Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30

work of trade in cheap clothes in this
country will be relieved of a stupendcus
effort to please variety OF women
| sometimes at loss to themselves
Every one has to face this clothes
| situation during the war with spirit
| of patriotism and eager endeaTor to
| do the greatest good to the greatest
number This has confronted every
generation of women whose husoands
| have gone to war, hut there is brand
inew situation injected into this war.
| and it is the dominant one concerning
! apparel.
| 1t is this: The earning capacity of
| the women of the nations involved i'll
| the war is without precedent in the his
tory OF the planet Whether or not il
was the psychological moment for wom-
en- to rush forward like the tremendous
| turn of the tide and flood Ill the places
where money is to he made is not for d
mere reporter TO say. 1t is too vast q
movement in the history Of the world
TO be encompassed i'll a sentence or
column but the fact is present in the
calculations of eVry one who has some
thing to sell.
If women who have never had money
to spend will be able to make a salary
such as man has to support family
are they going to save it They are not
They. are going to spend it.. and they
are going to spend it the things
they have always desired. That is why
sealskin Sacques and ostrich feathers
to women who have always worn calico
wrappers and knitted ShawlS.
And 1t is these women, so the stu
dents of the new statistics affirm who
are demanding good materials for their
clothes. 1t is said by those who know
that women who paid SIS for suits now
pay $50. and those who paid So for a
hat now pay SO: and this change in
money spending does not rest entirely
on the fact that dollar of 1914 is equal
to of 1919
Here are the things that the govern
ment wishes us to say-those of us who
appeal to you through the written word
as we would like to appeal TO you face
to face.
In spending your money on clothes
cooperate with the designers by in
dorsing the slim silhouette, the short
jacket and the elimination of as much
wool as possible from a costume For
the rest, You can spend whatever money
you feel you can afford. Remember that
it is not extravaganza. but a form of
charity, to keep this money moving so
that it reaches to the uttermost corners
of society where women and children
are gathered to make a living wage
There is no diminution in the bril-
llancy of fashions. Both France and
America are working hard to assist the
government to stimulate womens de-
sire for clothes. The new things which
have been put out in the shops, some
OF which came from Paris and others
which have been designed in this country,
show straight line that is charitably
kept from attenuation by cascade at
the side of the skirt a swirling design
In braid, great sash weighted with
ornament This is. pure camounage
There is really little perceptible diff
ference between the silhouette of the
gowns launched for January and those
that have prevailed since September
There is really little perceptible diff
drapery, and as it can be made of tulle.
chiffon. georgette crepe and net of all
weaves. there is a disposition for even
ing wraps and gowns to resolve them
selves into floating clouds, in order to
hide the fact that the foundation of the
frock or the wrap is made of a scapty
amount of material and clings closely
to the figure.
On the new clothes there is less en-
broidery than has prevailed for four
years. A splendid piece of it will be
used as the lower part of a bodice which
has bib and half sleeves of chiffon
and again. it will touch up an oriental
sash which swathes the waist line: but
II IS not massed over the surface of
clothes it was.
There is a tendency to go back to the
old handlwork known as cut-out en-
oro1dery. We saw the beginning of this
movement last summer in colored linen
frocks, and we shall probably see more
OF IL at Palm Beach in February Cloth
velvet and taffeta are now cut out by a
stamping process in ornate designs, and