The Jasper news., 1918-05-16

been growing feeling here of indepen-
dence of Paris. ALI of us who firmly
believed that no country. could get
along without the deciding vote Of
France as to what should be done In
clothes. realized, during the first years
Of the war, that our opinion was cor
rect.
Changes Of Importance.
But the situation has changed, and
our beliefs have changed with it. AS
far as one can see, there Is no chance
Of our losing the comfort of getting
from Paris our inspiration as to the
silhouette, and we shall also get from
that country Of consummate art in ap-
parel, the various movements Of cloth,
the details Of ornamentation, and the
production Of new tissues, which slim
ulate and enliven our work. But-and
l say that with full conviction, after
talking with people in power and with
dressmakers, designers and merchants
who have had their hand ON the pulse
of things for three years-a decided
change is coming over our method of
launching fashions.
The reasons are important, not only
to the merchant, but to each woman.
She is thinking individual these days,
If she never was before, and she will
decide what Is best to be done and
will either coincide with the new meth
cd of work or go against 1t. There
fore, she ought to be Informed Of the
conditions.
The American buyers were not en-
thusiastic, 1t is true, over the purchas-
ing of hundreds Of French gowns, al
though they spent an immense amount
of money out of pure good will and TAX
ing gamble. The prices were beyond
all limitations set for clothes. France
said she was compelled to ask such
prices, and the American buyers
thought they were compelled to give
them; but they assert themselves as
determined never to do 1t again.
Two hundred and fifty dollars was
II simple price for any gown. Two
hundred dollars was asked for mus
lin without lace or embroidery. Callot
asked from five to six hundred dollars
apiece for her evening frocks. Now
add to that the 60 per cent duty which
every merchant must pay to our Gus
toms. There were some gowns that
cost thousand dollars to land. What
would be the return on such clothesf
No American woman would buy them.
Americas Marrow Skirt.
1t may be remembered that last sen
son America invented the skirt with
the slight hustle and the bias folds 60
ing upward from the knee to the back.
sent to this country for twelve of these
sketches, and adopted the hustle In def
erence to American wishes. Good evil
dence for the truth of this statement
Is shown in the hustle which a certain
French house has sent to this country.
Another piece of alteration that is
given away by good dressmakers Is
adding to frock narrow plain under
skirt and cutting the gown itself 10 to
II inches shorter, and letting 1t fall as
a tunic with girdle over the new ad-
dltion. This eliminates the flares in
the chemlse robe of yesterday and
gives one the proper silhouette.
AS long as 1t is fashionable to wear
two or three materials In combination
one is not called upon to match the
one-time chemIse gown In cloth or
color when adding separate under
skirt over which to drop it. Black
satin goes with blue serge, beige cloth
or brown gaberdine. 1t also goes with
plaids and checks; and on the other
hand Scotch designs in WOODEN and
other fabrics are used for skirts.
TUNES of plain material are combined
with these skirts by the best dress
makers, and therefore the amateur
sewing woman need not be timid in
making the same combination.
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)