The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-12-25
By Roger Boutet de Monvel
Son Of the Celebrated Artist. Maurice eoutet
de MonveI, WeII-known Writer and
Man OF Fashion
Qn ar ~Interview.)

Man Of Fashion
Qn ar Interview.)
@AN you imagine a Paris In which no
dress clothes are worm Can you pic
ture the boulevards without a passing
array Of polished tcn hats? All. Peris today
IS not Paris as IL was-the Paris ANDY. as he
is known to the popular imagination of III
Paris for years, for a century and more.
has been noted for its dandies-men who do
voted their lives TO the perfection OF dress
TO clothes exquisite and sometimes outre TO
the extreme. In our own time a number have
won this unique fame, men whose appearanH"
N public was the occasion for amazed o.
amused attention and comment, who were
celebrated figures In she cafes, ano whofs
fame extended 10 England and Amer1ea. II
you wished to gauge the effect or the war upon
French life you would have to visit Paris
Paris the gay, Paris the home of fashion, Paris
the paradise OF handles. To-day. as l say
men do not wear evening clothes In Paris, even
the popular top hat is not seen Thus has
war sobered the French people. There IL
haro;: a family there that is not in mourning
for some one who has been killed at the front
Therefore the people think little OF clothes or
feel the spirit OF old-time gayety.
But what OF the handles, you ask? Where
have they gone? You do not see them prom
enading the Boulevard des Capucines, the
Rue de Rivoli or riding through the Champs
Elysees. You will not ind them In the Cafe
de Paris, Maxim's or the Cafe de la PAX. Al
til tables there you see serious French men
and women and soldiers. many wounded ~
convalescent-both English and French.
But the man about town, impeccably girbed,
you will not see. They are away at the front
hsLting. Some have fallen, others are In hrS-
pitfalls. suffering from wounds. For when
France was attacked by the Germans We be-
held what might seem amazing TO you-the
f%avorite men of society. all the noted exquisites
OF fashion forgot tea rooms, drawing rooms
and clothes in the one great enthusiasm OF
officers, others as privates. All forgot aoor
clothes.
Clothss-how could a FrenchmAn think
about clothes when liberty was at stake? Even
the heads OF celebrated dressmaking estab-
lishments answered tn call. There IL Polret
-Poirst known all over the globe Tor his
creations. Poiret Is somewhere In France de-
signing clothes for soldiers. No longer Is he
engaged in contriVing new, novel and chic
fashions for FAIR ladies-plain garo for the
troops engages his attention. But 1t Is for
France.
Then there Is Worth-Jacques Worth. He is
away at the front. All the men I know are
away at the front. Paris Is sombre and grave,
Theatres are open, cafes are open, but there IL
no spirit OF play abroa.- In the theatres plays
are Interpreted with patriotic songs. Only
one GGfe-the Cafe de Paris-is filed. but BY
serious men and women and wounded So
diers.
tract beholders on the boulevards and in the
drawing rooms2 Will Paris ever again re-
sumo its gayety OF the days before the war;
What will be the effect OF the war? VIII IL
exercise a permanently SOLDERING effect upon
the city noted for its brilliAnee throughout the
world7
or, as a reaction, after the war will not
Paris have a blooming forth such as It has
never seen-a gayety 81 easing all the 5 !yety
that has gone before, a spirit OF play more
riotoGs than the olden spirit OF play Wul
there be dancing and frolic and music as there
was never dancing and frolic and music? WIN
the cafes hight up and ring with song and
dancing? VIII the Paris dandies return In
clothing more exquisite than ever. In trousers
more ~iauitless. In coats OF even more impecca-
BILE grace, In shoes OF more g~lovelike perfection
OF A., with more startlingly outre effects In
dreTq:
Personally think 80. DO not wish 10
figure as an arbiter Of ashton. But RI 4
Frenchman who has known most OF the men
celebrated IN my time for dress, ! must pro
fees admiration for good taste IN masculine
attire. While some OF the gentlemen OF whom
] speak have unquestionably gone to excess
On the matter OF style. ! prefer TO see a well
dressed man rather than a poorly dressed man.
And since ] have come 10 America ! have
been Increasingly a-mazed-amazed. ] tell you
at the oXecrable lack Of taste In mems
ciothesi
American meu-oxcept perhaps when they
have British tailors-do ne know how 70
Dress. American men have much To- learn
from Paris mrn OF fashion. Why. ! ask. should
not every mar change his shirt in the EVENING"
in Paris pc would not think Of dining To- the
same saist we have worn an day. That does
rot occur 20 men IN This country generally.
n women shos taste In their garb and Try to
Improve thor appearance, why should not
mes Try % DE- HkoWisa7 venture 20 say men
more than women.
But what after the war In Paris7 After the
war } believe fashion viii resume its wonted
SWAY. ] look for this. nno hope q viii be- 90.
for n we should exercise ray influence in 3D.
proving the garb Of civilized mankind 10 would
be most fortunate. n by our example We
should iIfnce American men % do away with
rcady-ma0e sults-but. ah. ! anticipate myself.
] was speaking OF the handles Of Paris.
When did the gay reign Of the gentlemen
who won fame by q waisicoat the cut Of their
trousers or a cravat bcainf What Or the his
fory OF the beau % eleRa--s7
Before we Try 10 ascertain the future. ~ N
what Paris VII be after ne var and 90 hat
degree the dandy vi hrure in De ufo. lat no.
go back o. the time preceding the Revolt ION.
Before the Revolution al men ~ fashion
came 20 Paris to learn how fo dress. Too
standard ri manners vas set at NeranincH u
We read tIn letters % Walp0le and his friend
ssluyu. Ue can see hoW EnRIiahmou Initiated
The French handles ~ the period AZ that umo
Enrllahmcn had their clothes made On Paris
nGi the smuggling o. gay garb for The Zoe
gentlemen Of mer 90 ENGLAND war carried on
on quite a scale.