The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-11
.9D4RIBSS& D4I!B5
LAnne Rattenhouse

lin early to speak with authority on
what fashions the French will
persuade the American buyers TO accept
The opening, are going on In Parl,
in a desullory fashion The usual num-
Der OF our buyers is skelelonircd 20 a
depressing degree insofar a. the French
trade il concerned The hope over there
Is that maximum quantity will he
bought by minimum representation
and there Is basis for this>aptimism.
Few Importers IA France.
The American buyers who ycnlured
the trip In desperately cold winter, on
ships that were probably not sufficient.
II heated, with lights out. delays, prob
ably, and food not always the best
should be paid immensely we'll for their
journey.
They represent a large network Of
other houses han their own. In their
hands will lie the establishment OF
fashion in this country for spring and
summer. Several Of the men and women
who have gone over will buy for hun
dreds Of other firms who usually send
over their own representatives Those
who represent exclusive firms or huge
department shops. have arrangements
by which their purchases may be shared
by others.
There is no reason for the Americans
TO look upon this scheme with any dis
couragement. They have prolited moth
ing IN the past, in the way Of variety
and originality by having an army OF
importers go 10 Paris 20 bring back
fashions. The result has always ap'
peared to have been caused by collusion,
and not riyairy, among these buyers.
Each one seems TO have brought over
almost exactly the same ifoeh Here
and there, a house stands out with some
degree OF originality, but as a rule a
woman in a great city may buy the
same French frock at several dozen
houses covering a large area.
There IA no doubt that there will he
serious delay in the shipments Of
these frockS. II is not easy 10 get
cargo space, and il is probable that
America will not have her actual fash
ions laid down for her until March js
well advanced toward April
What difference does it make II
gives the American designer chance
to exploit very good looking gowns he
tween the first Of January and the first
OF April, and there is no doubt that
America has gained strongly in ad-
vancing good fashions OF her own
choosing
Playing with Beads.
As far as the French exhibitions oi
clothes have gone there seems to be a
universality among the designers to
employ beads on one epiece frocks
This trick began in November and
the result was seen in this country when
Cheruit, Chanel and others sent over
their first spring frooks
The beads used are wooden and col.
ored Sometimes they are mixed in
with twine embroidery. These beaded
accessories ere preferred to lace. al
though the latter fabric is revived for
gowns, blouses, capes and hats.
The revival Of Indian colors and
workmanship in the fashions may have
caused this use OF beads, and there is
no doubt that when II is well done, il
Is effective The trouble is that it may
quickly be overdone Q
The sketch today, which has just come
over from Paris shows a iroek Of might
blue silk mousseline, a fabric which
the French are using extensively in the
spring clothes and which creates a