Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-05
Correspondence Of The Star.

n MEXICAN buyers who have re-
IN turned from Paris are eagerly
~ awaiting the new gowns which
q q they bought. The American
openings are set for later in the month,
although a vast variety Of new gar
ments has been featured by many of
the large shops.
The consensus of opinion is that, if
there is to be some wonderful surprise
in fashionable attire, it is being clever
1y kept up the sleeve of those in the
secret. Every one who has returned
from abroad is delighted by the wide
and varied showing of the French
houses.
1t is the first time, however, that
irritating business complications have
preceded the fashions themselves.
There are many raw spots left after
the fight in Paris and America between
the defense syndicate and our repre-
sentatives who went abroad to buy
clothes.
After the irritating situations that
have developed in this fight have
been thrashed out, one finds that the
really important thing in clothes has
not changed-the silhouette. We are
safe for the spring and the first part
of the summer, at any rate. There
has been no revolution on foot. Every
thing that will be worn this spring
was foreshadowed in December.
1t may be that to a large majority
of women. the barrel skirt will be
startling change from the f1aring skirt.
This is the effect of the Spanish in
huence which was exploited in the lat
ter part of November.
There is no use in trying to describe
this skirt more definitely than to say
it fulfills its name; it is exactly the
shape of barrel. There is no abrupt
jutting out anywhere: the width at the
hips comes from an even distention of
material. and not from bunched-up
drapery. The garment forms smooth.
convex line from hips to hem. the
distention caused by a skillful ar
rangement of plastic reeds.
This barrel skirt was sprung on the
buyers at the opening of the house of
Doeuillet which took place on the
Place Vendome the first week in Feb
ruary. The dignified artist who is at
the head of this house has always
been able to secure large following
among distinguished Americans. Some
of the best dressed women in the ultra
fashionable circles of Europe are
dressed by this house, but not until
the second season Of the war did the
house gather to itself some Of the
American prestige which is SO lavishly
showered on Paquin, Callot, Cheruit,
Poiret and Doucet.
Some spirit of brisk aggressiveness
entered then into the house of Doeuillet
and this season 1t was the first in the
field, with $50 models and its doors
open to all American buyers. For this
courtesy. plus ingenuity and clever
ness. rich reward was reaped. The
buyers said that this house turned out
the best exhibition of its life in Febru-
airy. and 1t struck that high water
mark of a compromise between what
is sensationalism and what is refine
ment.
In addition to the barrel skirt there
were short jackets; the twenty-four-
inch length coat was featured by all
the houses in Paris.
Doeuillet made the coat stand straight
out below the waist, In imitation o. the
peasant attire of large parts of France.
His opening was followed by that of
the other great houses. and the same
note was struck persistently in the
fashions for spring.
The skirts of both the suits and
frocks for street wear are cut circular
shaped. The Anticipated skirt of
highland plaid is to be worn with
jackets of plain silk or jersey cloth in
a solid color.
1t was perceptible that the walking
skirts had grown longer; in some
houses they had gone down nearly to
the ankles White panniers were a
conspicuous feature on all evening
gowns They were not attempted on
one-piece frocks or suits.
There is no doubt that the Louis XIV
and Louis XVI styles have been resur-
rected for evening gowns. In fact.
many of the dance gowns were quite
reminiscent of a gown made by an
American designer for popular
dancer last spring. This is also true
of the arrangement of reeds to dis
tend the skirt at the hips.
America should boast very loudly
about this. for the New York mani
kins and this special dancer were
nearly a year ahead of Europe in both
these fashions.
The only material with which we
are not familiar which was featured
in the French openings was Rodier's
French jersey cloth. and that has been
worn at Palm Beach since the first of
the year with such lavishness that one
has become tired of 1t.
Possibly one should add alpaca as