The Washington herald., 1915-09-21
YOUR MOOD AND YOUR CLOTHES

When Paul Poiret, the great Paris
ian exponent of dress, wakens with
the joy of living in his SOUL he
dresses in cheerful clothes. He
chooses suit of cheerful tone, and
his gloves, his neck scarf, his hat
all of them show, by cut or color,
that their wearer feels happy.
Then, if he meets with disappoint-
ment, if frock he is designing does
not please him, if he hears that the
buyers from one of his big American
customers have been frightened by
/ German submarines into staying at
home, he changes his bright tie for
one of black, his tan gloves are re-
placed by gray ones, and he dons a
+ funereal-looking suit.
In short, Paul Poiret believes in
expressing moods by the clothes one
wears.
This is an interesting philosophy.
But why not always wear cheerful
clothes? If we feel cheerful, then
the clothes are a good expression of
our feelings. If we feel dull, dis
ccuraged or Unhappy. then at least
we will not make others feel the
same; and perhaps the cheerful color
of our clothes will react on ourselves,
and put us in a mood for sky blue
and scarlet.
More women in Europe are wear
ing uniforms now than ever before.
Not only are the women engaged
in various branches of Red Cross
work using uniform for their
work, but the same conditions exist
in many other fields of activity.
For instance, the post women" in
the country districts have found it
expedient to adopt a more or less
uniform "knicker" costume. Women
car conductors, elevator operators,
ticket sellers and women engaged in
d uOZcH olilcl OSSuPdtioiS hCi StoiOiS
confined to the men, are also wear
ing uniforms.
What will the effect be after the
war;
OF course the enormous mortality
in the ranks of the soldiers will make
it necessary for many women to con-
tinue at their mems work for many
years to come. And there is con-
certed movement on the part of many
leaders in England to adopt a stand
ard costume-one for day and one
for evening-similar TO the more or
less standard attire of men. The
Women's War Economy League of
England recommends this not only
as a convenience but as a means of
saving millions of dollars a year
And many predict that this effort
will eventually lead to the standard
ization OF women's costume in gen.
eral
But it is our opinion that such will
not be the case. So long as human
nature is what it is, so long as wom-
en- are fair of face and of form, so
long as there is youth and happiness
in the world, each succeeding genera
ton of women will take advantage |
OF the charms of individual and beau
tiiul dressing. For the time being !
the war makes a uniform often expe-
dient, but this does not mean that |
women have lost one whit OF their |
natural fondness for individual
dressing or that men are any more
willing to have the women adopt
masculine note in dress.
Another thing the war is doing: 1t
is increasing the demand for women
in the various professions. OF course,
when war emptied the factories of
Europe of men, women were called
on to take their places. War also
the professional ranks; and
yet the professions, like the factories,
must go on. In France women law
yers are finding their hands more
than full. Up to a year ago their
work had to do only with women
clinets. Now they do much OF the
work of the courts. In England the
great call seems to be for women
doctors. With many men doctors
fighting as common soldiers. and i
need for medical skill such as the
world has never before known, the
medical training schools of England
are actually increasing their capacity
SO that they may train women with
all speed to take up the burden of
restoring the wounded to health.