The sun., 1916-08-20
D. ELEANOR HoYr BRAINERD

- s66SNON nSsA ONNsNHNb
az yoYEz donc," says the Frencl
" dressmakers. "Sincs q
the world 10 topsyturv,
0is year, since all the old rules ar
broken and all the old barriers down
why worry about fashion consist
eacyf"
And forthwith they proceed {,
0ix periods and peoples ana theories
with reckless hands-but always will
the artists eye for results. They wet
First Empire backs to Moyen Az,
Fronts. They merge Louis XIV. for
mality with Russian insouciancA The!
take Al italian officers coat and
chasuble and fashion from them q thinl
Incredibly chic. They make the En-
press Eugenie and Lucrezia Borgii
promenade hand in hand.
At least that IL the general impress
sion given by the first showing o.
Partisan models.
At the moment OF writing most o.
the French openings r still to come
but the cable has brought word o.
what certain houses are offering. and
q few New York houses are alread,
showing groups Of French models fol
autumn and winter that can be &C.
cepted as fairly indicative Of what
Paris Is to send us later.
Far down on Broadway one Of these
Sroups b attracting a great amount o.
attention, and meriting tho attention Il
u receiving. for the frocks and cos.
TUNES and coats have been very clev'
erly selected. and all present interest.
ing features, though none commits II.
sponsor to marked eccentricity.
Martial Armand, Jenny. Bulloz. Cal,
lot. Cheruit. Lanvin, Bernard-al'
these are represented in this fashion
prelude. though the Cabot and Cherui,
models are but typical models from
those famous makers and give no def,
inite clue to any new and origNa
ideas these houses may exploit later.
Bulloz and Jenny, on the other hand
commit themselves more or less def
anitely. though to no one path. I'VE
will wander" they say. "wherever the
wandering seems good" but both have
evidently visited Russia in passing
and both have made their bows &c
Italy-Italy medieval and Italy OF to-
day. Those two influences have. II
seems. had much to do with fashions
for the new what more
natural?
With Russia and Italy allied &c
France and fighting brilliantly In the
common cause. the eyes OF patriotic
French designers have naturally
turned toward these two countries
England? Well. England is fighting
brilliantly too: but England Is not SO
rich a mine Of fashion suggestion. not
20 picturesque. so colorful. As for
Belgium. Paris loves her, hut she toe
Is less adaptable from the couturier's
viewpoint than Russia and Italy: go
one can do little more than make the
Belgian hare OF the Belgian officers
coat fashionable among peltry and
take a detail here. a detail there from
Belgian sources.
On the whole. the leading motifs
throughout the fashions OF the new
season seem likely to be Russian. FRS,
Empire and Moyen Age-wide latitude
surely and likely to lead to some awful
mixed brews; but In the hands OF
genuine artists capable OF grea,
charm.
There 10 Jenny. for example. Her
career has been a bit metcoric, but
she stands now with the first grade
houses. though her critics insist that
she keeps popularity in her eye to the
detriment OF her art. After all. clothes
are for the many. and the designer
who hits the bullseye OF popularity
without sacrificing charm deserves an
overwhelming vote Of thanks.
Well. this Jenny still loves the short
waist line. the youthful short waist
line that survives through all seasons
and that this year promises to figure
prominently among evening
frocks. and indeed In wear for all
The problem OF the First Empire
waist line and the very full skirt Is
puxxling in the province Of frocks. and
n the empire idea obtains enthusi-
sstic general sanction II will doubtless
lead to more radical curtailing OF skirt
than the initial showing indi-
Gates; but, so far. s%oftness OF material
n the saving grace. and In coats a
flowing, or at least very full, coat
pkirt Is not necessarily incongruous
with . high waist line.
Jenny has sent over TO the lower
house a costume of black
velvet that firts with both FRS,
Empire and Russian ideas and holds
but a friendly hand to Belgium as
we'll. The body of the coat Is simple.
long and plain OF sleeve. high and
Of collar. short Of waist: but
The coat skirt falls almost to the bot
lom Of the skirt in Russian tunio
and sweeps out In soft but
6ery ample fur edged folds over .
vide plain skirt. The fulness OF this
koAt skirt Is held in tiny box plsits
Tor some distance below the waist line.
ehich prevents tho bunchy look to
Hhich high waist lines and full skirts
IRE liable when In combination. The
bur Of the collar. bordering band and
belt 10 Belgian hare, the grizzly gray
pelt that, though not beautiful, IL ef-