The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-07

We have it on the best of clerical and civic authority that the gowns worn by American women during the last few years have achieved a crescendo of naughtiness!
 Sits, transparencies and other sartorial illusions Cor revelations-which shall say?) have received censure on every hand, nor have the fair wearers alto ge,her escaped from the wave of public protests, which overwhelmed their frocks, yet the more thoughtful critics have usually placed the blame for extrava- gances of costumes on the designer, rather tlian on the ultimate consumer"
 The American women. they said, have been in the position of the proverbially meek child"; they have had to wear what was set before them and be thank ful for it. not their own original sin, but the taste of naughty French couturiere has been responsible for the mooes.
 This season, however, sanity, conven- tonality, and return to more or less wide skirts and bouffante blouses, has caused the critics to comment upon tae very lady like appearance Of Mad auiouselle Fashion of 1915, and her very feminine and lovely clothes.
 No longer does the masculine element have to sing the refrain of other days which ended:
 'Pa says the harem skirts all right
 Cause ma is fat and he Is slim,
 So when she takes 1t off at night,
 It makes 'jama suit for him.
 There's no suggestion of the "harem," or trousers or sits, or of lack of petticoats for this season oodles and oodles of material will be used-skirts six yards wide, long sleeves, few high col
 Chatting with Madame Husted yester- day. the clever and popular modiste, who has just returned from a visit to New York, where she spent the time profit ably, selecting goods and styles, I heard a number of interesting things about the spring and summer fashions.
 Madame Husted, who is herself . para gon of style, always modishly gowned and beautifully gowned, was wearing one of the new "plaids' in black and white. It was attractively fashioned after the latest model in the plaited skirt effect and .zouave' corsage.
 This gown I have on," said Madame Husted 'is a modified creation-many ot the skirts being much wider, and the zouave jackets much more exaggerated. The styles are really very beautiful this season. and they are eminently appropri- ste for both slender and stout people. Fat women need have no fear that the plaited or circular skirts will make them look larger, because if properly made they won't"
 r:-t.A fortunate enough to engage the services cf one of the most up-to-date and capable tailors in the country" Madame Husted went on to say: "Mr. Jakova has con- cucted one of the most fashionable and exclusive ladies' tailoring establishments in New York. and in presenting him to Birmingham, I do it with a great deal of pleasure, realizing that when first class tailor work is wanted, none better than Mir. Jakova can be found to do it. Also l have a man designer, MT. Matthews, whom I secured in New York following the viennese and Parisian establishments in the theory that man designer Is the best of all. MT. Matthews is very well and favorably known in New York and Paris. and with these two acquisitions believe I can safely say that no es- tablishment in the south has finer dressmaking and tailoring department than Loveman, Joseph and Loeb."
 What especial features are empha- sized" asked, ''in this springs styles?"
 "A return to conventionality," Madame Husted replied quickly. Everything is conservative and nothinE outre. Tho skirts are wide and graceful, the cor sage bouffante. and while few high col- lars are seen. women have rebelled against these awful 'chokers.' because they are so uncomfortable and unbecom- ing. The sleeves are nearly all long and the normal waist line Is noted. although quite a few high empires on high waists are to seen. The wide girdle effects ara still used, being fashioned so that they give the high-waisted effect when de- sired
 And colors?" asked. What are tho most popular?'
 Belgian blue and robins-egg blue are very smart" was the reply. "Also th(