Evening star., 1917-10-14
BY ANNE R1TTENHousE.

q EFT us again come down to the
plain facts Of fashions. New
clothes are passing before the
60 eyes as quickly as vital ana
dramatic series OF motion pictures-
One has only sufficient mental vision
70 catch at the leading points as they
swirl by. These things will not go into
oblivion They will return as do tho
moving, nlms, but the world OF women
wants to get at the gist OF the move
ment at this moment
The whole continent Of women Is
buying autumn clothes. Those who
preached economy. suspension OF FASH
TONS, standardized uniforms for women.
the turning of woman buyers in the in
dustry of apparel into the work OF war
relief. must feel that they have preached
in vain
Naturally, there was germ OF truth
In what they said. Women do spend too
much on clothes in isolated segments
Of society, and the working woman
probably spends more than fair per-
centage of her salary on frocks. This
led to a lack Of saving by the wage
exclusive dressmaker who caters to the
rich and careless: but these commercial
episodes are part and parcel of the web
out of which life is woven. The girl
who works usually does SO because she
can have better clothes to wear than
her home life affords. and with better
clothes she has better outlook on life.
a more cheerful vision of hardships.
Therefore. If she works. she has right
to spend her money in the way that
array of sensible clothes bought at
small prices takes the drab tone out of
life
One cannot deal so leniently with the
pendous prices for clothes under some
false idea that they are getting what is
exclusive or what IS impossible else
where. In truth. they are merely cater
bolstering up the fortunes Of those who
deal in fancy prices with very little
back of them except the necessity to
pay tremendous rents and salaries. II
the gowns were exclusive to the rich
and careless women there would be
some solid foundation behind the price.
but we all know that. with few excep-
tions. every French model and all sue
cessful American models are copied by
the hundreds. and that no woman is
sure of an exclusive style unless she
has 1t made and designed in her own
workroom.
The reel of clothes that is running off
quickly before the eyes of every woman
Is not nearly so confusing if one bring
to bear upon it well adjusted judg-
ment.
The first impression one has is that
the vital changes are few. but this I'M
preston gives way after day or two
to the feeling that the changes, what
ever they are. are very important.
tx
The majority of women look at new
clothes in the light of a contrast to old
ones There are few women SO wealthy
that they do. not say when they see
the influx of new seasonal fashions:
IF that is to be the style, I can wear
my blue gown of last year"
There will be hundred or more re-
marks like this made by the women
who view the clothes of the hour.
France has not changed her silhouette
as much as America has. She produced
the lead-pencil figure late last spring.
but America takes 1t up this October
with an enthusiasm that is usually
given to what is original.
! A few of the American designers have
exaggerated the French idea There
have been certain gowns sent out by a
well known house and extensively
c4Nf6d BY those. who deal with the trade
oser the country which put woman's
0gure back to where 1t was in 1880.
The skirt is pulled about the figure un-
tnzmovement Is actually impeded II
hAE all the symptoms of the famous