The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-07
DRESS AND SUGGESTIONS ANNE n.4Hasuos.u FOR WOMEN
Pique collar and cuffs are placed on sheer blouse as we'll as on coats of velvet, serge and silk.
By ANNE RITTENHOUSE

| New York, July e.-The shopper ir l either a large or small store never l fails to be interested in the groupes oi | women around the counter where collars and cuffs are sold.
 l It is said by the other nations that | tion of fanciful neckwear, and that she | is less bound to Paris in this depart
 ,nent of dress than in any other, ex- | cept shoes, possibly.
 /, America invented the shirtwaist, an- nexed 1t to the British tailored suit, and | then passed both on to the French de- signer, who twisted and turned them ! into something feminine
 l Since that day, America takes her styles in both blouses and suits from
 Paris. She may modify their accessories or adapt their lines to American needs, but she keeps a weather eye on the French salons for new silhouette. narrow line at the hem, a wide line across 1 the hips, short coat or long one. , Paris settles the essentials in the cos tune that America calls her own. REASON FOR THE SHIRTWAIST America continues to turn out more varieties of blouses than any other na- tion Whatever fashions come and go, no matter how much the shirtwaist IS de- cried and the one-piece frock applauded. the shops continue to sell thousands or separate wash waists for women who re-
 gard them as an essential part of the wardrobe
 The desire to have a washable gar
 ment next to her skin Is a persistent
 trait in the character of the American
 woman One does not want to go into
 any disagreeable comparisons of the cleanliness of the women of different na-
 tions, but all the world knows that the American girl or woman will sacrince
 much in the way of laundry bills to keep herself constantly arrayed in fresh shlrt-
 waists.
 In mass, she believes that tho one-piece
 frock which cannot be washed IS not the
 gown that she wishes to wear at all hours
 of the day and for weeks in succession.
 She finds more comfort in the present
 shirtwaist, which Is loosely fastened in
 front, rather than snugly fastened m the
 back.
 With the widening of revers and the
 tightening of the wrist line, the American
 shirtwaist has chance to carry varied
 assortment of attractive neckwear, and
 it is just in this line that the manufac-
 turers in this country can supply any
 capricious demand.
 COLLARED AND CUFFED COATS
 Pique, that good old friend of many generations, has suddenly put I'D it's head in the middle of its rivals. It Is being adopted for collars and
 cuffs on the thinnest kind of new
 blouses, and, more important still, on
 coats that are worn in the city or in
 the country.
 The counters where neckwear IS
 sold are filled with most alluring bits
 of pioue turned into various shapes
 and arranged with pleasing ornamen- tation.
 There are sailor collars to add to
 blouses. and there are long, yoke col lars with deep cuffs to be placed on
 dark coats Pique and muslin combined, embroidered pique with dimity ruf- fles. and scalloped pique with French dot in black thread, are offered for blouses. one piece frocks and coats. We are used to the collar, but it is inc extraordinary demand for wash cuffs that catches the attention. This is revival of an old fashion and promises to be in full swing by Au- gust.
 The blouse which Is sketched today | is of gray blue muslin with deep col lar and cuffs of white pique edged with nleated ruffles of sheer Paris muslin. The cuffs are the kind that are nut on the majority of blouses and bodices today They give the gauntlet effect which the new gloves are in | tended to convey. This blouse has sweeping revers and is simply fast | ened below the bust. double breasted with four pearl buttons.