Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-22

French openings which took place in
February laid down the law for the
spring and that the exhibitions OF
autumn and winter fashions will not
, tage place until the middle OF
August. Yet. in this between season,
when our designers had the most
glorious chance they could possibly
have wished for, to launch the great
American designs, they merely de-
pended on the wholesale people and
on their own commissioners abroad
to send them by semimonthly boats
whatever Paris had to offer.
on the other hand, the American
women have shown some extraordi-
narily good work in origination.
Now. this is just where the reform,
as the critics of French clothes call
1t. should start Paris has depended
on its well-dressed women to lead the
! America has depended on its shops
ard dressmakers over here to lead
the way with French models. There
is vast gulf of difference between
the two procedures.
When anyone persistently inquiries
I about the lack of striking originality
in the French models since the war
or rather the lack of dominant
style, those on the inside of Paris
! life answer that it is because the
| French women are not guiding the
fashions. 1t is not the Paris design
ers who fix and establish a fashion,
II Is the French women.
! Now, In the light of this history OF
clothes, IL the American woman takes
unto herself the task of leading the
way In new combinations, new silhou-
! cites and new colors, she Is bound
to have n following among the dress
makers and designers. Our feminine
figures of prominence. In society, on
the stage and In the world of sports
could easily create a leading fashion
In this country which would be fol-
lowed by women all over the CONT
nent. II they ever realize their power
! and take advantage of 1t. we will see
the dawning OF the great American
style. We have waited for II as we
have waited for the great American
novel, for a century, and the attitude
| of certain segments of smart women
this summer is the first glimmer OF
| hope that we have concerning the
origination OF fashions in thii
country.
Women and Experiments.
There Is no doubt of the fact thai
women who are experts In the art o.
dressing and choosing clothes hav'
| done some excellent work this sum
mer in branching out on successful
experiments There may have beer
some tailor or artistic dressmaker be
hind their efforts. Wherever the COS
tune was complete in its daring ant
showed the hand OF a master worker
II was undoubtedly made at sooC
establishment, but the suggestion
surely emanated from the brain o
the possessor.
Much that was traditional wa
thrown to the winds. The extraordi
nary influx of cotton fabrics in th'
city streets Is a point Of Importance
The combination Of a sand skirt with
dark green velveteen jacket trim
med with silver buttons, Is a phan
tasy that was brought out by some
smart women In this country.
The fashion Of wearing broad
brimmed, straw sailor hats in blacl
or tan. with changing scarfs wrapped
about the crown, was started at fash
ionable country clubs and has woi
out.
The use Of a white linen coat Gu
after the manner of riding habi
and worn over a short, plain. biacl
velveteen skirt, was the idea Of
young matron who usually has hel
own way in clothes and who conse
quently attracts attention to hersel
and has many followers.
The introduction Of the jerkin o
Robin Hoods day. made In colore'
leather, belted with the material, ant
fastened with a great silver medieva
buckle. was advanced on the gol