The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-19
DRESS AND SUGGESTIONS ANNE ..sss.ues.. FOR WOMEN
The French Theatres Continue Great iy to Assist the American Buyers in Purchasing Individual Gowns for Our Spring Trade.

New York.--Every letter one gets from Paris tells of the reerudescenee ei social life there. It is not only the l presence of the American soldiers which
 has revived a touch of that gay life for which the French capital has been famous for centuries; it Is also the pres
 ence of wealthy canteen, Y. M. 2. A. and Y. W. c. A. workers.
 A well known writer who has just returned from Paris tells me that it Is utterly amazing where the American civilians get the passports to go to France, They literally crowd the streets, the restaurants and the banqpette cafes,.
 REASON FOR GOOD GOWNS These people buy good clothes; they wear good clothes, and they have raised the price of everything in Paris. Young marines, says this woman, in the sailor blue uniforms, that are connected in the French mind with utter poverty have bank accounts that would astonish g French leader of society and they throw money about in gifts and souvenirs, to the delight of the shopkeepers. It is necessary to telephone to the
 Ritz in the morning for table # you are to be sure of one for the after noon tea. When Mile. Mistingnett opened her delightful new play at the Theatre Fafnina the house was crowded from pit to dome. and has continued SO. The French and American women, she says, are too delicate in taste to Haunt themselves in clothes that France wore before the war, but their cos tumery is none the less costly and made by the best dressmakers.
 She feels (and this was the express
 sion Of several returning correspond ents and workers) that Paris may be on edge for while because Of the op- portunity for great fighting this spring; but after these months have passed she will be restored, to great degree, to her normal condition of optimism, gayety of life and an atmosphere of social sunshine.
 The French gowns at the theatres reflect this atmosphere even more than the gowns at the dressmakers, so our buyers have been clever enough to go from playhouse to playhouse, picking up individual clothes that will undoubtedly appeal to our women.
 Individuality is to be the keynote from now on. We want no standard ization. and we have no idea of allow inG 1t to get even a foothold in our costumery.
 The gowns shown on the stage are good examples of what will be worn by the French women, and they do not smack of the desire to please a foreign nation, as do the gowns in the ateliers.
 THEY LIKE GEORGETTE
 Georgette crepe, as well as Shantung, the new Egyptian tissue with it's bright finish, and all varieties of Chinese fabrics, are exploited on the stage to greater degree than any other weayss.
 Take the gown in the sketch, which was worn at the opening of the Theatre Porte-Saint Martin by Mile, Andree Pas cal. It is of strawberry-c -colored Georg- cite embroidered in white worstsd threads, in primitive fashion. The ehenise is pleated all around, and the pieces of embroidery form a sleeveless zouave jacket with long ends that reach to the hem. The sleeves of Georgette are embroidered at the back, then held in at the wrist. There is a sash .n strawberry, which forms a surpice bodice, crosses over the hips and ties low at the back.
 Mark well the hat and veil. The foi,n- CT is of strawberry silk, yelled in the new hird-cage way and with white tule