The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-09-18
DRESS AND SUGGESTIONS
.,,r p.4ssru.g.- FOR WOMEN
ny
ANNE RITTENHoUsE

The chemise frock is so firmly estab-
lished in the fashions that the new
autumn gowns include this sill
houette.
New York, September 17.-There are
different ways of making the straight
up-and-down gown called the chemlse
frock. Each dressmaker has her own
conception Of it, This is well, for each
figure demands different kind of line
from shoulder to heels. and when the
waist is abolished and all curves are
lacking, there are hundreds Of women
who resemble, to disagreeable extent
the figure Of Rigoletto's daughter when
she is taken out of the tavern tied up
in meal bag.
The comfortable adaptability of the
tunic gown, as it was called in other
days. is lure to every woman, and
she is apt to let the dressmaker's per-
suasion, plus her own temptation, lead
her into paths that are utterly insult
able.
A woman does not disguise her very
apparent curves by dropping straight
line over them as we'll as she thinks
and she ends up by being disguised with
the gown and more than irritated with
the dressmaker who allowed her to
buy it.
Poor dressmakers!
THE SIDE DRAPERY
The chemise frock, which was bit
of 81 40 hack Gre
ates a far more admirable silhouette
than the straight line to the figures OF
certain women. 1t takes an exception
ally flat spine to wear one of these
modified medieval gowns that were IN
troduced to the public two years ago.
If there is tendency toward rotundity
below the waist. the slight umbrella
loopings of cloth successfully disguise
this defect.
Last February this panniered effect was
exploited among the new spring fash
ions, and 1t was considered as an excel
lent offset to the tunic gown when nau
worn its welcome a bit threadDare, so
the public thought; but one OF those
things happened that are of frequent OF
currence in the life of American fash
ions. The public liked the drapery, the
wholesale people caught on to 1t as
novelty before the exclusive dressmak-
ers had time to thoroughly launch 1t,
and for a. time everyone who could af-
ford Sc for a gown had this drapery
just below the hips.
Nr1v French dressmakers have tried 10
break the line of the chemise frocK py
drapery at the back. 1t is in keeping
with the insistent demand by some OF
the designers that women should return
to the old fashion of the hustle, in
graceful, modified manner.
AGAIN THE OPEN SLEEVE
Another feature which the French de-
signers evidently intended to keep in
fashion is the sleeve which is cut after
the fashion Of those worn in China, but
which is confined by narrow wristband
in order to keep it from slipping back
toward the shoulder when the arm is
lifted. When this Mandarin sleeve was
first put into the fashions, the line
of it was very much liked but women
found that any movement of the arm
threw the sleeve backward over the ell
bow sometimes up to the shoulder, dis
closing the bare arm Also, the wide
aperture at the hem called for long
gloves wrinkled to the elbow, and this
was an expense and nuisance.
Therefore, the dressmakers invented
the bracelet which held the under part
of the sleeve snugly down to the wrist
and allowed the straight, outward
swing from the arm to take its own
way undisturbed.
This bracelet has developed into all
sorts of fantastic cuffs, and the dress
makers are delighted over the chance
of novelty which this Chinese sleeve.
therefore, offers.
The gown in the sketch shows the
newest chemise frock, which embodes
the features that will probably count
for a good deal in the auaumn fashions.
Look at it in detail.
The material is garbardine in canard
blue. The looping is across the back and
gives the effect of being a cross be-
tween a Vatican pleat and limp bus
tie. 1t extends far enough toward the
sides to form an outstanding back
ground for the front of the frock. The
wide hem Is turned up at the foot Of
the skirt, which is only five feet wide.
The bodice Of this frock is quite slim,
and the front line is broken by an ir-
regular line Of stitching at the top OF
the skirt, which IS ruin up above the
waistline and cut into battlements. The
belt falls well below the waist in front
and is fastened over with two buttons
The collar is one Of the Apache cravats
that has become a smart feature of the
new costumery and must not be over
looked.