The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-01

Lucille firmly believes that the time has come in American fashions for worn- en to wear long. flowing lines of dignity and abandon tho half bodicss, lack of which have ruled us for three years.
 She is definitely committed to this idea and is designing all her autumn clothes in Paris and London to meet the purpose.
 The reason that her statement has such force Is that no ono denies that she revolutionized ballroom dressing as the Vernon Castles revolutionized It's dancing and Irving Berlin revolutionized It's music.
 The Castle-B Berlin Lucille combination has been, in Europe, the symbol of America But with Vernon Castle in the aviation corps, with Mrs. Castle not danc- ing In public, and with Lucille stating her far-reaching purpose to oust frivolity ! and bring in seriousness in clothes, Irv- hing Berlin, with his ragtime music, is the only one left of the symbolic three. If the women of America follow the dignified gowns of Lucille as they fol- lowed her hoop skirts, g1rdle bodices, bobbed hair and tango slippers we will see a continent of women who look as serious as the times.
 The few models that have been ad- vanced as forerunners of what is to come this autumn, have about them a dignity and seriousness that the men of the community will applaud and in- dorse
 There is no display of legs, no un- due showing of the ankles and shoulder; the bodices are subdued in tho decol- ! letage; the long, wing-liked medieval draperies cover the arms and fall to the knees; the clinging skirts start at g slightly high waist-line and fall against the flA 1e and cover the feet. in the manner of the eighteenth century. It Is not a gown for the type of youth that we call flapper. or. as one of the dashing young editors of the day has \ termed 1t, poulet la ziegfeld.
 THE GRACEFUL LONG SKIRT
 There is nothing startling new in the  late summer and autumn, If the prophecies of the experts come true. They have been shown in America ever since January, and in certain blaze of Orien- tai splendor they have been worn by smart women at ceremonial functions.
 It is not, however, the gorgeousness of tho Byzantine era, that is to be re- peatcd in the newer style of dressing for tho so.--- +~s year 1917.
 Some satin, brocades that have no body, aeorgettes that look like net, chiffon that tesembles tulle. and the crepes of China that cling to the figure are the fabrics Ehat will go toward the making of tho 1dignified gown for the serious epoch.
 There are inky black gowns to be worn, which are made of Georgette that has ho sheen. These gowns resemble the cos- Eume worn by Ethel Barrymore in the ableau where she represents Belgium, tableau which brings sob to every hroat and tears even to the eyes of he actress.
 There are gowns of silver gray eharmeuse that swirl and cling to the figure from shoulder to floor. Tho folds of tho skirt are softly pushed aside by the slippered foot. as tho wearer moves.
 About all of these gowns which are to como and which are beginning to make their appearance among women who dress well. there are no ostentatious ornaments, no sensuous girdling of tho hips in the Oriental manner. no faint re- Nectio of the zabars of Delhi.
 Tho colors do not clash like symbols