Nile. Madeleine Lely wears some de-
ligh,ful Drecoll frocks in La Belle
.tventure." which IL having considerable
success at the Vaudeville. This young
sctress is exactly suited physically to
the present season. She Is tall and
slight. with a willowy form and natur-
ally graceful movements. She Is one OF
those women who can wear masses OF
supple draperies without losing her
fragile 'ligne." Drecoll always does re-
msrkabie things for Mile. Lely. He 10
as successful In suiting her style az
Doucet used to be with Nine. Rejane.
Apropos Of this great actress l must
pause to record my opinion that she
made a great mistake when she wan
dered away from Doucet and sought out
other dressmakers who were supposed
10 have a more youthful cut. Doucet
understood Rejane to perfection. He
gowned her as the woman of 40
ought TO be gowned. He did not try
10 make her look like a jeune file.
But TO return to Mile. Lely's toilets
In LA Belle Aventure." She has .
fasC mating LITTLE walking costume emil