The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-13
DRESS AND SUGGESTIONS ANNE -.iasssr-ov.p FOR WOMEN

| coat suits in preference to those of | muslin.
 ! New York. September 12-The shirt waist Is a symbol of the American wom- an throughout all the lands in which Americans travel. One-piece frocks may come and go; Russian blouses may he held up as the first fashion; the jacket and skirt sewed together may be her. aided as Frances newest combination in costumery; but the shrtwaist goes on forever. It takes rank with under wear, with shoes and stockings, with | bread and potatoes, with windows and doors in houses Nothing stales its ap- I peal. Women who should never allow the world even to imagine that they have a waistline will mark 1t out with empha- sis by adding white shirtwaist to a skirt of another color or another fabric There may be reduction through diet or exercise in order to make the figure as slim as & shad, but after spending all this money and time to obliterate the waistline a woman will thoughtlessly cut her figure in two by wearing that symbol of American costumery the sep arate shirtwaist.
 ONLY FOR THE SLIM Unless shirtwaist serves as com fortable and cleanly foundation for a coat, 1t should be worn only by those who are slimly built. That Is the ideal theory, but 1t remains a theory It would cause too much annoyance to thousands of women to convert 1t from an opinion
 into fact. The experts realize the comfort and utility of the average white wash shirtwaist as a foundation for a coat, but the mass of women accept it as they do a creed, or politics, or the action of the solar system, without ques- ton or argument
 Given all these conditions, therefore, it Is a safe prophecy that fashions Tn shirtwaists will always be of interest to the majority, even when they are to be worn on stout figures, without coats and under conspicuous belts.
 While the shops continue to sell thou sands of muslin and linen shirtwaists that need the constant and tender care of a laundress, fashionable women go in for blouses that have more charac- ter to them. Georgette crepe was the first serious rival to muslin; then came white wash satin.
 Both these materials hold good today. It would not be fair to put one over the other in supremacy or popularity. yet the individual chooses between them every day.
 It may be said in whisper that worn- en who are especially anxious to avoid the trouble of ornate corset covers. miles of ribbon run through buttonholes and the neat adjustment of lace edges pre- fer the wash satin because 1t Is opaque
 Gone are the days, except in isolated segments of society, when women made their corset covers more ornate than their outside garments and displayed around their necks and over their arms a mass of pink and blue ribbon and embroidery that gave them something of the appearance of a new babys fanci- full crib.
 The woman of good taste eliminates a glaring display of colored ribbon in her underclothes. She uses white or flesh pink, and narrow at that. And even then she prefers the white satin blouse.
 STRICTLY TAILORED STYLE
 There was a day when we gave satin the place of honor in our costumery and treated 1t as a distinguished guest for whom all the frills and furbelows of ceremony must be brought out. Today satin Is Just good, ordinary household friend. It Is sent to the tub, it passes under the Iron, 1t serves for petticoats as well as evening gowns, and when 1t is of a heavy quality it Is made up into a tailored blouse that has the severity of mans.
 It is well worth the price. because it outlasts muslin, keeps its shape. stands a good deal of knocking about and has an air about it that Is undeniably smart.
 The one in the sketch is an admirable model for woman who needs a new blouse or many of them for the autumn and winter season. It comes from Paris, and it is made of that heavy satin that takes on slight ivory tone when washed It has no lining. The front and back are cut on slim lines, the sleeves are well molded Into small armhole and--do pay attention to this especial feature for 1t is important they are tightly buttoned into the wrist. The square collar, like the cuffs, Is run with pleats in the middle, and it rises high at the back of the neck as sharp reminder that the collar which falls from the neck at the back is no longer in fashion.
 It is to be hoped that the new blouses will emphasize. each and all. the beauty and security of the small armhole. We have had a series of disastrous blouses because this one feature of dress has not been considered necessary to good fashion.