The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-12-25

/ New York, December 10--No one can
say with authority that the high neck
has entirely swept out of being the low
neck. American women are obstinate
concerning the high boned collar, and
in this they display kinship to the
Englanders.
The French like to conceal the neck;
the Anglo-Saxon insists upon display
ing it. One talks Of beauty; the other
of comfort The American woman in
sists that she feels as though someone
were choking her to death when she
covers her neck in any fashion and the
coolest day does not bring out clothes
wrapped to the chin on the majority
of Americans We must be an ex-
traordinarily healthy race of women to
combat the most rigorous northern
climates with open-necked gowns, furs
that do not fasten under the chin and
silk stockings with pumps
The American woman may bundle
herself with furs of every description
and pile velvet on velours but she will
not protect her ankles of her neck,
unless compelled to do SO through i'll
health.
THE HIGH NECK GAINS POWER
When women discuss the fashion
that calls for material to the chin
they accept, without cavil, the fact that
fashion goes one way and comfort and
inclination another. They vow they
will not wear high collars, but each
weeks sees a certain evidence that their
will is weakening. Already, there are
smart women who are dressing for the
street as they did 10 years ago, with
cut-away coat suits and white shirts
with high, turnover collars under which
IL 11r z-11
ribbon.
In gowns, the high neck dominates.
1t is achieved in various ways, some of
which are medieval and pleasing. If
women cry out for more warmth this
winter, they can go back to the fifteenth
century without reserve for their clothes
inspiration, and among these medieval
fashions one finds the panel of en-
broidered or braided material. which
differs in color from the rest of the
frock or suit and runs high under the
chin. In those days, it was a chest pro-
tector; in these days, it is a smart ac-
cessory to a suit or a blouse
The shops are showing these panels
with their high collars and skeleton
backs as the newest kind of waistcoats,
but the tailors and furriers are insert
ing them into the garments they build.
BUILDING UP SERGE FROCKS
There are sealskin jackets to be worn
with separate skirts, which have these
medieval waistcoats that cover the chin
and stretch to the waist or below it,
made of contrasting fur
What is known as summer ermine
has come into high fashion for these
panels and for cuffs, because it has that
odd color of deep tan that is extremely
fashionable among the artistic people.
The animal is self-concealing. 1t is
white through the nine months of snow
and dead tan through the summer, to
match the earth.
This latter color is used in cloth when
it is not available in ermne. 1t is used
to build up a blue serge gown into dis
tinction and warmth. The sketch shows
such a frock.
The skirt is short and scant, and the
short jacket is subservient to this medi-
eval waistcoat, which is built like a
cuirass, without sleeves. 1t is of bis
cult colored cloth braided and en-
broidered in dark blue, and the biscuit
and blue repeat themselves on the i'm
mense, bell-shaped cuffs which flare out
at the top from the tight sleeve. This
panel, as you see, runs straight up to
the chin, and sometimes, it is interlined
to give extra warmth