The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-13

FRENCH and American gowns
r. have both appeared in force
L since the first Of october. They
have been In existence since the first
OF September. but the public usually
permits the people In the trade to
use September for their own selection
and purchasing. while It wears what
IL has on hand and looks at clothes
with interest, but not always with the
intention to buy.
The demand for conservation has
struck to the heart of the public, and
the month Of September offered a
chance to use ingenuity in old cos
tunes and see what could be done in
the way of alteration and renovation.
II must be truthfully said that not
much was done. It is difficult to tell
Of the process of reestablishing old
clothes that goes on In small centres,
but in the great cities the people who
sell clothes report an extraordinarily
good season beginning tho nrst Of
September.
Behind this fact is a significant rea-
son, and 1t has to do with the position
Of women who work. 1t is tremendous
situation, and It has not been done
full justice by those who reason out
the processes OF cause and effect.
The majority OF women are too ac-
tive to-day to feel that they have
time to superintend the seamstress.
Their advent into the business world
has given them somewhat the point Of
view Of a man concerning the altera-
ton of clothes. They feel that time,
vitality and money spent. with the
result debatable. is not efficiency.
As an offset to this viewpoint there
IL the necessity for alteration in thou
sands OF households, where the income
has not been enlarged and where the
clothes must be worn as they are, In
and out of fashion, or altered with
caution and care.
1t is believed. however, that the ma
jority Of women are not altering their
clothes. They are wearing them as
they are and buying new ones. even
though they are paying only half the
price that they usually paid for au-
tumn costumery.
Rich Women Economixe.
Here again comes topsy-turvy
condition in clothes. The women who
have been accustomed to giving from
500 to $500 for their gowns, who as
fAt. AAI a.
without any strain on the purse. have
become economical through what
Greenwich Village calls the expression
OF suppressed desires" This is only
part of the truth. Three-quarters OF
the truth lies in the demand for contri-
buttons that is put upon rich women
the tremendous income tax and the
sensitiveness about being criticised by
others.
The high class gowns, therefore
which are sold at great prices will
not be bought as lavishly as before
America entered the war. The women
who formerly wore them have no hest
fancy or embarrassment in buying
gowns that cost from $50 to $50
Hesitancy? I should say not! Their
boastfulness about It spreads over the
land.
To be economical Is a high virtue
to-day. To show that you can dress
well on $50 is to prove yourself a pa
triot, in the belief Of hundreds of very
wealthy women.
Now the reverse OF this picture is
that women who have heretofore paid
So or $40 for a gown cheaply made
at a ready to wear shop or made at
home in an amateur way by a cheap
dressmaker are paying from $50 to
$50 for a gown, and they shop side
by side with rich women, all carry