Evening star., 1918-06-30

Is being made to assure the benefits
being a decided financial success as
well as the social event which 1t is
certain to prove.
Deeply interested also are the com
mission for relief in Belgium. Nine.
the patronesses of the committee are:
Mrs. William Phillips. Mrs. Herbert
Hoover, Mrs. Charles 8. Hamlin. Mrs
Larz Anderson. Mrs. Hugh c. Wallace.
Mrs. E. H. G. Slater. Mrs. Vernon KeI-
logg and Miss Mary Patten.
ties are being arranged for this matt
nee. among those planning thus to
entertain being Nine Jusserand.
Baron de Cartier. Mrs. T. w. Gregory.
Mrs. Herbert Hoover Mrs. William
Phillips and Mrs. A. B. Ruddock.
War changes Dress Standard.
What influence will the war have
on the dress Of American women?
VIII the idea of uniforms grow. or
will fashions prevail as always along
the line Of extravaganza and costly
change?
Women of all classes want to give
war service and this will react auto
matically." said DR.. Jessica Peixotto.
professor Of social economies in the
University Of California and at pres
partment of child welfare of the
woman's committee. Council of Ma
tional Defense. ut seems to me that
the war will sound the doom of un-
practical. ceremonial dress. In a time
like this elegant attire that Is the
badge of the leisure class becomes Of
fensive to persons of taste. Today
inexpensive. fresh. practical. attrac-
tive dress Is the mark of leaders
among American women.
The war should bring us a new
habit Of thinking about dress Per-
haps as nation we may learn to ap-
ply to our clothing the same tests
that dietists have told us to apply to
food: Expenditure for display is prac-
ticed universally In the matter Of
dress. Apparel is the chief means of
putting financial standing in evidence.
II tells observers at first glance some-
thing about purchasing power and
whether or not the wearer is being
subjected to any kind of productive
labor. Our ethics Of dress for many
years said practically that women
should wear clothing not suitable for
any sort of work, that they should. as
1t were. wear the insignia of leisure.
When the day Is filled with regu-
lar work done inside a schedule made
for group and not for a particular
woman. little time remains in which
to buy many and elaborate costumes
to suit long standing conventions.
The three or four changes a day pre-
scribed for women of leisure become
something that can be worn all day
without being conspicuous or inap-
propriate. Thus service will bring
about a kind OF self-acting standardi-
cation and In this way introduce into
dress the element OF thrift.
But we can make conscious
changes. too. changes that will bring
only advantage to the individual and
the nation. 1t is a genuine struggle
for any American to turn to simplic-
ity. Hard as 1t is to take thought
about what we eat. the task Is moth
ing compared to the effort we must
And when the resolution Is made there
are no discovered rules to go by.
Beside. the habit of spending to
display good clothes has penetrated
wider circles with us than perhaps
with any other nation. Democracy
does this. As said, apparel is an easy
| means Of displaying publicly the class
of society to which you think that
you belong. No nation pays more
homage than does ours to the adage
The apparel makes the man. Yet the
| mand emphattcally that We wear in.
| expensive and simply made clothing
and that we wear It longer than here.
| tofore. This is in itself q radica
| change.
Standardization Of dress? I do mo-
think that strictly standardized dresi
/ 10 practical or desirable. In the flrs
/ place, for most Homen II would In
/ volye an additional and unnecessars