The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-12-03
CAMOUFLAGE PUTS
NEW "PEP" IN OLD
OSTRICH PLUMES
BY MARGARET MASON.
Cwritten for the United Press.)

BY MARGARET MASON.
Cwritten for the United Press.)
The ostrich sticks his head In sand
And thinks his camouflags Just
grand,
But II he'd see some of HIS pluming
When we have finished with fits
grooming
He'd really be forced to admission
His camouflage is naught to it's
one.
NEW YORK, Dec. According to
Ellis Parker Butler pigs is Pigs" to
Wordsworth's "Peter Bell" a yellow
primrose vas a yellow primrose and
nothing more. but # would take
wsightier authority than either an au-
thor or a poet to convince even the
ostrich itself that an ostrich feather
IL IN ostrich feather these days.
Some years ago to take several lay
ers OF ostrich tail feathers, fasten
them together in one bushy plume
after dying them and curling the ends,
was the acme OF ostrich feather art.
Then along came the willow plume.
This was knotty But nice with the
extra fronds knotted on to the orig
inal fronds that sprouted from the
Genital spine. Who hasn't proudly
floated a ten-inch willow plume in the
breeze and complacently felt the
height OF sartorial perfection? There
has been a willow plume in every
woman's life as surely as there has
been a yearning to be an actress and
4 trained nurse.
Dropped Off Picture Hat.
The willow plume has long since
dropped out Of the picture. and off the
picture hat. Now. however. you can
irag them forth from their dusty lairs
In the attic or closet shelves and have
the fronds sewed on a strip of silk
APE for a band OF trimming around
he sleeves and skirt of a ravishing
evening frock, or an irresistible neg
igee that will rival the thusly trim
ned dance frock Julia Sanderson
wears in Rambler Rose" this season.
Really nothing softer or more ethe-
tally artistic for a dance frock trim
ming can be imagined than this feath-
IT fringe. 1t can't fail to tickle you.
The poor ostrich feather has gone
through much since those happy will
ow days. Nothing like a few knots
would matter TO It now. 1t has been
burned and treated with glycerine I'M
II It will never look the same. The
Elycerined ostrich feather looks not
mike numidie or aigrettes and sue
fills the places OF the latter |
aboo feathers.
Long, TIcklIsh Process.
There Is a long and uckllsh process be- |
ween the plain natural uncurled os-
rich feather and the burned and glycer-
ned one, and no one but an expert |
Tould ever believe they sprouted from |
he same brides tail. Both versions OF t,
he feathers are equally popular this |
eason. Now let me give you a tip
n ostrich tip. Never part with any |
Id plumes that are in your possess, |
or numberless are the dress trimmings |
nd hat adornments that can be evolved |
rom they. no matter how moth-eaten |
hey may appeal to your inexperienced |
ye.
Take your accumulation to q feather
xpert and you will be glorihed in feath-
r fringed garment and feather fancies |
Or your hats with some left over for
ompletely feathered your nest.
There is a movement on foot to do
way with feather trimming altogether
n hats. This Is quite right. OF course.
: the case Of the aigrettes and Paradise
nd any Of those fragile feathers that
re necessarily obtained by cruel means,
Ut feel sure ostrich feathers will con-
nue. to curl comfortably around our
hapeaux even as they have for these
lany years since the dashing cavaliers
nd grenadlers wore them sweeping over
heir hat brims.
Fine feathers can't be blamed alto
ether on the fine ladies you see as the
dashing cavaliers and a good
ANY more male birds bear witness.
Clusters of Ostrich Tips.
Tiny clusters Of ostrich tips stuck in
leir velvet and brocade bonnets we're
iuch affected by those early earringed
abitues Of the Italian. Spanish. and
rench courts, and even much married
nd merry Hank the Eighth or England
dn't spurn a tip or two.
The Red men certainly set the feather
Ishions for America. and Yankee Doc
e helped along the style when he stuck
feather in his hat.
Quilts are very smart IN hats these
lys. thrust through at some rakish an
q that Is sure to rake out an eye or
70 Of some adjacent straphanger in
IL subway. II you want to be very
,nserving these war times a quill
nds Itself to conservation beautifully.
on can Just use It for a pen six days In
e week and stick It in your hat for
inday.
In spite OF the anti-feather crusade It
ould seem you really must show some {
ather in your hat these days to have
al chic and any kind will do except the ,