Evening star., 1917-06-24
BY ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

a 7ANY a wedding will occur this
lMMI summer that was scheduled
UWII to occur next autumn.
SVS War weddings have become
so much the social pastime that the
cynics insist that hundreds of girls are
getting husbands who might otherwise
have remained old maids.
War has ever been productive Of sem
timental romance between the sexes.
The tide of affairs is violently turned.
men and women think of different
things. separation seems acute and
marriage quickly follows. 1t Is great
temptation to add a word about the
repent at leisure'-but the future
takes care of that one way or another.
There is no one class so grateful for
these constantly occurring weddings as
the dressmakers. They have been on
the verge of nervous breakdowns ever
since the war was declared. They have
seen themselves go out of existence,
and they have seen good clothes become
one of those rare luxuries that are sold
at infrequent intervals. like jewels and
Chinese rugs.
Nothing since the beginning Of the
war did more harm to the public well
fare than public statement concerning
economy in apparel. 1t is true that an
explanation came later. but an explana-
tion never catches up with an accusa-
tion. and while the first weeks of the
hysteria about clothes economy wended
their way through time. hundreds and
hundreds of girls in New York lost
their employment, dressmakers on
every side were forced to throw their
clothes into a bargain heap. and thou
sands of dollars were probably lost by
every one dealing in apparel. 1t was a
fatal move. 1t came near having fatal
result on the commerce OF the country
1t was only natural for all the women
who were near the sales of gowns to
take advantage of that amazing oppor-
tunity to get their clothes at half their
value. The late spring did not give
parel they bought. but they felt that
their summer wardrobes were secure,
and that they could turn their attention
and money to other things.
The dressmakers have doubled and
turned on their tracks in trying to get
new clothes for the summer and to at
tract the coin out of the purses of even
the economists by presenting class of
coStumery that varies from the spring
models.
II women want ginghams. then the
dressmakers will give them ginghams
expensively made and trimmed. but still
frock and three-course dinner, which
Is more talk than sound sense.
You can we'll imagine. therefore. that
the decision on the part of the brides
elect to have their weddings occur in
the summer instead of the autumn is a
flag of happiness upon which the dress
makers cast their eyes in hope.
The slogan that ought to be put In
every woman's home is that economy
during the war must consist in not
being wasteful of products of which
there is a shortage. That Is all. The
more money spent on things that are
plentiful and desirable, the more there
is in circulation for those who need It.
A multi-millionaire in New York who
boasted the other day at a luncheon
that she had saved a large amount Of
money on her household by dismissing
two maids and cutting the food down to
three courses was asked by another
woman present what she did with the
money saved. She triumphantly ex-
planned that she had always wanted q
her string and that she had bought
these with the money saved.
Even if the brides Of this summer in
sist upon telling each other often and
cal In the purchase of their trousseaux
they at least yield to the temptation to
nave an extraordinarily good-looking
wedding gown and several other ex-
pensive costumes for the outfit
Even though the weather is warm
there are few Brides even in war time,
who care to relinquish the traditional
white satin gown. 1t must be that each
woman-child. from the cradle to ma
turity. has that kind Of bridal frock
nAed in her subconsciousness. Through
cut All her nursery days she dresses
her dolls in white satin to go to the al
tar in her schoolgirl days she giggles
and confides TO her intimate friends the
plan tor that sumptuous frock. 1t may