Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01

What the reason was for the change
in dates-whether the paucity of Amer
lean buyers In Paris early in the month
of July, or the difficulty of getting
ready a new set of models after the
manufacturers had depleted the first
SETS of little Importance to the Ques-
ton at large: the result is very salts
flying to those buyers and sellers who
want new clothes for the winter and
not for the summer.
The merchants and dressmakers who
are in the habit of showing the new
styles for fall and winter at the be-
ginning of October or late in Septem-
Der were distressed at the news that
the French houses would show all their
winter clothes to American buyers dur
Ing the first week in July, for it meant
that delivery would be in August and
the clothes would be in the hands of
the American importers nearly two
months before they were needed Such
a calamity would be far-rea ching, hav-
who make A specially of selling clothes
by the retail method.
/! The fight between the manufacturers
and the specially shops. among which
one may class the dressmakers Gf one
wants TO take the risk of being cor
rected) is too we'll known to need more
than casual mention to the person who
deals in this branch of merchandise;
but the people, who know little of the
continuous factional fight, would al
ways take the side of the manufacture
err unless they were of that class whe
demand exclusiveness in their clothes
and who rarely get it,
The reason the majority of our wom-
en- like the side of the manufacturer
is because he brings the new fashions
to their doors and their purses quicker
and cheaper than it is possible for the
dressmakers or specialists to do.
The one thing that the specialists
strive for is to get their frocks before
the public who wants the last thing
from Paris and open the way for the
manufacturers to copy these styles at
once; the sooner the better. for the mo-
ment a French style is run to ground
the specialists have the chance to sell
a new and complete set of fashions to
the world of women who will no longer
wear a style that is selling for fifteen
dollars through the cheaper ready-to-
wear departments.
So. you can easily see. you who
are the victim of all these mach
nations. tricks and counter tricks.
mercial life for the French designers
to announce that their openings
would be month earlier than usual
vanced ten days because Of the war.
but there was SO much difficulty in
getting the clothes through to Amer
ican shores that none of the merchants
or dremaker was in the least disturbed.
Probably the American buyers pro-
tested against the new schedule.
Whatever the reason, the majority
of New York houses sent over buy
ers during the second week in July
who would be on the scene of battle
and see that no one buyer had an
advantage over another. In other
words. IL there was anything to be
seen, all must see it. and if any
French house decided to spring a trick
on the others by opening a week ahead
of time no American house would be
left out of the game.
There are manufacturers models in
plenty in America already. Those who
sell to the trade that pours into New
York in July to get the fall materials,
hats and gowns must be served. why
that food does not wait until Septem-
Der is not a question for an amateur
to settle by an answer. For mysterious
trade reasons the flood arrives in July
and those who want to make money
the summer. by persuading the French
houses to turn out several hundreds of
new models for American trade and
shipping them home in June, when they
are then prepared to hand to the thou
sands of buyers who do not cross the
ocean. Good business. that:
There are certain dressmakers,
not dwell in or near New York, who
also hurry home with a few models,
buy others from the manufacturers.
and get their autumn business off their
hands almost before one knows that
October is coming.
This variety of clothes has been on
the market since July and the people
who copy each acceptable fashion in
large quantities are already at work.
Soon the shops will offer them as the
first and most authoritative ideas in
winter fashions. Whether or not they
prove to be all that their agents claim
for them is doubt that will not deter
hundreds of women from buying them.
because they are at hand and fall
clothes are always needed as soon as
the first chill makes its appearance, ex-
cept by those lucky ones who always
and suit or frock left over from
the preceding season which happens to
fill the necessity.
There is a strong tendency in each
Of the fashions that are advanced as
forerunners Of what is to come in
SStoOSi sS"oAo "a SISAcu Hips. roi
the last few months we have grown
quite large in that spot: we have
avoided any appearance Of slimness
and pleats at the waist line. This
fashion was deplored by all but the
excessively slender. yet as all the
models called for certain amount of
fuilness from waist to ankles there
seemed no other way to arrive at it
except through a wide circular skirt.
a cut to which the majority of women
objected.
The latter method Of cutting the skirt,
however, is the one that is advanced
today and the unevenness of the hem,
which Is sure to result, is offset by ac-
centuating 1t and using cord or pleat-
ing as an edge.
To quiet the rebellion against this
kind of skirt among the larger number
of women the Spanish fiounce has been
revived on all kinds of skirts, or rather
on skirts made of various materials
Organdie. broadcloth, gabardine, vel
vet, batiste and satin are the fabrics
that show this deep ruffie; 1t gives the
necessary fullness at the knees without
increasing the girth around the hips
1t may not matter very much how
one achieves that line of slimness at
the hips and width at the ankles; the
main thing is to be well assured of
the silhouette and then work il out
through any channel one desires 1t
is in just this divergence of method
and idea that the different dressmakers
have chance of success. There is a
silver lining to the cloud Of full skirts
if these individual treatments are well