Evening star., 1915-03-14

much black lace and tul1e for evening
frocks. with the Serbian cape effect
hanging from the shoulders, style she
always wore herself. 1t was the opin-
ion of a buyer that her ribbon frock
would prove to be her greatest Ameri-
can success
Lanvin showed many taffeta frocks
and delightfully."- jaunty coat suits; her
use of pockets embroidered in red,
white and blue may be welcomed here
f1ounced skirts. The latter house likes
them very much indeed, to judge by
the number made. Paquin was still un-
der the influence of her friends, the
quoise and violet. and lent herself to
the second empire by using garlands
of flowers as trimmings.
France will not let America have it
all her own way in the showing OF
new spring styles. as ten of the lead
ing houses which are counted upon to
dominate the seasons fashions will
make an exhibit at San Francisco
Get. Worth, Doeuillot. Jenny, Lanvin,
Premet and Beer.
This announcement strikes strange
ly on the ear that heard these same
refuse to send frocks to the exposition
when the request was made last
spring. But times have changed ma
terlally and men and women with them
The February French openings were
successful in the number and charm
of gowns shown but the absence of
the large number of American buyers
usually there was a great disappoint-
ment, therefore some further step must
be taken.
The openings were on schedule time,
the last one finishing the end of Feb
ruary. but they came at the most un-
tai ween in August. when the French
openings were held with the nation
marching to the front. has there been
a more inopportune week. The edict
of the German government concerning
the war zone" around the British Isles
kept the majority of buyers at home
They would not risk the chance of be-
ing held up In Paris for months.
Anxious Days for Buyers.
AS it was. the buyers who were there
had many anxious moments wondering
how the gowns they bought could be
delivered In the states IL shipping was
to be hindered. and many said that
their experiences were similar to those
in the frantic days of last summer,
when We thought all passages to America
was Cancelled for years-not weeks.
The Lusttanias was scheduled to bring
over many buyers and their purchases.
could reach that ship by way Of the
channel, or that she would be allowed
to sail at all.
Truly. those were discouraging days
for the French designers. who had gone
10 SO much expense and trouble to
prepare fitting exhibit for the Amer
lean buyers. who could be depended
upon to put coin into the business of
tne various houses. which meant the
ability to keep at work thousands Of
girls and women who sadly needed
money.
No wonder. then. that after the Ger
mans again kept the Americans from
buying. the French would reconsider
their refusal to attend the Panama
fair. and that they will try to recoup
some OF their losses by showing their
wares directly in the states to the
best advantage. 1t would be diff1cult,
not to say awkward, to try to show
the gowns in the leading cities. even
In New York. but no charge OF entering
into direct competition with American
importers can be laid up against them
il they make a national dress exhibit
at an exposition.
What Paris Shows.
The new gowns already have been
brought from Paris by our most en-.
terprising buyers. who should be reck-
oned as heroic as the war correspond
ents. for they take every chance, and
their exploits would make good and
racy reading If one had the time to tell
them There are stories Of competitive
generalship. Of hairbreadth escapes, of
taking the gambling chance, Of shrewd
reckoning and the spending Of money
In seemingly mad manner-all these
diversions are part of the great game
of bringing homo the sartorial spoils
from France.
There is nothing to frighten one in
them. They do not signify that all
the clothes we possess must be dis
carded. Certain lines are accentuated,
the two silhouettes that have been
opposed to each other all winter re-
main as they were.
Callot holds to narrow skirts; Premet
continues to cut her hens into points,
instead of making them even; Cheruit
has modified the width OF skirt, which
she advocated last summer, and has
given herself over to more pronounced
Louis XIV styles: and Georgette has
kept to that swinging army cape effect
at the back of gowns which she man
nequined herself last season, and
which she likes very much indeed.
The Present War and Styles.
The American dressmakers thought it
improbable that tho present war would