Evening star., 1917-05-20
By ANNE RIrTENHousE.

E%1HERE is no doubt that the in
: creasing popularity of woolen
Ill Jersey has solved several prob
. lens Of importance for many
women. It has been difficult to find a
suitable compromise between serge and
muslin for warm weather. When that
weave known as jersey made its ap-
pearance in sweaters 1t was greeted
with enthusiasm. for there were un-
doubted disadvantages in the knitted
garment on hot days. and there has
come about such a rooted aversion TO
the marked waist line, or, rather, the
admission Of 1t by leaving 1t uncovered.
that every woman, slim and stout, de-
sires a sacaue OF some * KIND as-e 70 crop ara
piece frocks they find the right substi-
tute for the skirt and separate blouse.
The French have always been the
drawn division Of the skirt from the
bodice. and even after they adopted the
AnRlo-Saxon coat and skirt built Of
mannish suitings, severely built. they
did not remove the jacket in the house.
y g.
In those days. we were in the habit of
laughing at them and showing at all
times a rather contemptuous attitude
toward their abuse. as We said. OF the
type Of apparel we had made famous.
When Americans in Paris went about
on hot days without coat. wearing a
dark skirt and white lingerie blouse.
the little midinettes at the noon hour
were wont to turn and laugh in that
provocative manner In which the
French women are adept.
We thought they were ignorant OF the
proper way to treat a coat suit. We
hated to hear that laugh of derision in
tended for women who turned out on
the streets in their shirt sleeves which
even the French workman did not do"
as they put 1t, but we acted in like
contemptuous manner. and each side
thought it had drawn blood. as it were.
When Americans turned into the tea
places where there was dancing after
o'clock and found women dancing with
their jackets on, we wondered how
they stood the discomfort of 1t, and we
elaborately embroidered chiffon blouses
which we thought very suitable indeed.
Evidently, the Parisienne did not think
80 from the uplifted eyebrows that
usually toplofty at first and initiative
IN tho end The several, seasons of
amused derision on the part Of the
French for the woman in shirt sleeves
finally began to have its effect and SEN
sitive souls began to keep on their
coats in public places.
Then the Americans went over whole
heartedly to the French idea that a
woman, as wen as a man, must nlQe their
white shirt sleeves. 1t was founded. you
see on the right artistic idea as well
aston good taste. The controlling rea-
son behind the French attitude was the
one that rules whatever the French do
in dress: which Is. to mako the best of
the human figure and give it as good an
outline as art and nature combined can
produce.
Today It is exceedingly difficult to
make an American woman appear in
her shirt sleeves in public; in the
privacy Of her own home, yes. but even
more artistic than 4 cloth skirt with a
separate white blouse. 1t is because she
has discovered. after many years, that
the figure looks infinitely better and
more graceful with q long line reach
ing from neck to hips. that she wears a
has begun to feel that the waist line
should be obHterated at all costs.
IN this frame of mind she natu-
rally turns to the gown cut in one
allows her to comfort herself with
the thought that, even II her waist
is too thick in front and her skirt
too thick in front and her skirt rides
. triae too high in the waist band,
these deiciences are covered UP by
them by without revealing them to the
onlooker..
So insistent have the women become
upon hiding the waist. except by the
the dressmakers are pleasing them by
introducing drapery under the arms
which hangs below the knees. It is
transparent. this drapery, and floats
about in the air as the wearer uses her
arms. but it -fulfills its mission of